QUOTE(Somey @ Thu 4th March 2010, 12:36pm)
I hate to play Devil's Advocate here, but if the point is to show how the fabric is gathered, does the quality of the stitching itself really matter? One might even argue that high-quality stitching might distract the reader/viewer from the fabric-gathering effect.
I have around here somewhere a most excellent book on manipulating fabric that documents a whole host of methods for shaping fabric using many techniques, including smocking. That book features technically excellent photographs of masterfully executed articles each of which was specifically intended to document the particular method being discussed. Trust me, it is much easier to understand the technique when you are provided with technically superior examples photographed in a technically competent way.
Of course, the photographs in that book were taken by a professional and the articles being photographed were produced by a master of the craft. Neither statement can be said, without laughter, regarding Durova.