Bouncing Ballet Bonnet and Baby Dress

I have a dear customer in Australia, who likes to order special gifts for any friends who are having babies. The input from said customer is always interesting, and a starting point for what I am going to put as decorative motifs on the outfits. This time it was for the baby of a former ballerina, so the Swan Lake motifs seemed highly appropriate. 

Made from a delicate Cotton Lawn, with specially designed embroideries, 

hand appliqued into place, and with cotton lace insertions.

Bonnet with a fun scalloped brim.

Details of bonnet, & front yoke embroideries.

Detail of front hem Swans motif, 

and Insertion laces.

Detail of button back and appliqued embroideries.

 

Scotch Bonnets

I heard that there were chili peppers named Scotch Bonnets, but I'd never seen a pepper that looked similar to that item of headgear, and scoffed at the idea that they might, until I came across this image online. 

Having been asked to make a few tartan items for a couple of lads, of Scottish roots, I now have to agree that it is an aptly named fruit (vegetable?)

Tartan waistcoats, and bonnets were the order of the day, for a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old. I decided on a typical country gent's cap for the older one, but couldn't resist the fun of (spending hours) working out where to place the pattern pieces for a true Scots bonnet, wherein all the patterns would match around a centre. It turned out well, methinks.

The lads seem really chuffed with their new outfits!

 

Fortunately, there's a younger baby brother to pass them on to, when they grow out of them!
 

Charming "New" Tradition!

I was recently commissioned by a Godmother to be, to make an outfit for a baby's Baptism. I was told that a splendid gown, with a bonnet and a hanky were to be required. A hanky? Whilst the Godmother was in the UK the parents and child were in Poland, and the Godmother had been told that this was necessary. After a bit of research, I realised that what the Polish folk did was to place a lovely embroidered hanky over the baby, presumably at the moment of the Baptism where we would (in a Traditional Catholic ceremony in the UK) place a white shawl around the child. So although it's a Polish tradition, it was a new one on me. I had to do a bit of searching around before I could get the necessary Polish lettering onto my embroidery software, but with the help of some experts in embroidery digitizing, it turned out well. The edging lace, of which I had just enough to complete the outfit, was antique, and very dainty, so hard to find these days!

 The choice of fabric was to be an embroidered cotton, and pure white linen. However, the mother of the child expressed some concern about her little one freezing to death in the Polish winter in a cotton frock! So, as I didn't want to make the dress itself too warm, since it may well be used for future siblings in the broiling heat of Summer (if God so wills) I thought it best to make a little quilted jacket to match. I thought the bonnet could be quilted too, and if they need a Summer weight one in the future, I still have bonnet-sized pieces of the fabric left over!

A Priest once bemoaned the fact that it was oft times tricky to reach the infant's chest for anointing, due to the fact that Baptismal gowns usually opened down the back. So I designed openable shoulder seams with some delicate glass buttons, for ease of access to the baby's front. I must ask the Godmother how they worked (or if they were necessary at all?)

Detail of the embroidered motifs which were chosen in consultation with the Godmother. The embroidered panel was of pure linen, and the sleeves were also.

The bonnet and jacket had layers of wadding between the outer cotton and inner linen layers, and were quilted with decorative stitches.

I think Baby must have been nice and cosy in the outfit whilst being welcomed into new life in Christ!

Joy and Sorrow, with Hope.

I have been asked to make a few items recently which seem to fit into the cycle of life.

A gift set to send to Australia, for a new, much longed for baby, not quite yet delivered!

The gift-giver was quite specific in what he wanted, something "Traditional" in white, but not to look as though it were for a Baptism... hence the touches of green, with elephants marching across the bib. The set is made from a very fine cotton lawn with satin weave and embroidery details, and touches of antique insertion lace, all lined in cotton lawn (apparently, it will be hot in Australia when the baby gets to be old enough to wear it!)

