November 29, 2010

• Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice…..

  I have finally finished the baby outfits that I have been working on.  It has been a very, very long time since I have done this kind of sewing.  Heirloom sewing is not like riding a bike, you don’t just get back on and it all comes back to you.  Thank God for Martha Pullen and my Singer Guide to Sewing for Children. 

  This is the completed dress that I made.  You can see the tucking on the front and the embroidery.  It is made out of white imported Swiss Batiste.

  

  

  The slip is made out of imported Swiss Batiste also.  It snaps on the shoulders with invisible snaps.

  

  This is the best close-up that I could get of the front of the dress.  You can see the tatted lace around the neck and around the sleeves that is attached with entredeux.  The bottom is also trimmed in the same tatted lace.

  

  The bonnet is made from a handkerchief that is trimmed in the same tatted lace attached with entredeux.  It is then folded to make a bonnet and a channel is sewn to shoot the ribbon in the back that shapes it to fit the baby’s head.  The ties are held on with ribbon rosettes.

  

  I made a white Swiss Batiste bib to go over the front of the dress in case the baby turns out to be a spitter.

  

  Out of pink cashmere flannel I made this coat since the baby is due any time now. 

  

  You can’t quite see in this detail of the coat but it is piped in pink checked baby cord piping that I made out of pink gingham.  It fastens with snaps with heart-shaped buttons sewn over.

  

  The bonnet that goes with the coat has machine embroidery detail on the brim and gingham cording.  The ties are sewn on with pink heart buttons.

   

  What follows is a copy of a poem that I included with the white bonnet.

  The Magic Hanky Poem

  I’m just a little hanky, as square as square can be.

  But with a stitch or two they made a bonnet out of me.

  I’ll be worn home from the hospital

  or on a Christening Day,

  Then I will be neatly pressed and carefully put away

  On the day she is married, so we’ve been told,

  Every well-dressed bride must have something that is old.

  So what could be more fitting than to carry little me?

  A few stitches snipped, and a wedding hanky I’ll be.

  And if, per chance, it is a boy, someday he too will wed.

  So to his bride he can present this hanky

  once worn upon his head.

   

  • 2:29 pm
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