Tuesday, 27 February 2018

Embroidered Baby Dress, Bonnet and Shoes - Simply Neutrals #35

Hello friends, 

If you've visited my blog before you will know how I love babies, especially 'vintage style' babies. 

My own three babies (two boys and a girl) were dressed in vintage woolens and hand made dresses, many of them vintage treasures saved up from op shops since I was 16! 




One of my favourite things is a vintage cane pram which I got from an antique shop in Cobargo called 'No Horse, No Wife, No Moustache' many years before having babies. Below is my daughter Roisin (which is Irish for 'little rose') in the old pram, wearing the embroidered dress I made for her. The old pram was very bouncy - good for unsettled babies. It didn't fold, so it was limited to our local vicinity only, and once the babies became adventurous and ready to climb, I had to abandon it as it had no harness.

baby by Jesse Rowan



Here is Roisin wearing the shoes and dress, but sadly, the bonnet was too small by then.

So I used a vintage woolen jacket and bonnet...



The pattern was from an 'Australian Smocking and Embroidery' magazine. I used a soft cream cotton twill, with palest pink and cream embroidery thread for the rose buds. Here's a close up of the embroidery...Here are the shoes to match...
The dress is now displayed on one of my porcelain dolls - 'Sugar Britches'. Still in the same pram...


Sugar Britches is a porcelain doll I made before I had my babies - I was always hoping the real thing would happen, but in the mean time I enjoyed dressing my baby doll in the vintage baby clothes I had collected. Her hair was real mohair which I tea-dyed, and she almost feels like a real baby - heavy and floppy. 

One of the most special presents I made for my Mum was a Sugar Britches doll - which I carried on a train to visit her before I had a drivers' licence ( with a few strange glances from other passengers!)


I'm joining Wen from Apple Apricot in Simply Neutrals Tuesday, where the theme is neutral.  Please visit here.


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17 comments:

  1. froebelsternchen27 February 2018 at 03:40

    So lovely and beautiful! I am thrilled - that you even used that for your children is stunning!
    A wonderful blog!
    Greetings from Austria
    Susi

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    Replies
    1. Lace Age Girl27 February 2018 at 13:55

      Thank you for visiting here and leaving your sweet comment, Susi.

      Yes, each of my babies slept in this pram, right beside my bed, until they were too mobile to be safe in it. It is full of memories for me of waking up to babies, even to check they were still breathing when they were so quiet!
      Have a lovely week,
      Hugs,
      Jesse XX

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    2. froebelsternchen28 February 2018 at 03:11

      You were the best mum I guess -
      and you are now the best doll mum as it seems! ♥♥♥
      Happy rest of your week, thank you very much for visiting me and letting me such nice comments! Much appreciated!
      oxo Susi

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    3. Lace Age Girl28 February 2018 at 13:58

      Thanks, Susi. Being a Mum meant so much to me. I loved those years when my kids were small, even though I missed out on so much sleep, my partner used to say I had dementia lactosis! It's so much harder to be a good Mum to teenagers!!! Aargh!

      Thanks for your lovely comments too. Have a 'smiling inside' week!
      Hugs,
      Jesse XX

      Delete
  2. Unknown27 February 2018 at 04:01

    My friend recommended this blog and he was totally right keep up the fantastic work!

    Kids Designer Clothes India

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  3. Dorthe27 February 2018 at 08:13

    Oh Jesse, what a wonderful child , so beautiful she is, and dressed like a princess, in these adorable old and new pieces.
    I love the embroidered dress you made her, and every other piece,- and she is so darling sitting in that wonderful old pram .
    Big hugs from Dorthe- xoxo

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    Replies
    1. Lace Age Girl27 February 2018 at 14:00

      Thank you Dorthe :) You'd never know her now - She hasn't worn a dress since she was three years old! A tom-boy through and through, with her own mind and stubborn ways! LOL! But still my beautiful darling girl...
      Love and hugs,
      Jesse XX

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  4. AppleApricot Wen27 February 2018 at 13:26

    Oh my goodness dearest Jesse, this is soooooo sweet!! Your beautiful daughter in those gorgeous you made and found. And the doll, you made it yourself?? My goodness sweetie, that's just stunning!! You're so talented!
    Wishing you a beautiful week and sending you big hugs and love, xx

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    Replies
    1. Lace Age Girl27 February 2018 at 14:08

      Thank you, Wen. Yes, I made the dolls in a class, but I didn't design the mould. The porcelain doll is cast in a mould, then you clean it up carefully and sand it smooth, paint the features and get it fired. The arms were also porcelain. You stitch up the body from a pattern, and put it all together, then glue on hair and eye lashes. She is stuffed with pellets to make her heavy and lifelike. It was a wonderful process, seeing her come together. So gratifying.

      Wishing you a week of good connections with others, and a glad heart.
      Love and hugs to you too,
      Jesse XXX

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    2. AppleApricot Wen5 March 2018 at 05:55

      That sounds like a wonderful class, and the results are just stunning dearest! I can imagine how thrilling it must be to see your doll come to life.

      Big hugs and beautiful week wishes,
      xx Wen

      Delete
  5. Lululiz28 February 2018 at 05:50

    My goodness, Jesse, those photos are just priceless. What wonderful memories they hold. I got quite emotional seeing the photos and remembering the days when my boys were babies, sleeping in a moses basket I made all the covers etc for. Sigh. So long ago.

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    1. Lace Age Girl28 February 2018 at 14:11

      Hello Liz, What a wonderful memory for you! I quite agree, we are so lucky to have these memories, as fleeting as those few years seem. I think I did the best job as a Mum when my kids were small - it was easy to meet all their needs - but now as teenagers I feel so out of my depth! I don't get the good hormones and the rwards that babies and small children give back! Just the smell of a baby's neck (clean, of course!) was a huge reward for me :)
      Hugs,
      Jesse XX

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  6. Roosterhead Designs1 March 2018 at 08:53

    A.Maz.Ing. !! Such a beautiful post Jesse, and wonderful photo's. Roisin was a gorgeous baby : ) and what a beautiful story you tell. Your work is stunning. I'm so glad you shared : ) Hugs, karen o

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    1. Lace Age Girl11 March 2018 at 15:58

      Hi Karen,
      Thank you! You made my day today with your lovely comment:) Hope your week is happy.
      Hugs,
      Jesse

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  7. Daniela6 March 2018 at 01:07

    Dearest Jesse,
    what a sweetness you're sharing with this post of yours, I thank you from the deep of my heart!

    With utmost gratitude for the delicacy of your soul,
    I'm sending my dearest and warmest hug across the many miles

    XOXO Dany

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    Replies
    1. Lace Age Girl11 March 2018 at 16:00

      Hello Daniela, Thank you for your sweet comment. I felt your great warm hug! Wishing you a happy and thoughtful week ahead.
      Hugs,
      Jesse XX

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Thank you so much for your friendly comments. It makes my day to hear from you about my artworks and topics.

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