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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

A Gown for Baby Rafe













I wish I had the kind of camera lens that could capture the look and feel of silk.

Rafe's gown was an old, Chinese table-cloth. I had to cut around a number of embroidered dragons. I like dragons and all, but they didn't seem quite baptismal, somehow.

The handwork is exquisite (the original artist's, that is....my tailoring happened after midnight with crossed eyes and a seam-ripper between my teeth.)

The sheen and drape is beautiful, though by the time I got to the photo-shoot it had gotten rather rumpled. It wasn't intended to be ahem crawled in!

And anyway, Rafe, who said you could start moving around on your tummy? I didn't give you permission to grow! Haven't you been listening to anything I say? I said stay a baby!

21 comments:

  1. Oh Mary, what sheer beauty and loveliness! In the photos I thought the fabric was linen for some reason. That embroidery is amazing! Again I am inspired by your talents...

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    1. Erin, thank you! But the talent was all in the unknown Chinese artist who made the beautiful silk. Yes, it does look like linen, probably the stiffness of the cotton lining. And the wrinkles.

      I've been thinking about you. Are you still on a wheat-less diet?

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  2. ohh my honey, the baby is very cute and lovely :))

    lots of love türkiye :))

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  3. Ah, when you find a camera that can capture the feel of silk...let me know! I want one!!

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  4. The gown is beautiful, well done in re-purposing the tablecloth. Love the white quilt in the background too.

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  5. This is beautiful! Amazing handiwork, and I know what you mean as far as baby growing. My peanut is nine months already, and somehow I just got around to having her dedicated (we do Baptism as adults). She was crawling around in that fancy dress, and right after the prayer, I went to the nursery to change the diaper, and you KNOW she promptly peed on that dress! It was a great day anyway, and I hope yours was too!

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  6. beautiful gown! love all the embroidery, especially your placement of flowers, leaves. and what a beautiful little one - that last photo on the white blanket is so precious! congratulations on your baptism. it's encouraging to see that kind of tradition happening still.

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  7. Brilliant baby, gown, lighting, etc...STUNNING !!

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  8. Mary, I selected you to receive the Versatile Bloggers Award. If this interests you, you can pick it up at my site and then pass it along to others.

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  9. Hey, your Blog is so beautyful, I like it!
    sunny greeting out of germany!

    Betty Piel

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  10. Wow! The sheer cuteness of Rafe in these pictures is almost overwhelming :)

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  11. It's a beautiful Gown and a darling baby. Did you make the Gown yourself? If so it's simple spectacular.
    Enjoy baby. Time passes like water rushing in and out of a bay, along it leaving gifts along the sand. Remember those gifts, small might they be but meaningful~

    Dee~

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    1. Thank you, Dee. Yes, I made it myself, and it was a lot of fun.

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  12. I think it's great, the pictures look great. Awesome.

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  13. I liked this age. I would hold up my hand and let my daughter hold my pinkie and thumb with each of her hands...These photos bring back memories. Thanks for the post!

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  14. Mary, the gown is stunning! I realised a little while ago that I only have one baptismal gown (Mom made it from the same silk as her wedding dress) and now I need two! Good idea making it from a tablecloth - I'll be on the hunt now!

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    1. Table cloths, sheets, and curtains—my favorite source of fabric! I've only bought new fabric once and it was for my wedding dress. Come to think of it, it was almost identical to Rafe's table cloth gown!

      I used the simplest dress pattern I could find from an old book of baby patterns (1960's era, I believe. I can't remember the name) I added some length and put a slit where the pattern called for a zipper, knowing that I'd be pulling it over his head quickly! A "quick change" design. I've seen some lovely baptismal gowns that were little more than a poncho....so there's something to consider!

      I keep thinking about you Naomi—the big challenges (but twice the fun!) that lie ahead. I hope all is well!

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    2. "I used the simplest dress pattern I could find from an old book of baby patterns...." I mean Rafe's gown, not my wedding dress!

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  15. very interesting gown. making our baby more beatiful

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