Traditional Smocks and Smocking
Cave, Oenone
Mills and Boon Ltd., London, 1979
A short section on early medieval and renaissance smocking and the evolution of the chemise to smock. The book focuses primarily on the smock as folk wear of the 1800’s. SB
Intermediate
Posts categoriezed as Stitched Fabric
The History of Beads: From 30,000 BC to the Present
The History of Beads: From 30,000 BC to the Present
Dubin, Lois Sherr
Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1987
ISBN# 0-8109-0736-4
Wonderful overview of the history of beads. Frequent comments on usage, social status, and other useful pieces of information. Includes an area by area bead identification. Heavily footnoted for further research. SB
Intermediate
The Art of Manipulating Fabric
The Art of Manipulating Fabric
Wolff, Colette
Krause, Iola, 1996
ISBN# 0-8019-8496-3
The best how-to I’ve found on gathering, shirring, smocking, quilting, trapunto, stuffed quilting, cord quilting, etc. SB
Beginner
Quilting
Quilting
Colby, Avril
BT Batsford Ltd, London, 1972
ISBN# 0 7134 3746-4
Wonderful overview of the techniques and history of quilting. Includes a chapter on 16th C. quilting examples. SB
Intermediate
Dianne Durand’s Complete Gook of Smocking
Dianne Durand’s Complete Gook of Smocking
Durand, Diane
Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1982
ISBN# 0-442-24510-6
Excellent overview of modern smocking techniques. The hints in this book make it a must for the smocker. SB
Beginner
Diane Durand Smocking Technique, Projects and Designs
Diane Durand Smocking Technique, Projects and Designs
Durand, Dianne
Dover, New York, 1979
ISBN# 0-486-23788-5
One of the best pamphlets out on Smocking. Covers all the basics. SB
Beginner
Bead Embroidery
Bead Embroidery
Edwards, Joan
Lacis, Berkeley CA, 1992
ISBN# 0-916896-44-7
Nice overview of the history and use of beads. Unfortunately there are only tantalizing glimpses into beads pre-1600. SB
Intermediate
Bead Embroidery
Bead Embroidery
Edwards, Joan
B. T. Batsford Ltd, London, 1966
Good overview of bead history, techniques and uses. Some information on Byzantine style beading and which beads are found where geographically. Look for this book in used book stores. SB
Intermediate
Australian Smocking
Australian Smocking
Bauer, Margie & Lib Rayner
Nelson, Melbourne, Australia, 1985
ISBN# 17 00542 1
Excellent presentation of all the stitches and techniques of smocking. This book also covers in some detail advanced smocking stitches and the use of embroidery stitches. SB
Intermediate
A-Z of Smocking
A-Z of Smocking
Garner, Sue ed.
Country Bumpkin Publications, South Australia, 2000
ISBN# 0 9577159 35
Spiral bound and easy to use. This book walks through all the stitches and techniques for modern smocking. An excellent resource book on how-to. SB
Beginner