How to Make a Baptismal Gown
Baptismal gowns, also commonly known as christening gowns, often become heirlooms that are handed down through the generations of a family. Delicate lace embellishes these gowns, made from white cotton or silk fabric. If you can read a sewing pattern, have basic sewing skills and some time and patience, you can make a baptismal gown for the baby in your family. Store the gown in acid-free tissue, and it will remain in good condition for many decades and can be used for future family baptisms.
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Instructions
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Purchase a sewing pattern and as much of the type of fabric and lace the pattern calls for. Most of the major patterns come from companies including Simplicity, McCalls, Burda, Butterick and New Look. Many fabric stores and online retailers sell these patterns.
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Read the pattern instruction carefully and ensure that you follow its directions for cutting the pattern pieces and constructing the gown.
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Cut out the paper-pattern pieces and pin them to your fabric. Make sure that you account for the direction of the fabric and any pattern it may have.
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Cut the fabric pieces out and pin them together, sewing them together in accordance with the pattern instructions. This will usually mean sewing the shoulder seams, setting the sleeves in place, sewing the side seams and finishing off the sleeve seams, neckline and hemline.
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Add lace details and embellishments. Personalize the gown, if you like, by embroidering the baby's name and baptism date on it.
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References
- "Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts: Basic Techniques for Sewing, Applique, Embroidery, Quilting, Dyeing, and Printing, plus 150 Inspired Projects from A to Z"; Martha Stewart; 2010
- "Creating Heirlooms for Baby"; Wendy Poche Schoen; 2010
Resources
- Simplicity: Christening Gowns
- "The Best of Sew Beautiful: Christening Gowns"; Sew Beautiful; 2004
- Photo Credit Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images
