Natalie Christening Gown pt. 1 : Prep work

I am very excited to be able to join Esther's blog. As she mentioned, I am costume designer by trade but  currently have taken some time off to raise my girls. Before children, I worked as a university professor teaching costume design, theatre technology, and special effects makeup. I have recently started to dabble in tutu making and have done some freelance work in that area. Hopefully, my posts will be of interest.

So right now I am working on a Christening/blessing gown for baby #3. I decided to go the heirloom route. The pattern is from Sew Beautiful issue 135 March/April 2011, the Natalie Christening Gown. I have never done anything heirloom before except for making some 19th century women's blouses for various theatrical productions. Materials I am using are silk dupioni, French cotton laces, silk ribbon and glass beads. I haven't bought all the lace yet but will need to soon. The cost of this project is a bit on the expensive side. I think the cost of the laces will end up being the most expensive items. I goal is to have this finished by the end of the month.

Below are some pics of what I have done so far (Hopefully, you can make out the details, photographing white is tricky).

 Center Front panel traced onto fabric using pencil (This is marking cutting lines so no worries of it showing through once sewn). Center front is marked using a disappearing ink pen.

I chose to pencil mark the embroidery pattern.

Detail of finished ribbon embroidery. Still debating on adding more but will look at it when the dress is sewn together.