Christening Gown is 95% Done!

 I am so excited that my Goddaughter's Christening Gown is almost finished! I worked hard this week to get the construction done. The things left to do are: attach a tiny trim to the neck edge, run ribbon through beading, hem back edges, and do some sort of beading/ribbon/embroidery at the "waist" of the smocking.

Here's the yoke. Notice the 2 cable smocking rows: between them is where I will add some beading, ribbon, and/or embroidery. I'm not sure yet what to add.

 Here are the embroidery, fancy band, and ruffle. I love how they look together!

 Here's the whole dress, laying flat. You can see through the front to where the dress is open down the back. I decided to add buttons at the back yoke and leave the rest open. It will make it easier to dress a newborn and will look better spread open for pictures.

More ruffle detail. The ruffle is 132" gathered onto the 72" skirt. It took me a long time to gather and stitch that ruffle!

 

Project Details:

Fabric: 100% cotton Satin Batiste from Fine Stitchery- I had JUST enough with 2 yards.

Laces/Entredeux: Cotton French lace and Swiss embroideries

Thread: Madeira 80 wt cotton for machine embroidery and Madeira 60 wt cotton for construction 

Pattern: Chery Williams' Baby Yokes for Dress

Ellen Briggs Party Dress Sleeve only, size 1 reduced by 10%

Machine Embroidery: my own combo of designs from Linny's Heirloom by Artistic Designs

This dress went together wonderfully. It was a charmed project. I estimate 30-40 hours of work (including all the hand smocking). I LOVE the way it looks and I can't wait to see it on my little GodBaby!! She is due December 4 and her baptism is scheduled for December 30, so I don't have too long to wait! I'm going to take a break from this to work on my Thanksgiving and Christmas projects, but when I get back to it, I will also make a simple slip and bonnet to match!

I'd love some comments with what you think of it!     

 

Digitized Christmas Ornament

Hi! I have been working on the Christening gown and have it almost done! Everyday I hoped I would be finished so I could post pictures and now a week has gone by with no posts. So, I am just going to share something else I've been working on until I can show you the finished dress (and it is gorgeous!)

I saw this pattern for felt ornaments on ebay. The designs are so simple and are meant for hand embroidery.

I thought it would be easy to do something similar with machine embroidery. This is my version that I digitized. I don't have a stitchout yet, but I hope to try it out after I finish THE DRESS.
The design will be stitched on ecru felt, then placed onto tan felt for the tan buttonhole heart stitching. I thought it would make a quick ornament to tie onto homemade cookie trays or presents. I can probably make 2 or 3 in a 6x10 hooping. I hope to be back tomorrow or Friday with pictures of the dress!

Christening Gown Progress

This week I finished the smocking on the Christening gown. Here is the yoke before I cut it.

Here it is after cutting it to size (oh, I hate cutting through all those hours of handwork!) I intend to run a silk ribbon between the 2 cable rows.

I also stitched together the fancy band, which will go at the bottom of the skirt. A ruffle will be under that.

I chose a Swiss embroidery and French lace that coordinated well. They both have a zigzag floral pattern. I was very, very pleased with the fancy band, until...

 

I put it next to the embroidery on the skirt of the gown. You really can't tell from this photo, but the thread on the embroidery is a "winter white" - just a speck off white. The thread on the Swiss is a very bright white and they look terrible together. I will be re-doing a new fancy band with French laces only. Oh, well, this fancy band will be beautiful for a little girl's dress another time.

As with so many projects, it is 2 steps forward, one step back...