Heirloom Christening Gowns From Wedding Dresses

A friend asked me if I could make a christening gown from a wedding dress. There is a long tradition in some cultures of this but fewer people have access to someone to do it for them so I decided to add this to my group of heirloom services.

My Christening gowns are custom made using as much useable fabric from the wedding dress as I can. Where necessary, I will augment with matching or complimentary fabrics to ensure a beautiful, heirloom quality gown. I try to work embelishments into the gown where possible.

I offer four sizes (Newborn, Small, Medium and Large) see my FAQ for measurements. I can make the gown for boy or for girl. The boy's version has more of a tuxedo colar and front instead of a lacy colar and front.

I charge:

$85 (plus shipping) to make a custom gown
$45 (plus shipping) to make a custom bonnet
$35 (plus shipping) to make a custom slip
Ground Shipping (with insurance) runs $12 for the first item and $3 per each additional item. I am located in Dayton, Ohio.

Reservations need to be made in advance because this is a hobby (I work on them in my spare time in evenings and weekends).

The fabric needs to be in good enough condition to sew. Satin can degrade over time and get very fragile. I will not do anything to an heirloom garment unless I believe the material will work for the project.

If you are interested in having a wedding dress turned into a christening gown for that special person in your life, you can contact me at: Liane@fairygodmothercreations.com to discuss what kind of dress you want used and to make a reservation. Because christenings are usually on a specific time frame, I will need to know the date you would need the finished gown by.

For some reason, AOL doesn't always allow my emails through. If you have emailed me and don't receive a response within 24 hours, it means I either didn't get your email, or my response did not make it to you. You can also call me at 937-235-5050 during normal work hours (this is my real job phone number but feel free to leave a message if I'm not there when you call and I will call you back).

FAQ

What Sizes do you offer? I have patterns for four sizes:

Newborn (weight 8-12lbs, height 18-24")
Small (weight 13-15 lbs, height 25-26")
Medium (weight 16-18 lbs, height 27-28")
Large (weight 19-21 lbs, height 29-30")

My wedding dress is stained, will you clean it? Unfortunately, I'm not able to offer cleaning services. If I receive a dress with stains, I try to work around any stained areas.

How long are the gowns ? The length varies depending on the amount of useable fabric I can get from the dress. Unless someone specifies a classic length (which would hang an inch or so longer than the infant's feet) I try to get a longer, modern length (32"-36") if the fabric is available to do so.

Do you make gowns for boys ? I do. Instead of a lacy collar, I use more of a "tuxedo" collar.

How long can I expect to wait before my gown arrives? Most orders take about two to three weeks from the day I receive the materials to the day I ship it out. It really depends on what I have going on. Since this is a hobby, I use my evenings and weekend time. I do try to email updates along the way. If you have a specific date you need the garment by, I will not accept the order unless I believe I can get it to you in time.