smocking

Adapting a Basic Pattern to Produce an Heirloom Garment Once you can smock and sew and possess good basic yoke and bishop patterns, your small child’s entire wardrobe can be made using these two patterns. No two garments need to look the same. Combine a multi-sized pattern containing a variety of collars and sleeve finishes with your choice of fabric, smocking design and floss and away you go! In this article I will take these patterns and describe how you could use them to make simple christening gowns. First, you choose a fine fabric in white, ivory or cream, of as good quality as you can afford. Two to three metres (2.2 – 3.3 yds) should be plenty. Try a voile or batiste. Then decide on trims – laces (or not), ribbons embroidery, tucks, frills…. It’s probably a case on what not to have, what you like least or do not sew as well because there are so many options available. Take your time to design and select and talk about designs. Look in shops, baby magazines, pattern books and start making sketches. Do you want a "plain, unfussy" look or must you have lace? (Baby boys also look sweet with a touch of lace). Think about the neck treatment, yoke style, sleeve, and hem finishes. If you want to re-use the gown later as a day dress, don’t cut it too long (just below baby’s toes). Then either take deep tucks above the hem or cut off the surplus fabric.