The Christening Gown
Made in 1894 by my great-grandmother Minnie Weatherhog nee Porter, for her only son, the christening gown has become a family treasure. Thomas Percy (Tom) Weatherhog, my grandfather, was christened November 3, 1894 at Ilkeston in Derbyshire, England. Using a small, sharp needle with an eye just big enough to comfortably hold the cotton thread, and a thimble on her finger, how Minnie must have worked to complete the gown, stitching the fine cotton in spare moments during the day and by candlelight or oil lamp in the evening, every stitch a labour of love. The gown is a lovely piece of work. It is full length with rows of pin tucking alternating with lace panels. The bodice has vertical pin tucks and joins the skirt with two lines of hand sewn stitching. The back opening is secured by a small piece of narrow tape. It would be impossible to reproduce many of those stitches with a sewing machine. The beauty and functionality of Minnie’s excellent hand stitching are ast