The next project completed was for a Polish wedding, soon to take place, but as it hasn't yet, I can't really reveal "The Dress". It's for a lovely Welsh Lassie, who's marrying a dashing Polish Gentleman! Suffice to say, it involved a lot of piecing of extremely pretty lace, and swathes of silk satin, lots of buttons and a bow!

Sneak preview! Two different laces have been invisibly joined prior to piecing the back part of the bodice. 

The back after completion!

The last item is of a more sorrowful nature. It made me reflect on how fleeting life is, and how we should all prepare for death. A widow-to-be is expecting her terminally ill husband to die soon, and wanted a special mantilla to wear at his funeral. She had a specific idea of what she wanted. As I looked at the image she had in mind, I realised I would have to cut, shape and piece together lace. It was a time-consuming project, involving a lot of hand-stitching, all around the edges of the inset pieces of lace. But I found it a very moving task to sit quietly sewing the pieces together, and pray for her and her husband and family, and contemplate my own mortality too.

The first stage of shaping the lace edging around the dotted net. It was coming out bigger than the recipient wanted, so I had to bring the edging in more.

After completion.

When I started Zelie's Roses, I had little patience for hand sewing, wanting to get things finished speedily. The more I force myself to spend time creating things by hand stitching, the more I appreciate what Zelie Martin used to do in her lace-making! I hope I'm now of a level for her to have employed me as someone who pieces the lace together, since I still don't have the patience, or skills, to actually make lace!!

I like to add all the people I sew for to my prayers; a safe delivery for the baby and mother, a joyous and Christ-filled marriage for the happy couple, and the consolations of St. Joseph and Mary to be with the dying man and his family.

Baptismal Gown for a Summer Baby

I made a First Communion dress for a little girl last year, and her mother is now expecting a new little one, so she came back to me for a Baptismal gown.

This is the first one I've made since I desperately tried to finish my son's before his Baptism - nearly 19 years ago now! (Which you can see in the Header photo of the blog, next to St Zelie!)

The mum had several ideas of what she wanted, so using those, and my own finds - a fantastic lightweight cotton lawn with woven satin stripes and tiny lozenge-embroidered stripes - some lovely soft cotton Nottingham lace, and several specially digitized embroidery designs, it came out beautifully. 

The only problem with sending it to the USA was that the tracking number went dead after it was logged as having got on a plane at Heathrow, so there was a rather nail biting week or two where I hoped and prayed that it was still in transit - and eventually it did turn up - in plenty of time, since baby is due in June!

I was very pleased with the way it turned out but it was time-consuming to make, it took just as long as a first Communion dress!

Detail of the baptismal shells

an IHS cross

and some wheat and grape vines

The fabric is light as gossamer,

and has a cotton lawn lining

Had to wait for an obliging gust of wind to show it off!

A simple button fastening at the back

And of course, there has to be a matching bonnet with embroideries

And the expectant mum is very happy with it too, DG!

Mantillas for Mums, and Bonnets for Babies!

I've been making quite a few mantillas lately, and enjoy trying to fulfill the specific requests that people often make, like the brown cotton lace one that was recently asked for.

I love making bonnets too, but am sad that sometimes I don't get to see them being worn by their new owners.  If people buy anything from me, I love to have photos of them or whoever it has been bought for, modelling it.

This one was sent to Japan.

This was used for a Baptism at my Parish. Sadly, I didn't get a photo of baby in it, though!

This was made for baby Grace's Baptism -
I think the photo was taken on another occasion, though.

I love the delicate lace edging framing the face.

But I'm so glad I get to see this one being worn every Sunday!
Maria doesn't seem to mind keeping it on through Mass, either.

A nice easy to wear, elasticated bonnet with lace brim. £8.00 in polycotton, £15.00 in pure cotton, dependent on size.

                                                                             

Classic Tartan Elegance!

Okay Mamma, why have you plonked me here
in my Sunday best?

So I'm supposed to be looking this way am I?

Oh, I get it, it's a Zelie's Roses modelling session!
I'm happy to oblige. X