Smocking is a way of decorating cloth. You gather the cloth into many small folds, all the same size and close together, and then sew across those folds with lines of stitches so they stay gathered.

Smocking is a way of decorating cloth Smocking是一種裝飾布料的方式. You gather the cloth into many small folds你把布抓成很多細小的褶子, all the same size and close together大小一致而且靠得很近, and then sew across those folds with lines of stitches然後用一排排的縫線橫過這些褶子縫過去 so so they stay gathered讓它們固定在被抓緊的狀態.

The result is a panel that looks like rows of tiny pleats held in a pattern — often a honeycomb or diamond shape — and because the folds can open and close a little, the cloth stretches. That stretch is the point as much as the decoration: before elastic was common, smocking was how you made a garment fit close at the chest or wrist without a fastening.

The result is a panel that looks like rows of tiny pleats held in a pattern做出來的成品是一片看起來像一排排微小打褶、排成某種圖案的布 — often a honeycomb or diamond shape常常是蜂巢或菱形 — and因為 because the folds can open and close a little那些褶子可以稍微打開和合起來, the cloth stretches這片布會有伸縮性. That stretch is the point as much as the decoration那種伸縮性和裝飾性一樣，都是重點: before elastic was common在鬆緊帶還不普及以前, smocking was how you made a garment fit close at the chest or wrist without a fastening smocking就是讓衣服在胸口或袖口貼合、卻不需要扣件的方法.

You see it most on children's clothes, especially little girls' party dresses and baby gowns, and on the front of some blouses. The word is a noun, and it names both the technique and the finished decorated area — a sewing teacher can say "I'm teaching smocking this term" or "look at the smocking on the front." It belongs to the world of sewing and handcraft; outside a sewing shop or a class, many English speakers would recognise the look but not have the word ready.

You see it most on children's clothes你最常在童裝上看到它, especially little girls' party dresses and baby gowns尤其是小女孩的派對洋裝和嬰兒服, and and on the front of some blouses還有一些女用上衣的前襟. The word is a noun這個詞是名詞, and and it names both the technique and the finished decorated area同時指這種技法和做出來的裝飾區塊本身 — a sewing teacher can say "I'm teaching smocking this term"一位縫紉老師可以說「我這學期在教smocking」 or or "look at the smocking on the front."也可以說「看看前面這片smocking」 It belongs to the world of sewing and handcraft它屬於縫紉和手工藝的世界; outside a sewing shop or a class離開縫紉店或課堂, many English speakers would recognise the look but not have the word ready很多英語使用者會認得這種外觀，卻叫不出這個詞.

Machine-made versions exist now and people still call them smocking, though hand-sewers may quietly feel that the real thing is stitched by hand.

Machine-made versions exist now現在也有機器做的版本 and people still call them smocking人們還是叫它smocking, though hand-sewers may quietly feel that the real thing is stitched by hand不過純手工縫的人心裡可能會覺得，真正的smocking是用手縫出來的.