![\"UFO](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/cg-bodice-ufo.jpg\")
UFO bodice + one sleeve<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
His mother, whom I have known and loved since she was 4 years old, grew up a mile from our home.\u00c2\u00a0 Her parents are two of our dearest friends.\u00c2\u00a0 But now this young mother\u00c2\u00a0 lives in New Zealand with her French husband.\u00c2\u00a0 They were blessed with this beautiful son after many disappointments.<\/p>\n
![\"beautiful](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/A-waterfrontxxx.jpg\")
beautiful Baby Shrek<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
His parents want him to be surrounded by family and close friends at this milestone in his life.\u00c2\u00a0 So in a few weeks they will be making the long trip from Down Under all the way to Florida, then on to France.\u00c2\u00a0 Their son will be christened at one of these locations.<\/p>\n
Here is the complication.\u00c2\u00a0 The heirloom family gown, like most, was made for a 0-3 month old baby.\u00c2\u00a0 But this baby will be 9 months old when he is baptized.<\/p>\n
So….what to do about the family gown?\u00c2\u00a0 There is no way to make it fit. Fortunately, a lovely fancyband runs along the hemline of the half slip that is part of the set.\u00c2\u00a0 The slip skirt is gathered onto a simple waistband.\u00c2\u00a0 My plan is to make a new bodice that will, in fact, be a shirt which hangs over the waist of the slip.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s not quite the same as wearing the family gown, but the slip gives the ensemble some ancestral connection.<\/p>\n
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![\"6](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/DSC02487.jpg\")
6 tucks and beautiful Swiss embroidered edging on the 35″ from the waist slip<\/p><\/div>\n
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That sounds easy enough except that this one ginormous big boy has grown to\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 24 lbs<\/strong> at 7 months.\u00c2\u00a0 Mother’s milk has made him strong! As his grandmother lovingly said, “He is like a beautiful Baby Shrek!”<\/p>\n The waist on the slip is 20″.\u00c2\u00a0 Baby Shrek’s waist is 23″.\u00c2\u00a0 Even if the waistband were extended,\u00c2\u00a0 a gap in the skirt will be exposed where the placket opens.\u00c2\u00a0 I have a few ideas about solving this challenge but haven’t quite worked them out yet.\u00c2\u00a0 Do you have any suggestions?<\/p>\n PATTERN:\u00c2\u00a0 Now, where to begin?\u00c2\u00a0 First, I needed a full bodice, no-yoke pattern for an 18 month old, which size is closest to his measurements.\u00c2\u00a0 Wendy Schoen’s gown in her Creating Heirlooms for Babies<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0 book fits the bill, except that the sleeve a very full puff.\u00c2\u00a0 I wanted a straight boy-style sleeve for this big fella. Finally, after plundering through my gazillion patterns, I found a sleeve on a very old 18 month size commercial pattern.\u00c2\u00a0 When compared to the armscye, the fit was close enough.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n FABRIC:\u00c2\u00a0 Just where could I find fabric to come close to the look of that in the 100 year old gown?\u00c2\u00a0 AHA! I found a near perfect match in a set of 6 pillowcases, circa 1920, which I purchased at The Estate Sale of a Lifetime<\/a>!\u00c2\u00a0 The weave, texture and color is almost exactly like the slip.\u00c2\u00a0 Fortunately, one had a small hole and another had a small stain.\u00c2\u00a0 So those two were easily sacrificed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n vintage 1920 pillowcase with hand embroidery and cutwork edge<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n TRIMS:\u00c2\u00a0 With pattern and fabric in hand, I assembled all my Swiss trims, giving preference to antiques.\u00c2\u00a0 At this stage of the design process, I always pull out anything that could be a possibility, no matter how remote.\u00c2\u00a0 Then I bag them up and keep them together until I’ve finished the project.\u00c2\u00a0 Too often I’ve changed my plan and remember a piece rejected earlier which is exactly what happened this time.\u00c2\u00a0 Keeping them together saves time.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n my choices<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n After taking this photo, I found in my stash a new piece which is used extensively down the bodice front and edging the sleeves.\u00c2\u00a0 It is shown parallel to the cross below.<\/p>\n EMBROIDERY: Baby Shrek’s\u00c2\u00a0 grandmother suggested that perhaps a small cross could be included.\u00c2\u00a0 She also thought a touch of pale blue would be fine.\u00c2\u00a0 I’ve used this tiny cross many times, from the old Brother miniatures card #20 and now available at iBroidery.com<\/a><\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 Just .90 x 1.28″, the size is perfect and the design has enough detail to be charming.\u00c2\u00a0 It was stitched at the center front of the bodice and anchored with a design from Nivia’s The Littles<\/em>. Much of the appeal of Nivia’s design is the three circles, symbolic of the trinity.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brother cross from iBroidery.com<\/em> and white floral from Nivia’s The Littles<\/em>.\u00c2\u00a0 Basting stitches mark the center front.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n I haven’t yet decided whether or not to cut away behind the Swiss embroideries on the bodice.\u00c2\u00a0 There’s no time to make a slip so I’m considering just a knit undershirt for him.\u00c2\u00a0 Or maybe I’ll just leave the foundation fabric in tact. Andthat’s another TBD-to be decided.<\/p>\n HAND EMBROIDERY–Finally, I was pleased with my feather stitching.\u00c2\u00a0 Using advice from Jeannie B., I machine feather stitched the heavily starched fabric with a 100# needle and no thread.\u00c2\u00a0 With #256 tapestry needle and DMC’s cotton a Broder, I was able to fill the holes as I followed the pattern. \u00c2\u00a0 Great tip!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n feather stitch by hand with machine help! Yeah!\u00c2\u00a0 The floss woven through the entredeux holes on the Swiss embroidery is a very pale blue.<\/p><\/div>\n <\/p>\n More details will be posted as progress is made.\u00c2\u00a0 I expect this post is too tedious with too many details for most readers.\u00c2\u00a0 However, for anyone facing a similar challenge (and this situation cannot be that unique),\u00c2\u00a0 I hope my learning experience will be helpful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Now this is FUN!\u00c2\u00a0 And even more than that, it’s a meaningful challenge. \u00c2\u00a0 For a family friend of more than 40 years, I am lovingly adapingt a 100+ years old family christening gown.\u00c2\u00a0 Requiring many special considerations,\u00c2\u00a0 this baptismal … Continue reading ![\"Creating](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/Creating-heirlooms-for-baby.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"vintage](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/pillowcase-xx.jpg\")
![\"my](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/cg-trims-XXXtxt.jpg\")
![\"Brother](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/cross.jpg\")
![\"feather](\"http:\/\/www.janicefergusonsews.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/08\/bodice-scan-featherCR.jpg\")