Vintage Baby Day Gown

A version of this sweet day gown was spotted in a very upscale baby boutique with a price tag of $65.00! The skirt was a vintage pillowcase cut down to make the skirt and the top of the gown was a kimono-type undershirt. Dig around in your old linens and see if you can come up with a suitable piece of fabric for the skirt. The kimono style undershirts are available in many of the big chain discount stores. In case your can not find the kimono style undershirts, there is no reason you cant use the over-the-head-style. When your baby outgrows this precious gown, put the dress on a teddy bear or have it framed to remind you of the time when your baby was so small. Skill Level: Basic Gown Beginner Embroidered Gown - Intermediate Created by: Geri Frazier, Elna USA Education Consultant Embroidered Day Gown: Supplies: 1 infant kimono style undershirt 15" x 45" batiste or other similar lightweight fabric 2 yds of 5/8" insertion lace Embroidery thread 2 shades of pink and one shade of green 80-wt cotton thread 60-wt cotton thread
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Bobbin thread for embroidery 75/11 embroidery needle 90/14 topstitch needle 75/11 universal needle Fabric marker Stabilizer such as Super Solvy or Stitch N Ditch Spray Starch Machine: EnVision CE20 or 8007 Elna Serger Clothsetter Elna DreamVision Cactus Punch Design Pack Heirloom Treasures HLM01 Instructions: 1. To stabilize the fabric, apply light layers of spray starch. Use several light layers rather than one heavy layer. 2. From the bottom edge measure up 7" and mark. Draw this line from selvage to selvage. See illustration 1.
3. Load the Cactus Punch designs into your computer following instructions on package. Import the Double Bow design into DreamVision Layout and center the bow on the Layout page. Import the Rosebud Spray and position the spray on the left side of the bow. With the Rosebud Spray selected, select the Copy icon and then the Paste icon. Position the second image on the other side of the bow. To mirror image select the Flip Horizontal Icon. Reposition if necessary. Write the designs to your blank scan card and print out a template for ease in placing your design. The template can be printed in either color or outline form. 4. Use the template to position the bow in the center of your batiste band on the marked line. Mark the position points for the bow. The bow is the center front of your skirt. Using the clothsetter align markings on band and clothsetter. When aligned, hoop. Be sure to use stabilizer since you are embroidering on lightweight fabric. Sew out the design. Mark the spray design on each side of the bow. Again, use the clothsetter to position the spray along your drawn line and next to the bow. Sew out each side. Continue sewing the rosebud spray along the drawn line until you have the entire width of the batiste sewn. You will have 5 rosebud sprays on each side of the bow and 3 or 4 inches of fabric will be cut away later.
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5. Press under a hem allowance of 2 " on the skirt. 6. Reset the machine for straight sewing and rethread the machine with 80wt thread in the needle and bobbin. 7. Lightly starch the insertion lace. Lay the insertion lace on the right side of the fabric over the hem allowance at 2" from the bottom of the skirt. Straight stitch the lace in place on both edges of the lace. One edge of the lace will lie on the double layer of the hem, the other edge on a single layer of the skirt. Draw a guideline " above the bow. Use the drawn line as a guide and stitch another piece of lace to the skirt. The bottom edge of the lace should be stitched on the drawn line. See illustration 2.
Heirloom Design on Page 5 8. Replace the needle with a 90/14 topstitch needle. Pinstitch each edge of the lace so that the back and forth motion of the stitch rides along the top header of the lace and the bite of the stitch jumps into the header catching the lace. Select the following. On the CE20 On the 8007 Stitch #26 Stitch #26 Width 1.5 Width 1.5 Length 2.5 Length 2.5 Tension 3 Tension 3 F foot F foot 9. Trim away the batiste from behind the lace taking care not to cut the lace. Construction: 1. Match the embroidery at the center back and cut away any excess batiste leaving fabric for a " seam allowance. The width of your skirt will depend on how close together the embroidered designs are. For the pictured dress, about a 40" width was used and 5" was removed. 2. Seam the skirt with a tiny French seam or use your serger. The seam is at the center back of the skirt. Run two rows of gathering stitches along the top of the skirt " from the edge. 3. Measure down 3" from the underarm of the undershirt, draw a line around the shirt and cut off at the line. Baste the front overlapping flaps of the shirt so they dont get caught or

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tangled as you sew the skirt to the bodice. See illustration 3. 4. Mark the center front, center back and each side of the undershirt and the center front, center back and sides of the skirt. Use the marks as a guide to attach the skirt evenly to the shirt. 5. Draw up the gathering threads so that the skirt fits the undershirt and attach the two together using a " seam allowance. Finish seam allowance with a serger for a cleaner edge. 6. Rinse away any blue marks, press and dress your baby in this pretty vintage day gown. White Day Gown Supplies 1 infant kimono style undershirt 15" x 45" fabric use a vintage tablecloth, table linens, hand towels or pillowcases 60-wt thread for construction 80/12 universal needle Machine: Elna Sewing machine Elna Serger Instructions:
1. Cut fabric or linens 15" x 40". 2. Press under a hem allowance of 2 " on the skirt. 3. Seam the skirt with a tiny French seam or use your serger. This seam is the center back of the skirt. Run two rows of gathering stitches along the top edge " from the edge. 4. Measure 3" from the underarm of the undershirt, draw a line around the shirt and cut off at this line. Baste the front and overlapping flaps of the shirt together so that they do not get caught or tangled as you sew the skirt to the bodice, undershirt. See illustration 3. 5. Mark the center front, center back, and each side of the undershirt and the
center front, center back and sides of the skirt. Use the marks as a guide to attach the skirt evenly to the shirt. 6. Draw up the gathering threads so that the skirt fits the undershirt and attach the two together using a " seam allowance. Finish seam allowance with a serger for a cleaner edge. 7. Rinse away markings, press and dress your baby in this pretty vintage day gown.
Elna USA Project: Vintage Baby Day Gown

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Heirloom Design
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