Canadian Smocking! and link to tutorial...

Lest you be given the impression that I've suddenly become obsessed with Star Wars, allow me to explain. See the amazing visual texture of the blue robe in the photo??? THAT, my friends is Canadian, or North American smocking, and that is the focus of my obsession. It's a method of gathering the fabric on the back, so that it gives that rumpled, elegant texture on the front. For a tutorial on how to do it, visit Savvyseams (I also borrowed this white smocking sample image from their site). I LOVE the result of this technique, so stunning...another site to check out for guidance on how to create this gorgeous texture is the Padawan's Guide (I borrowed the pic of Padme, above, from that site).