Becky: Baby's First and Second Shirt

In my post about January, I wrote that I had finished some baby shirts. I was confused on why there would be two different types of under shirts for baby; an open shirt (split in the back) and a closed shirt (no openings).

I thought I should unearth my resource books and find out. My best recourse books were Workwoman's Guide (1838) and What Children Wore (Or Wished They Could) in the Era of the Hoop by Heidi Marsh which referenced Godey's Magazine often.

In the Workwoman's Guide by A Lady (1838) I found a recommended list for baby's wear:

  

Baby-Linen Inventory

Shirts......................12-18

Flannel Bands...........2-4

Flannel Caps.............2-3

Night Caps...............6-12

Day Caps.................3-6

Napkins (dozens of)..4-6

Pilchers......................4-6

Pinafores...................6-12

Bedgowns.................4-6

First Day-gowns........3-4

Night Flannels............3-4

Day Flannels..............3-4

Flannel Cloak............1-2

Flannel Shawl............2-3

Robes.......................4-6

Petticoats..................4-6

Socks.......................4-8

Hood........................1

Cloak or Pelisse........1

Both Workman's Guide and What Children Wore had provided the essential information to whomever would be making children's clothing. They stressed the importance of the child's health and comfort:

The first is, the health and comfort of her child - and this course is, and ought to be, a paramount consideration; the next is, that its clothes should be neatly and tastefully made, so that they may be contribute to the pleasing apperance of the wearer. (pg 151)- How to Cut and Contrive Children's Clothing Godey's Lady's Book and Magazine 1857

Along the lines of comfort and health you may want to keep these tips in mind: 

• Every article of dress, for a newborn infant, should be white. White is easiest to clean!
• Materials differ depending on family income; the low class could not afford the linen which upper class could easily use, Therefore keep in mind on the cost of material and the class you portray.
• Some articles could be cheaper ready-made rather than making them at home.

Now onto the Shirts!

Open Shirts

I wish I could find the images to go along with the discriptions, but I have found pictures that may help to visualize:

What Children Wore (Or Wished They Could) in the Era of the Hoop by Heidi Marsh

Infant shirt- Material , fine cambric. The trimming consists of narrow frills of the same simply hemmed. The upper part has flaps which turn over, back and front. On the shoulders the flaps are shaped in points, which button down on the sleeves -Godey's 1862 (pg 114)

Slip for young infant. The sleeve cut out of the skirt, which is gathered into a neck band. Very simple and new. -Godey's 1860 (pg 116)

The first shirt- fine linen, such as French cambric is often used. Each is 23" X 11", therefore, one yard and seven-eighths makes six shirts without the sleeves. Sleeves are made in half-handkerchief form, joined at the shoulder and felled seamed (for open shirt).

Closed Shirts
Infant's Second or Closed shirt-" When infants are about nine months old, they generally leave off using the open or first shirt, and begin to wear the closed shirt until they reach the age of seven or eight years, when the usual shaped shirt or shift is worn."-The Workwoman's Guide by A Lady (1838)

At seven or eight months a leather shoe may be worn. ---The little shirt is now closed, and from seen in the engraving. It is made of the same shape for boys and girls.-What Children Wore (Or Wished They Could) in the Era of the Hoop by Heidi Marsh

Conclusion
Keep in mind the health, comfort and material you use when making children's clothing. You would like to have lightweight white cotton or linen depending on your persona. First shirts are open backed and may or may not have ties to keep them on baby.
Both open and closed shirts have flaps on front and back.
Closed shirts are for older children from seven (according to Heidi Marsh' research) to eight years old (according to The Workwoman's Guide).

I hope this information will help you on your next children's outfit! I dont plan to make so many items listed in the inventory, but it is a great reference!

Becky: January Recap

The new year started out proactive! I have finished two cotton shirts for the baby. One shirt is closed, and one was open. I will have a post later explaining the two different shirts, however, the shirts are similar to this one I found on Pinterest:

 And this one, Naomi Barnes is selling on Etsy:

I used Elizabeth Stewart Clarks' SA-100: Infant Linens. Her patterns are very accurate and well understood. I enjoyed making the shirts because they are simple and fast to make.

