Pattern Construction Christening Gown
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Baptism is a beautiful and emotional event in the life of a child and its parents. As a symbol of purity and innocence, the child wears a solemn white dress for this Christian ceremony. Baptism is usually performed at the age of 3-6 months, so the dress should be sewn approximately in size 62-68. In this article we show how to set up the pattern for a baptismal gown and which fabrics are suitable for sewing such a special dress for girls and boys.
Pattern Construction Christening Gown
Template: Basic bodice block in size 68. Matching one- piece sleeve with flat sleeve cap.
Details of the Christening Gown
- Long dress with wide swinging hem
- Empire dress – dress with raised waist
- Skirt part with gathering at the seam
- Decorative stripe / Trimming on the dividing seam
- Long puffed sleeve with cuff
- Lying collar / Peter Pan collar
- Button placket in the centre back
1 Christening Gown – Front & Back Pattern
Mark the finished model length with 80 cm from the vertebra. Lower the neckline 1 cm at the centre front and the shoulder and 0.5 cm at the centre back. Redraw the neckline and keep close attention to a right angle at the centre back. Trim the shoulder 1 cm on the front and back pattern and redraw the armhole. The dart remains in the armhole for a more relaxed fit. Tapper the side seam 1 cm at the waistline and add 1 cm at the hipline. Redraw the side seam. The panel seam is set 11.5 cm below the lowered neckline at the centre front and is squared towards the centre back. The decorative strip is stitched 0.5 cm above the panel seam on the upper bodice. Mark 2 cm parallel to the centre back for the overlap. Divide the waistline in the front and back skirt pattern. Draw a perpendicular line in the front and back skirt pattern and add the ruffle width. Mark the Buttons as shown in the illustration.
2 Christening Gown – Collar
The collar is drafted on a break line with amount of the lowered neckline + 1 cm (the collar pieces are overlapping 1 cm at the centre front). Measure 6 cm for the collar seam line, 1.5 cm for the collar stand and 3.5 cm collar width upwards at the centre back. Design the collar shape as shown in the illustration. The collar is processed open at the centre back.
3 Christening Gown – Sleeve
Slash the sleeve at the centre of the one- piece sleeve and add 2 cm width to each slash- line. Raise the sleeve cap 1.5 cm and redraw the course. Finish the sleeve hemline with 12 cm cuff length.
4 Christening Gown – Finished Pattern
Separate all the pattern pieces from each other. Open incision lines. In the front and back skirt, the waist width is locked as the crimp width. Specify the grain line.
Tips for choosing the fabric and sewing a christening robe
With baby clothing, special attention should be paid to the processing of the seams. All seams on the dress should be sewn flat and ironed. For a simple opening of the button placket in the back, snap fasteners or a seam-covered zipper are recommended. Baby skin is very sensitive, therefore materials with a soft, smooth surface are suitable for children’s clothing. For a festive dress such as the christening gown, we choose fine fabrics such as batiste, satin or delicate lace. With decorations such as bows, ribbons, borders, frills or fabric blossoms, the dress becomes an enchanting dream dress. In addition, details such as collar and waistband can be crocheted or embroidered.
You can find many other pattern making instructions and patterns for sewing clothes for children and babies in our online shop.