Gorgeous Wedding Gowns transformed to Heirloom Christening Gowns

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April M. Mohr, contributor

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The wedding gown's lace adorns this lovely christening gown.

Courtesy of Petite Parfait

Imagine your wedding gown transformed into an exquisite Christening gown such a this.

Courtesy of Petite Parfait

This gown is amazing in its elegant simplicity. You can almost envision the wedding gown it came from.

Courtesy of Petite Parfait

The wedding gown's lace adorns this lovely christening gown.

Photo: Courtesy of Petite Parfait

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I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Erika Mills of Petite Parfait. She specializes in transforming wedding gowns into custom christening gowns, baptism gowns, or couture baptism outfits. I've been married for almost 43 years, and my wedding gown has moved from attic or basement to attic or basement every time we moved, and there have been many moves. I can't part with it, but I often wonder what good it's doing in a box. I have a grandchild coming in July, so Erika really got me thinking. Her wedding dress conversions are equisite, and each one would surely become a family heirloom to treasure always.

I asked Erika to answer some of the questions that puzzled me about how she goes about such a challenging task. Imagine the courage it takes to CUT your wedding gown--and even more courage to cut someone else's! It was a fascinating conversation that I know you'll enjoy. Here are the questions I asked.

Threads:
How do you decide what style gown to make?

Erika:
A wedding gown conversion often takes on a life of its own. Once I receive the gown by mail, I contact the customer to discuss possibilities, and we work together to achieve the final result. I make sure I explain the process clearly without using technical sewing terminology. I ask lots of questions such as: Do you want a gender specific gown? How formal do you want the gown to be?  Would you like any color added to your gown? Is there anything you don’t want? What is the most important end result for you? The outcome largely depends upon the drape and cut of the original gown as well as the prominent features and fabrics we want to showcase.

Threads:
Do you start with a standard pattern and adapt it, or do you design each gown from scratch?

Erika:
I have four different pattern sizes for the chest and sleeve that are well tested. I help the parents choose the size based on the weight of their baby. The only fitted part of the gown is through the chest and around the arm, so, fit is relatively easy.  The rest of the gown is made without patterns; they would be too restrictive for custom garments. I use bias stripping and some of my own fabrics to complete the gown if needed. I rely heavily on instinct (and my trusty measuring tape).

Threads:
Do you start by cutting up the wedding gown so that all of the pieces are flat, or do you plan while the dress is still whole?

Erika:
There are a few steps:

A. I look over the gown and get a sense of how the dress will come apart. If there is a strong feature I can incorporate into the new gown, I will plan to use it on the skirt, bodice, and bonnet to ensure unity and flow. Giving the dress a theme is very important. The goal is to end with a product that is stunning on its own and doesn’t require sentimental explanation to enhance its beauty.

I look over the gown and get a sense of how the dress will come apart.

B. I cut out the skirt. While the dress is whole and hanging from my ceiling, I examine the drape and pin the area I plan to cut.

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Comments (3)

littledoves writes: I make quite a lot of christening gowns from wedding dresses and really love the uniqueness of each gown. They are so pertinent to the mother and family. Please look at http://www.littledoves.co.uk for more details.
Posted: 5:02 pm on February 2nd

costumemistress writes: I've done a few christening gowns for friends. One of the things I do with the sleeves is attache beading then run white ribbon through.This accomandates a thick arm and the ribbon is adjusted.(Done in Heirloom Sewing)Also,when doing slip underneath I teach the mom to embroider the name of the child and date of birth.Future children can then be added down the road.It's fun to look at
Posted: 10:21 pm on April 12th

jhack67 writes: I made my daughters' and others wedding gowns. Rather than cut apart the gowns to make Christening gowns for their children, I saved fabric and laces, and made the Christening gowns for these. It was truly a labor of love.
Posted: 9:46 am on April 6th

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