Like so many heirloom sewing enthusiasts, I absolutely love imported lace, Swiss batiste, handlooms, Swiss embroideries and every goody on the heirloom menu. And yet, there is something so appealing about this sweet and simple vintage daygown.
The blue batiste is not Swiss, but it is very good quality. Considering that and the fact that less than a yard of baby French lace is used, the charm is not the result of expensive goods. Perhaps it is the simplicity itself that draws the eye.
Jeannie Baumeister’s very popular Old Fashioned Baby patterns seem to reflect the same sweetness this gown exudes. She relies on simple lines, classic details, minimal lace and a splash of hand embroidery.
Obviously intended for a boy, the daygown is embroidered with satin stitch diamonds, surrounded with granitos. The same granitos are lined up in a column between the rows of tiny tucks on either side of the front opening.
Four 1/4″ tucks are worked across the back, adding another 2″ of fullness to the tailored A-line style.
As I admire the gorgeous heirloom christening gowns and garments that use miles and miles of lace, I am reminded of Elizabeth Travis Johnson. She, too, used more technique and less lace. More than once I heard her admonition, “There are more ways to kill a cat than to drown it with cream.”
