How to Turn a Wedding Gown into a Baptismal Gown

Any style wedding gown can become a traditional baptismal gown.

For generations, wedding gowns were wrapped in tissue paper, stored in the attic and brought down when a daughter or granddaughter was getting married. Wedding gown styles have changed during the last two centuries, but tradition can still be followed by turning an heirloom wedding gown into a baptismal gown for the next and future generations. If the thought of tearing into an ancestor's wedding gown is too much to bear, don't use a priceless family treasure. Second-hand shops around the country offer new and genty-used wedding gowns at discount prices, so new traditions can be born.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Seam ripper
• Sharp cuticle or sewing scissors
• Measuring tape
• Baptismal gown sewing pattern
• Fine gauge straight pins
• Sewing machine
• Needles & thread

1. Turn the wedding dress inside out and separate the lining or petticoat from the bodice at the waist seam, using a seam ripper. Separate only one of the side seams. Do the same with the outer layer of the dress.

2. Cut off any lace panels or decorations on the outside of the skirt carefully, using the seam ripper or sharp cuticle scissors. Then, remove the lace from the bodice using cuticle scissors. Cut off buttons, beading, ribbons or hook-and-eye attachments.

3. Press all pieces of the dress with the iron set on a gentle or warm setting, including the lace. Measure the material to be used for the bodice and outer skirt of the baptismal gown with a measuring tape.

4. Lay the material on a table or work surface and pin the pattern pieces to it according to pattern directions. Cut out the pieces with sharp scissors, then pin and sew the garment together according to pattern directions on a sewing machine threaded with matching thread. If the pattern calls for an underskirt, do the same with the lining or petticoat fabric.

5. Cut decorative pieces of lace from the reserved wedding dress lace and either hand stitch or machine stitch them to selected areas of the baptismal gown, or use the lace as hem trim.

6. Hand stitch a hem on the baptismal gown skirt and sleeves and add ribbon or embellishments from the wedding gown to finish.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the bodice for use as bonnet fabric if a bonnet is included in the baptismal gown pattern.

References

• "Sew Vintage"; Wedding Gown to Christening Gown; Jennie Archer Atwood; p. 104-107; 2002
• Dolls and Costumes Website; Make a Christening Gown or Baptismal Dress for Baby; Susan Kramer; January 2010
• "Sew & Go Baby"; Christening Gown or Jumpsuit: Recycled from a Wedding Dress; Jasmine Hubble; p. 79-82 1998

Resources

• Sew Delish; Christening Gown and Sewing Tips Part 2 - Cutting Out; SewDelish; January 2009