Christening Gown from Nanny Mitzi

Spiritual - "Jesus chided Martha, not because she gave herself to activity, but because she was too anxious about it;  'Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things' (Lk 10,41).  God wants activity, but not anxiety, for even in activity, the soul should attend to 'the one thing necessary, ' that is, union with Him.  Therefore, as soon as a soul perceives that it is beginning to lose its interior calm, it should interrupt its work, if possible, at least for an instant, and retire into its interior with God.  These brief moments of pause, frequently repeated, will accustom it, little by little, to keep calm and recollected in God, even in the most absorbing activity.  Divine Intimacy


Sewing - Mitzi Brignac is a "beginning" student and was insistent upon making the christening gown for her Godchild's first baby.  I thought, "Okayyy."  She began learning heirloom techniques sewing a few daygowns, then delved into this beautiful gown and matching cap.  We designed the gown based upon Swiss embroideries she loved and a basic yoke design. She even learned snail shirring!  I think this girl is not afraid to tackle anything. She is a blast to work with and she did a wonderful job!  I can't wait to see what she has in mind for the next project.

Gown front; gown is 30" long

Yoke with Swiss insertion;  Swiss edging at neckline;
machine embroidered cross stitch crosses

Ruffled Swiss edging snail-shirred and sewn to Swiss insertion

Machine embroidered cross stitch crosses circle the skirt

Slip with Swiss embroidery ruffle

Family Christening Gown from "Grandmother's Hope Chest"

Spiritual - "O Christ, sweet Jesus, give me this holy charity, that I may persevere in doing good and never give it up; for he who possess charity is founded on You, the living rock, and by following Your example, he learns from You how to love His Creator and his neighbor.   St. Catherine of Siena

Sewing - When my daughter and her husband were expecting their first child, I asked them to pick out a Christening gown from Grandmother's Hope Chest, French Sewing by Machine by Martha Campbell Pullen, PhD.   They chose the Christening Puffing Coat and Underdress. 



The "coat"  is actually an overdress and buttons at the front bodice.  It is made of white Nelona and Cluny lace.  There are three panels of 2-inch puffing sandwiched between panels of three double needle pintucks with machine featherstitching between the sets of three pintucks. The sleeves have a straigth panel of the feather/pintucks strips with entredeux on both  sides and Cluny lace at the edges of the sleeves.  The lined front bodice, closed with two buttons, has pintucks/featherstitching panels with entredeux between each panel. A 5-inch ruffle edged with Cluny lace is attached to the bottom of the coat with entredeux. The total length of the gown is 33".














The underdress  or slip has Cluny lace at the neck and the sleeves.  It has a 5 inch ruffle that is trimmed with Cluny.  Each child that is christened in this dress has his/her name embroidered on the slip along with the date of the baptism.  The Christening cap is made of panels featherstitching /pintucks with Cluny lace at the brim. 

Daddy Doesn't Want Frills on His Son's Christening Gown?

Spiritual - Before the day of our holy Baptism, we had only a human life.  Afterwards, we began to participate in the Divine life. We became incorporated in Christ as His members and received the Holy Spirit for the first time.  The Holy Spirit began to diffuse Christ's graces in us so that we could begin to live and walk in Christ.  This sacrament is the first; the other sacraments restore, root, invigorate and build up this divine life within us.  This gift, however, requires our cooperation.  "Every sin, fault, or voluntary negligence dishonors Christ and grieves the Holy Spirit who lives within us.  We cannot remain content to merely avoid sin; we must also strive to make Christ's life increase in us.  Without our cooperation, it is possible for this life to remain stationary in us for twenty, thirty, fifty years after our baptism, after hundreds of confessions and Holy communions.  We may be adult, or even aged in years, but children according to grace!"

Sewing - This is an interesting history of Christening gowns.

Simple & lovely.  This "boy" Christening gown was made using one of the patterns by Nancy Coburn from her series of books of baby & toddler's gowns, day dresses, and suits.  It was made using white Imperial batiste (blend, so won't need ironing), a simple sweet Swiss embroidery, entredeaux, and thread.  An intermediate beginner can make this gown.

Ginger Snaps Designs By Nancy Coburn.  Nancy has a series of these booklets which include the basic pattern and several variations of each gown.  SewHealing has several in the shop. 

The yoke has two sets of triple (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) pintucks that flank three machine embroidered cross-stitched crosses. The yoke is attached to the skirt with entredeaux.  The neck is finished with Swiss embroidery.

The band at the bottom of the gown is a simple repeat of the yoke.  There are two sets of the triple pintucks.  The machine embroidered cross-stitched crosses are placed evenly around the band between the sets of pintucks.

Triple pintucks and crosses are repeated on the lower sleeve. A sweet  Swiss embroidery embellishes the three-quarter length sleeve and the neck.  The sleeve is a set in sleeve and has no gathers at the shoulder.

Christening cap

Triple pintucks, crosses and Swiss embroidery are featured on the Christening cap.