Something Old, Something New Two

 The second of the Christening Gowns made from the Grandmother's wedding dress!

It was a magnificent dress but I think you can tell from the exquisite lace and embroidery incorporated in the christening gown.

Mrs. Suzie B had express wishes for her grandson's christening gown (see previous blog) but for the granddaughter-to-be's gown?  Carte blanche!  Two of the most beautiful words that any artist loves to hear!
I said 'embellished? over the top?' and Suzie shook her head YES...go for it!

Sooooo exciting!

 I was able to cut the body of both gowns out of the train and underlying fabric.  Just!  There was just enough fabric for two christening gowns - who woulda thought?!?   The photo on the right, above, shows the gown in two pieces, bodice and skirt.  Taking it apart was not painful because mom took it apart as it was stitched.  Goodness knows, we have taken stitches out on numerous occasions for boo-boo's, so this was easy.

 I used the center overlay from the front skirt of the dress for the center of the front skirt on the gown.  The overlay fit quite well and the majority of the sewn lace was able to be used.  However, I had to remove a big quantity of lace from the wedding dress in order to sew it around the waist of the gown.  Removing lace from netting is not fun.  Soooo time consuming and careful work.  It was hard to see!

 I also used a bit of the lace removed to adorn the sleeve.  Being a puff sleeve, the design was just perfect to show off on the puff.  Even better, I was able to remove the net lace bodice front from the dress and the button back with netting, and tailor it to fit the infant gown.  It was meant to be.  That should not have happened, that should not have fit, that should not have worked.  But it did.  Amazing!  Perfect!  What a giggle:-)

And this, my friends, was the hardest cut.  This was the first cut into the beautiful wedding dress overskirt to embellish the front the of the christening gown.  It's a funny thing.  This cut was 'ruining the gown'.  However.  Once this cut was made and the piece removed, I turned into a cannible, drooling over all this gorgeous fabric and lace wondering 'what else (drool).  what else can I remove from this and use (drool and slobber)'.

And then, ta da!, the end result.  One spectacularly gorgeous Christening gown for one spectacularly gorgeous baby.  Someday. And, hopefully, both gowns will be worn by many, many Baby "B's" in the years to come.  

Enjoy your day,

Mom & Jenny

May Flowers!

Smocked Rosebud Dress

April Showers bring May Flowers, and while our California showers were woefully scarce, our May Flowers have arrived in an abundance:-)

Like the precious Rosebud print dress that we designed, hand smocked and finished with heirloom perfection -  French seams and hand stitched hems.  Love the eyelet and ribbon sleeve finish.   Yes?

And here's another:

Sea Mist Smocked Dress

This fabric is one of my favorites that we found in Hawaii.  It's a 100% cotton lawn in a luscious sea green color.  So it's kinda blue, but it's not.  It's green. ish.  Hand smocked in a deeper shade of sea green.  And the lawn falls so beautifully in the full skirt.  Love lawn!  I piped this one in cream and it really compliments the dress.  Again, heirloom finish techniques.  Yea!

We design and hand craft our smocked dresses and sweaters, so remember that there is ONE of a design.  These beautiful treasures sell very, very fast.  So don't delay if you simply must have a particular design!  Sign onto the website at www.justbaby.us, buy it, and be tickled that you got it first!  And that your darling will be wearing an exclusive design.  Because our babies deserve the best, right?!?

Enjoy your day!

Jen & Mom
From our Studio in Capitola, California, USA

Christening Gowns & Heirloom Sewing

Satin Batiste Christening Gown

We are on a tear!  Is that a good way to explain what it is when you're madly going about doing what you love to do with ideas exploding in living color and the studio looking like a tornado hit it and all the while having a wonderful time?!?  I call that a 'tear'.  No, not the crying kind, unless we're talking about tears of joy!

The Mere and I have ramped it up a bit - it must be the sunshine - and we're completing project upon project of unique and beautiful things, just for you:-)  Designs that we have wanted to make for five years now.  Like the white eyelet dress with the pale pink ribbons running through!  What little girl wouldn't look like a Victorian doll in a dress like that!


 
 
 




And we've completed four new Christening gowns.  We wouldn't be "us" if we didn't have Mere's pearl smocked gown, which we make a little different each time so that each gown is unique!  The Satin Batiste gown is new and adorned with beautiful French lace 'oooh la la'!  We even designed a stunning gown from organic cotton.  Are we having fun?  Yes!

And, boy, are we happy baseball season is upon us.  Actually, you are happy too, you just don't know it.  And you're probably wondering why you're happy, why we're happy, and what baseball season (Go Giants!) has to do with our 'justbaby.us' designs.  Sweaters!  Lots and lots of new sweaters because what else does any self-respecting baby clothes designer do while watching a baseball game???  Knit!  Mindlessly.  Hurrah for extra innings!  Mere turned out a sweater in three days - the white one below.  Actually, the Masters might have helped her along, but still.  Three days!

 

Yup, we're happy and creatively bursting.  More to come...the next project has been a dream of Mere's to do.  Anyone who has been in our brick and mortar shop has seen my father's quilt hanging in the back.  It's a beautiful applique quilt of the ABC's.  I could have sold it 1,000 times, but never.  But... we have recreated the beautiful 1927 quilt and will be showing it off very shortly.  It's whimsical, colorful and gorgeous.  Coming soon!

 

In the meantime, happy Spring, happy family, happy life.

Jen