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Make
a Christening Gown or Baptismal Dress for Baby
Design by Susan Kramer
Dolls
and Costumes Website
Susan Kramer
susan@susankramer.com
Click
here to buy the Christening gown pattern
January 13, 2010:
I thought it would be fun for all of us to follow me through the process of
designing and making a Christening gown or dress. It is baby size 9 month to 1
year with a 22 inch (55cm) chest in the finished size.
The entire gown will be sewn by hand with 1 strand of quilting thread,
unless otherwise noted.
So far I've completed the bodice. The sleeves are cut out and ready to sew -
perhaps tomorrow, then I'll update this page.
This particular Christening gown is going to be
auctioned at the Fall 2010 event at the Little Sisters of the Poor home in
Baltimore. This is a charity dear to my heart. One of my cousins is a nun
in the order. The founder, Jeanne Jugan, was recently
canonized by Pope Benedict XVI.
Here are some more views of the bodice. It is lined in the same fine sheer
cotton as the finished bodice. I crocheted a decorative stitch on the neckline
ruffle with 6-strand embroidery thread.
January 14, 2010:
The first sleeve is in
It took almost all day to sew and put in the first sleeve. The bow is a ribbon
that is run through a channel formed by making a fold of the sleeve material to
the inside and sewing it closed, then running the ribbon through on the inside
and bringing it to the outside at the point you see it - even with the shoulder
line. That way the ribbon is adjustable. I'm keeping it on the looser side;
it's just for looks.
Here are 2 photos of the sleeve:
Closeup of sleeve showing channel sewing line and lace and ribbon trim:
January 15, 2010
Both sleeves set into bodice and bodice lining sewed in place
I really pushed today and was able to sew the 2nd sleeve and set it into the
bodice. I also lined the bodice so there would not be anything scratchy against
the baby's skin. In the photo below you can tell the bodice is lined, because
it appears more opaque with the light shining through the fabric. The sleeves
are not lined.
January 19, 2010
Skirt
Next comes the skirt and the skirt lining. I intend to make the whole gown
about 30 inches (75cm) long from top of shoulder to bottom of hem. This morning
I traveled to the nearby town of Alkmaar, North Holland, and bought the skirt
trimmings at Böttger
Stoffen - a fabric and notions store. So check
back in a couple of days to see more progress ...
January 22, 2010
Skirt is joined to bodice
Productive morning: I decided to make the lower edge of the skirt 46 inches
(115cm) wide, and the lining the same. I gathered the top edge of skirt and
lining twice and folded under a quarter inch of bodice and sewed it on top of
the skirt and lining between the 2 rows of gathering. This allows you to adjust
the gathers nicely so the skirt hangs well. And then, I topstitched scalloped
lace to the bodice topstitching. See photos below to illustrate this - front
and back of dress.
Detail of lace sewn to lower edge of bodice:
Underskirt lower edge with ribbon trim. ...
Email:
susan@susankramer.com |
How to Sew Cloth Dolls and Costumes plus Traceable
Patterns |
Medium Doll Clothes |
Baby
Christening Gown
E-pattern by Susan Kramer
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page created January 13, 2010
updated February 2, 2010; October 1, 2022