A smocked version of The Utility Top

As featured in the Summer 21 magazine this smocked version of the Utility Top is easy to recreate. Once you’ve mastered the simple smocking technique from Ruth Singer in the magazine simply substitute smocking for gathers.

The pattern gives instructions for a casing to take the drawstring, simply omit the casing.  On the back and front mark the area you wish to smock. 

For the one pictured, the gingham is 1cm squares; for the size 12, the smocking area measured 40cm x 2 cm. So twenty smock stitches wide by 3 stitches high.

 A smocking detail was also added to each sleeve. The smocking area is 10cm x 2cm. Here the smocking is tapered by making 6 stitches at the base, then 5 in the middle line and 4 at the top.

The neck of this top is bound with stretch jersey binding from Beyond Measure in Scarlet. The colour is then picked up in the smocking stitches.