The walls of The Smocking Bird are covered in bolts of fabric in every color. Threads, buttons and ribbon can be found in every corner of the house-turned-store. Embroidery ma-chines hum away.
Just looking around will make anyone craft-savvy wiggle with anticipation.
Smocking is a centuries-old form of needlework that uses embroidery stitches over gathered fabric to decorate and allow for elasticity. It is mostly used on children’s garments, especially for special holiday outfits or christening dresses.
And in Homewood, The Smocking Bird is a place for both beginners and veterans of the style to expand their craft. The store offers a wide range of smocking materials as well as custom orders. It also provides a variety of quilting fabrics and sewing supplies.
“People think we are just a smocking shop, but we are so much more,” co-owner Martha Shaw said. “We have one of the best selections in town!”
Shaw’s partner, Carol Provost, purchased an existing business that would become The Smocking Bird more than 25 years ago. Since then, the store has moved to three different houses on Linden Avenue attempting to make more room for their growing inventory.
They’ve also kept up with the trends in technology that have greatly benefited the industry. Shaw and Provost offer ongoing sewing classes in their upstairs classrooms with modern machines to teach. The classes cover topics such as machine training, smocking and basic sewing. The store also offers a popular sewing camp for children in the summer.
But Shaw said she feels the most important thing The Smocking Bird offers is a personal relationship and knowledgeable staff that provides one-on-one customer service.
“We know most of our customers by first name. They sort of become like our family,” Shaw said. “The store is so central to Homewood, Vestavia and Mountain Brook. We’ve got so many young moms that smock and sew, and we feel that we are a great location for them.”
Although smocking is a more traditional activity, Shaw said she thinks it’s a great creative outlet for young moms.
“It’s just a great hobby. It’s the art of it,” Shaw said. “I think everybody has a deep need to be creative. It’s a way for young moms to make something for their children to wear that will last and something they can be proud of.”
For more information or to sign up for classes, visit thesmockingbird.com.
