January Dress

Information

Smocked dresses by Thistle & Tig are made with love - each garment involves hours of care, attention to detail and high quality finishing including hand stitching. Top quality fabrics are sourced in small quantities to make these dresses true 'one of a kind' pieces. 

What is smocking? Smocking is a technique where fabric is pleated and then embroidered across the top to give it stretch. Smocking was used before elastic was invented. Over time, the embroidery done over the top has become more aesthetically pleasing and developed into a real art form. 

Is all the smocking done by hand? Yes, after pleating the fabric using a smocking pleater, all the embroidery is done by hand. It takes hours!

How do you care for a smocked garment? While handwashing is always preferred, cotton dresses can be machine washed if they are not put in with other clothes that have zips or hooks that could snag the embroidery.