Bishop Neckline Treatment

Often when talking with students, I find the discussion turns to frustration with applying bias binding to a bishop neckline.  I think the secret to success is practice, but I have experimented with an alternate finish that might be helpful to some.

I’ve always been partial to nightgowns for girls’ sleepwear and the bishop is my personal style of choice. Rebecca wore smocked bishop nighties until she went to college, so I had already come up with some time saving techniques.  By employing  them occasionally, I was able to keep Rebecca’s nightgown drawer well stocked.   Of course, some of the classic styling is lost, but still, a smocked nightgown is a smocked nightgown. 

I have to be upfront about this garment–it is easy care, from the fabric to the not too horrible synthetic trims.

One time saver is to leave the sleeves unsmocked. Loose and wide, they are comfortable and fit longer than a traditionally smocked sleeve.  The bottom edge is trimmed with beading and 1/8″ satin ribbon. This finish is carried to the hemline, which features the same beading without ribbon.  I can apply a lace edging much more quickly than I can hem by hand or machine.  I left out the ribbon because it is too easy to catch a toe on loose loop and cause a fall.

The smocking design is simple, open, and stitched in a single color.

The neckline finish is the real time saver.  I simply drew the neckline up to the desired measurement and straight stitched within the seam allowance.  Then a tight zig zagged was worked over the raw edge.  Finally, a sturdy synthetic beaded edging was zig zagged in place over the neck edge.  It would have been nice to use this same trim on the sleeves and hemline, but I had only a short length.  This is, after all, a utility nightie, not an heirloom.

The last time saver is the use of ribbon ties at the back, rather than buttons and button holes.

In designing this gown, my objective was to make it quick and easy.   When it was finished, I could say “mission accomplished.

Post Script:  Robert and Laurel are here for their regularly scheduled two days of homeschool.  Their history lesson dealt with early civilizations between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers and how those rivers drain into the Persian Gulf.

Later, Laurel finally finished tying her quilt—hurrah!!!!

Then just before bedtime stories, I got a picture of her with her new Kit doll in their matching (sorta) pajamas.  How did I forget to add beading and lime green ribbon on either side of Kit’s Tinkerbell embroidery?  Maybe later….