Holiday Dress for Baby - suggestions for small adornments?

[Sparkly]

Other Grandmother has purchased a dress from Kohls, but I'd already called dibs on sewing one, so... She can't have too many little fancy dresses, considering the frequency of 'accidents,' anyway.

I went to JoAnn's today. My goodness, fabric is expensive!! Also patterns. (Butterick was on sale for $2.99, but I realized only after I left that I didn't get that price.) My goal was to replicate a dress I remember my mother made for my sisters and me, which I already copied once for my daughter, but I seem to have lost custody of it.

The dress I remember was very simple: a black, rich velvet bodice with short sleeves, and then a gathered satin-taffeta plaid skirt in red, green, and black with gold threads. I could not find that kind of skirt fabric -- all the plaids were wool or cotton. (Great sales on holiday cotton prints, though!) The velvets seem to be "stretch velvet" like gymnastics costumes, or super heavy velvet, like Baroque draperies or something! (Isn't there another kind? Rayon, maybe?)

I ended up putting the replication of that dress on hold for another year! (More motivation to stick around.) I bought a "last chance" (close-out), dark blue satiny fabric with nice hand, but now I forget what exactly it is - - a blend. Also, a light blue 'flannel-backed satin.'

If I make a simple dress from either of those (leaning toward the dark blue), what suggestions might you have for adding something subtle-but-special to the dress? The front has no buttons, so that's not an option. Would like something not super Lacey, sequined, or purchased-appliqued...

- I could do very simple embroidery (to look like stars?) across the bodice, or scattered on the skirt, perhaps?
- I could sew on small "pearls?"
- Maybe a few tiny rhinestones, if not many and if easy on the fabric to apply?
- Maybe a small embroidered image in white, on the bodice or skirt, of some sort?

If anybody has inspiration, thoughts, suggestions (including for pale blue), I'm happy and grateful to hear!! Thank you!!

[Irish_Dem]

1. I would worry some of the objects might end up in baby's mouth.

And personally I think a home made dress with grandmother's own design and hand embroidery
would be very very special.

[Sparkly]

2. Good thinking -- like little 'pearls,' etc.

I could definitely imagine that happening. Thanks for that!

[Irish_Dem]

3. Yes the pearls, rhinestones, etc.

Choking hazard.

When the baby turns into a little girl, it would be safer and she would be old enough to appreciate the sparkles.

And I think the hand embroidery is a very personal and striking decoration.
Most people cannot even sew on a button, so hand embroidery is a treasure.

[Sparkly]

6. Thank you!

(Even though I'm not very good at it, at least she can't choke on a bad French knot!)

[Irish_Dem]

8. I assure you that anything you can do is better than most.

Yes baby cannot choke on a French knot. They won't even know if it is a good or bad one.

I cannot sew worth a darn and did embroidery and crewel 50 years ago.

But I cannot tell you how many people ask me to sew on a button or sew up a small tear.

It seems I am the only person in the world who can sew up torn dog toys.
The dogs stare at me the whole time.
People are amazed that I can do a simple blanket stitch or whip stitch.

[Sparkly]

10. Is there a way to sew dog toys that prevents the dogs from ripping them apart again

within 5 minutes? I can just imagine them staring at you!

Do you still do crewel embroidery? (Isn't crewel a sort of embroidery, or no?)

[Irish_Dem]

11. I sew up the tears with a strong determination to make them hold for a period of time.

When I am working on toys for little dogs it works better.
Big dogs not as much.

Sometimes people bring me toys I have repeatedly repaired to the point there
is no longer any fabric left to stitch.

I tell them it is time for the toy to have a decent burial.

I know that is the funny part, the dogs stare at you the whole time you are sewing
and sometimes try to steal the toy out our your hand, and you have to wrestle with the dog
to get the toy back so you can finish up the job.

Last Christmas someone gave me a snazzy little sewing kit as a thank you.
It was loaded, thread ripper, thimble, needle threader, little scissors, all kinds of thread.
It is great and makes the job much easier.

Crewel is easier than embroidery because the thread is thicker. You get more texture and depth.
Usually they are wall hangings.

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I vote for hand embroidery, in a white or silver on the dark blue. BTW,

when is the last time you found taffeta in a fabric store? I've been looking for years with no luck.

[Sparkly]

7. That makes two votes for the same idea! :)

What happened to taffeta?!? I was afraid to ask! (I'd already made the faux pas of not understanding the 'sign-in system' for having fabric cut!)

[LoisB]

5. I would opt for something embroidered. "Pearls", sequins might end up in baby's mouth. If you go with dark

blue, how about a half moon with a few stars like a night sky?

[Sparkly]

9. Sweet! I love that!!

My Mom told the story of being invited to 'try for' a sorority (I don't know the right words!). The other young women seemed highly sophisticated to her. Part of the 'audition' (?) was a party where everyone was to wear something that gave a clue to her identity or college major. Her name was Claire, and she sewed a felt "d" and a moon on her sweater. She was a pianist, so her hint was "Clair de Lune," but nobody got it. In memoirs years later, she wrote: "They were not impressed and I was not invited back." !!

My granddaughter's middle name is Claire. It would be delightful to embroider a little reference to my Mom, and her "Clair de Lune..."

[LoisB]

12. "It would be delightful to embroider a little reference to my Mom, and her "Clair de Lune..." I agree. That would

be lovely. It would add a really personal tribute. I can see that little dress becoming a family heirloom.

[Phoenix61]

13. I'd look in the bridal section for sew on appliques.

Something small around the neckline, a few smaller ones scattered on the skirt could work well.

[Figarosmom]

14. My mom made a dress for my sister and me

In red velvet with a princess waist ( you know just below the bustline) and sewed on individual pearls along the waistline in a simple pattern

Something like


* * == ** she used round ones and oblong ones..

Very simple but elegant.

Or a single piece of black lace looks elegant too.

Or i
You could embroider her name real big and at a slant across the skirt. And embellish that like dot an i with a heart rhinestone or something.. or a fabric rose on the neckline