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Start from zero, and become a smocking hero!

  • Over 9 Hours of On-Demand Instruction

  • Filmed From 4 Angles, Giving You a Frontrow Seat

  • Plus, get the 100-page course PDF guide FREE 

“Smocking 101 is the best course for developing, and improving your smocking!  It is full of wonderful tips and clear instructions.”

-Smocking 101 Student

 

Holiday Sale on Now

On Sale for $129

Originally $149

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40 Years of Gail Doane's Smocking Experience Distilled Down to One Clear Learning Path

Come experience the methodical, personal, creative instruction for which Gail is renowned, all from the comfort of your own sewing space, on your own schedule, and at your own pace.

With up-close video streams from multiple cameras, and a nearly 100 page ebook, you will be fully equipped for success. Vanquish the scourge of UFO’s (unfinished outfits) and reunite with the precious feeling of sewing a project to completion. With Gail as your guide, success is your destination.

Here's what's included with this course bundle:

  • Pleating and Preparation Course - 4.5 hrs video instruction (Value $129)
  • Smocking Techniques Course - 4.5 hrs video instruction (Value $129)
  • Smocking 101 Ebook -Nearly 100 pages (Value $50)

Total Value: $309

On Sale Now for Only $129!

With Gail Guiding You Every Step of the Way, 
YOU Can Smock Beautiful Dresses! 

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Sewing class reinvented for the online age

#TheSewMustGoOn

The Highest-Quality Instruction

  • Watch Gail's masterfully experienced hands as they reveal every subtlety and nuance needed for each technique
  • Enjoy multiple camera angles including super-close up shots of Gail's sewing table and machine

The Most Convenient Experience

  • Leave the time, headache, and expense of travel behind and work from the comfort of your own sewing room
  • Retain access to this course for life, and reference back to it as often as you need so you can finish more projects
  • Stream Gail's sewing instruction onto the device of your preference making it easy to sew wherever you want

Smocking 101 is Recommended by Well Known Heirloom Sewists and Sewing Shops

“Gail Doane has come through with absolute gold for those people interested in learning or improving their smocking."

- Abbey Wilkinson (Dress Them Dearly)

"Anyone who's been in the heirloom sewing space would be familiar with the name of Gail Doane. You really can’t miss Smocking 101. It will be tremendous for anyone who enrolls."

- Sally Whingter (Farmhouse Fabrics)

"I didn't initially think I was the target market for Smocking 101 because I know how to smock. I only had to open the eBook and look at the syllabus to see how mistaken I was"

- Amanda Cotton (Sewing Cotton)

Gail's Modern Four-Camera Sewing Studio Gives You a Front Row Seat to Every Pleat and Stitch

Eye-Level Speaker Shot

Gail speaks directly to the camera.

Overhead Long Shot

Watch Gail's hands work on the sewing table

Super-Close Detail Shot

See the fine nuances that make exquisite finishing details.

Machine-Mounted Shot

See Gail sew on her machine  with no obstruction

Sign me up, I'm ready to get smocking!

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Smocking 101 Includes a Nearly 100-Page Ebook Featuring Professional Photographs From a Lifetime of Gail's Sewing

Smocking 101 Ebook

Every detail, documented in words & photos

Professionally Photographed Dresses

Find inspiration from a lifetime of Gail's work

Many Students Print and Bind Their Smocking 101 eBook so They Can Reference it Forever

Sign me up, I'm ready to get smocking!

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21 Comprehensive and Conveniently Edited Lessons That Will Elevate Your Smocking Skills

No Details Left Out, These Courses Covers it All!

Pleating and Preparation Course

Lesson 1: The Basic Tools of Pleating Guide

  • A discussion of pleaters, pleating thread, and pleating dowels. 

Lesson 2: Preparing to Pleat

  • An in depth look at the concept of ‘pleating ratio’ with real world fabrics.

Lesson 3: Simple to Complex Pleating Examples

  • A close up look at pleating a straight edge, a partially constructed bishop style dress, pleating a curved edge, and pleating two fabrics together.

Lesson 4: Hand Pleating

  • No pleater… no problem! With a bit of time and patience you can mark and hand pleat almost any fabric.

Lesson 5: Blocking Yokes and Bishops

  • Take the time for the important step of blocking your pleated fabric to the correct shape and size prior to smocking.

Lesson 6: Thread Options

  • So many thread options… so little time! A look at many beautiful smocking thread and smocking design options.

Smocking Techniques Course

Lesson 7: Centering a Smocking Design

  • Getting started with centering your design, depth of stitch, and ending a thread.

