Original 1950 McCall Pattern No. 1593 - Women's and Misses' Smock with Smocking Transfer

Original 1950 McCall Pattern No. 1593 for a roomy women's and misses' smock with a hand-smocked round yoke, a small round collar, a buttoned front band, full sleeves gathered into narrow cuffs, and two generous patch pockets. Two views, with a smocking transfer included. Factory Folded and Unused, with the transfer uncut.

Quick Facts

• Pattern Number: McCall No. 1593
• Year: 1950
• Garment: Women's and Misses' Smock (2 Views), with Transfer
• Size: Small (12-14), 30-32" Bust
• Condition: Factory Folded, with Uncut Smocking Transfer (blue)
• Envelope and Instructions are in Nice Condition

Design

McCall 1593 is a loose, easy smock cut to slip on over a slim skirt. Fullness from the shoulders is gathered into a deep round yoke worked in smocking, then falls freely to just below the hip, about 33¼ inches from the back of the neck in this size, with roughly two yards of sweep at the hem. A narrow front band carries the buttons, a small round collar finishes the neck, and the full bishop-style sleeves are gathered into buttoned cuff bands with a continuous lap. View A is made in an all-over print with the smocking in a bright contrast thread; View B is a solid smock with the collar and front band in a contrasting print. Both have two large patch pockets. The pattern includes a smocking guide and a transfer for marking the smocking dots, and calls for 8 skeins of six-strand embroidery cotton. Ten pattern pieces in all, with McCall's Cut and Sew Guide and directions in French and Spanish.

A Moment in Fashion History

Smocking began as a way to gather fullness into a working garment, most famously the smock-frocks worn by English farm laborers, and it moved into dressmaking as a decorative needle art. By 1950, the smock had become a practical cover-up for home and hobby: a loose overblouse that could be worn over a slim skirt for painting, housework, or crafts, then taken off without disturbing the outfit beneath. McCall's printed patterns, with every cutting line and marking printed on the tissue, made a project like this easier for the home sewer, and the included transfer took the guesswork out of spacing the smocking.

Illustration

The envelope front and back are shown as scanned, framed on our blue mat without retouching, so the artwork appears in its true color and condition. The front shows View A in a black floral print with hot pink smocking and View B in mustard yellow with a green print collar and front band, both worn over slim pencil skirts, along with a green version seen from the side, a back view of View B, and a close-up of the smocking stitches.

Connections

This pattern is part of our exhibit, Kitschy Kitchen -- McCall Edition, a growing collection celebrating the whimsical, decorative side of kitchen textiles. While I love everything about McCall, it must be said, "McCall Makes the Cutest Aprons!"