Embroidered Christening Gowns (Embroidery)

Sep 05

A christening is such a special occasion and this beautiful book contains eight classic designs for gowns or romper suits to adorn any little prince or princess. Styles range from simple outfits to elaborate dresses and each one is beautifully embellished with heirloom sewing techniques including inserted lace, pin-tucking, embroidery and smocking. Matching petticoats, bonnets and berets are included to complete the outfit. Each garment uses a combination of machine and hand stitching and a trace-off pattern is supplied with the book in sizes 3-12 months, along with detailed instructions for sewing the garments and embellishing them. This is a delightful book to peruse with stunning photographs, snippets from art and literature, along with christening traditions and folklore from around the world.

Winter 05

...the illustrations, layout and photography of this book are beautiful. The projects include not only Christening gowns but also romper suits, berets and bonnets. The instructions are very comprehensive with good diagrams and close-ups of finished worki and there are pull-out patterns provided. But it would be advisable to read through all the information on the chosen project before beginning as the different techniques needed for each item are not necessarily with each garment. I took one project which included smocking and although there are excellent diagrams on smocking stitches, nowhere could I find info on how to do the actual pleating. Very necessary if you are a beginner to smocking. Making up the garments is covered very well but not all projects are for beginners.

Iss 153, Dec 05

If you are full of excitement over the forthcoming arrival of a new family member, why not use up all that nervous energy and make an exquisite gown for the new baby? With this book you can create real family heirlooms that can be used for christenings as well as many other occasions.

The eight outfits include elements of dressmaking but all the gowns and garments can be completed by hand so it is guaranteed to be stitched with love! They are decorated with a range of traditional motifs and techniques...All the decorative stitches and techniques are explained extremely well with clear photographs, plus there are chapters on 'heirloom' sewing with advice on attaching lace, panels and edgings.