Lesson 8: Basic Stem and Outline Stitches

  • Let’s start at the beginning with two basic stitches, stem and outline.

Lesson 9: Cable Stitches

  • The cable stitch is the building block for many smocking designs.

Lesson 10: Wave Stitches

  • The wave stitch is a simple, very elastic stitch.

Lesson 11: Trellis Stitches

  • The versatile trellis stitch demonstrated in 3, 4, 5, and six step configurations.

Lesson 12: Two Step Trellis Stitches

  • This easy to master stitch provides beautiful color coverage.

Lesson 13: Honeycomb Stitches

  • The super elastic surface honey comb stitch and surface stepped honeycomb were used on the original farmer’s smocks.

Lesson 14: Featherstitches

  • Elevate your smocking skills with the addition of single, double, and triple featherstitch to your stitch repertoire.

Lesson 15: The Trailing Vine Technique

  • A combination of outline and trellis technique forms a trailing vine.  

Lesson 16: Flowerettes

  • Single or double cable flowerettes provide interesting accents to many smocking designs.

Lesson 17: Smocking with Beads

  • Incorporating beads into your smocking design adds a fun layer of ‘sparkle’.

Lesson 18: Back Smocking

  • A look at three stitch options for the critical step of back smocking.

Lesson 19: Stacked Cable Stitches

  • A quick look at the concept of stacked cables.

Lesson 20: Bullion and Cast-On Stitches

  • Surface embroidery techniques, including bullion and the cast-on stitch, can add texture and depth to your smocking projects.  

Lesson 21: Concluding Thoughts

  • Thanks for watching!

Meet Your Instructor: Gail Doane

In the words of Classic Sewing Magazine: "Gail Doane is an internationally recognized expert in sewing technique and design, as well as a featured designer in Classic Sewing magazine. It’s the tiny details of sewing that are her recognizable signature style."

In her own words: Gail is "an heirloom sewing addict who is detail-oriented, but prepared to break the rules."

Gail brings to the classroom over 40 years of experience, having dressed seven children, and now an ever-expanding number of grandchildren, in beautiful heirloom clothing. Her work first appeared in Australian Smocking & Embroidery in 2000 and Inspirations in 2008.

Gail's Sewing Has Been Featured In Top-Tier Publications Across the Globe

Sewing Class The Old Way

Travel to attend an in-person class held at a conference

 
What You Experience:
  • 20+ students crowded around a single sewing machine or table without a clear view
  • Stress between trying to record audio/video of the class or furiously taking notes so you can retain what your learn
  • Pack your sewing machine and lug it through airports and hotels to use it in class
  • Instructor barraged by Chatty Pattys asking personal sewing questions and using up precious class time
What you pay:
  • Flights $300
  • Hotel $200
  • Rental Car $150
  • Food $50
  • Registration $150
  • Total Cost $850

Sewing Class The New Way

Attend class from the convenience of your own sewing room

 
What You Experience:
  • High-quality, close-up camera shots from multiple angles with no obstruction
  • Convenient, recorded, videos you can review as many times as you need to get your sewing right
  • The familiarity of your own sewing room and the convenience of all of your at-home supplies
  • A constant flow of valuable information without interruptions or distractions 
What you pay:
  • Flights $0
  • Hotel $0
  • Rental Car $0
  • Food $0
  • Registration $149
  • Total Cost $149

Experience Sewing Class The New Way

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Previous Students are Raving About Gail's Online Classes...

“Worth every penny"

"Gail is Perfection Personified"

"I'll be signing up for the next [one]"

“This was having a front row seat!"

"Outstanding, so informative!"

"Money very well spent"

We Surveyed Hundreds of Gail's Past Sewing Students

Here's how they rated their online sewing experience:
  • Average rating for skill improvement: 
    4.77 out of 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Average rating for online format:
    4.93 out of 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Average rating for overall experience:
    4.99 out of 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
  • Willingness to recommend to a friend:
    4.96 out of 5  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Wage War Against UFO's (Unfinished Outfits) Today

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Important Questions and Answers About This Online Course

The Heirloom Sewing Horror Story...

A search and rescue mission for confidence

One of the relentless challenges of heirloom sewing is feeling confident in enough different skills to complete a beautiful garment. Without confidence in each specific skill, you second-guess yourself over and over, barely moving forward, until you wake up one day and you’re sitting in your sewing room, staring at a closet of half-finished outfits racking your brain to remember what the satisfaction of completing a project feels like.

That doesn't have to be you!

Join us in waging war against UFOs (unfinished outfits) and register today!

Register Now