A guide to make a simple smocked top. It includes instructions on taking your measurements, planning your design, costing out your fabric, making your garment, hand pleating, honeycomb smocking, and finishing your piece.

Alterations include: Adding a skirt, making the top A-line, adding a bust dart, and incorporating more smocking.

Suitable fabrics include: Lightweight fabrics like cotton poplin, lawn, shirting, organdy, muslin, seersucker, tencel, silk charmeuse, organza.

Fabrics that are stiffer will create a more dramatic silhouette than fabrics that have a soft drape. For instance, a rigid cotton shirting will look more boxy and structured than a floaty Tencel.

Consider how you want the finished garment to hang on your body and your personal preference for clothing.

Using fabrics that you have: This project would suit bedsheets or an embroidered tablecloth nicely. A children's version could be made from a pillowcase or a set of tea towels.

Smocking can also be used to add detail and adjust the fit of existing garments.

Ginghams and Checks: If using a checked fabric you can skip the step of marking your pleats and use the lines on the fabric instead.

Instructions are in metric and imperial.