Beginning Smocking - Bishop Dress October 06, 2008 (07:00pm) Learning the basic stitches of smocking is fun with Reba’s guidance and expertise. After practicing the stitches on a sample of pleated fabric you will create a bishop style dress. As pictured to the left, you will smock the neckline and sleeves with a design created for you that is easy to master. When you come by the shop to register for your class, be sure to select your fabric that you would like to use for your first smocked bishop. The garment is cut to the desired size and pleated for smocking prior to the first class.