In the same week I had finished my baby's gown. There isnt a grand picture of it yet, but I was happy to show the finished project at the baby shower I hosted a few days after....

There was a horrible snow storm the day of my shower. The snow and ice prevented half of the expected guests to stay home. Snow, notwithstanding, I had an amazing turn out. I was so happy to see everyone that could make it and I hoped that they enjoyed it as much as I did!

Here is a picture of the table set up. I had amazing help from close friends and family, I only gave out ideas and they set up the whole place! I had Hot coco mix in mason jars topped with cupcake paper as favors, all ideas from pinterest. The duck theme was also a pinterest idea.

There wasnt much that I didnt get ideas from pinterest... Can you tell I love that site?!

Here is our cake reveal...

It's a GIRL!

It was a crazy week because the day before the shower was the 21st's annual Christmas Party. Here is Rosie, Carrie and I just before dinner.

The fiance and I started childbirth classes the next week. We will be delivering at the ABC here in MI. The ABC is Alternative Birthing Center where the nurses try to keep the experience as natural as possible. They honor your birth plan as long as baby and mother are safe and also shy away from epidurals and c-sections.

The "Center" which is only three rooms on the far end of the L&D wing, has full-queen size bed, yoga ball, and even a water tub, if any mother wanted to have a water birth, which I do not. It is very much like a home-birth, but if there was anything to happen, the L&D is right behind the door. 

If you are unaware of what is happening in the North of America at this time, Im not sure what Id say to you. January has given us some crazy weather. As in crazy, I mean, for a few weeks we have been negative temperatures and heavy snow falls.

This is Michigan as of two days ago:

I have the link I used here.

The two "Polar Vortex"s that North America has been blessed with allowed us to break a recorded of fallen snow in one month. We have acceded near 40" of snow!

With this Andy, the boyfriend, has been working non-stop since Christmas in December. The days he does get off, he is recovering lost sleep. However we were able to go to the cottage in Canada the other day. Was it a great surprise for us to find that the piped were frozen? We had no water that night, but I came up with the brilliant idea of using melted snow as rinse water. Why not? Snow was EVERYWHERE!

It was a great way to end the month!

P.S. I hope February isnt this harsh! The baby is due in 10 days!

Becky's Sewing Sneak Peek!

Here is a little temptation for you until the next post. Of course this is all hand sewn!

Baby Shower from Becky's POV

It was so wonderful for Kristen to host a baby shower for me! She kept many secrets while planning this shower, but little did she know I had a big secret for her!

I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the little school house. I was greatly surprised at the decoration and set up. It was a very cute and personal. 

She personally printed and made cards of quotes and images of baby clothes for decorating the table. Also, see the lemon drops there? I was a big fan of those!

I was very happy to see who was able to come, but before I greeted anyone else, I had to greet the most important guest there: Bernie!

I was "running late" and everyone was hungry so after greetings we ate! Boy! It was delicious! Kristen made some great soup and the drink was great too! I think it was Sprite, Amazon tea and lemon slices.

Games were planned after food and one of the guests taught us an old wives tale. We used an needle on a thread over my stomach to see which way the needle swung. If the needle imitated a pendulum swing, the baby was to be a boy, but if the needle made circles, the baby was a girl. And the needle went in circles! Am I going to have a baby girl?

Pass the envelope was Kristen's planned game! We had to settle down from seeing how many chillin's the other young girls will have. Kristen read a long paragraph about how important it was to see a doctor when a child was sick. I think the subject could have been a little brighter, but we had fun being confused on the direction of passing the envelope. We have played this game at other parties such as Christmas party and other small gatherings.

Presents were next! I would have to say this was my favorite part of the shower, besides the food ;). I thanked everyone for coming because I was truly happy they were able to make it, and then I had a question for Kristen!

I asked her to be the baby's God-Mother and she said YES!

My face was pretty much like this when I opened all the presents. I am so happy to have friends with crafting skills. Most of the gifts were hand made and it made the presents even more special!

I also have to thank my dearest boyfriend. He really is a trooper! He is not yet use to the reenacting lifestyle, but I hope sooner than later he will become more comfortable with it. I gave him a good prep talk before we entered the door and made sure he was comfortable throughout the shower.  

I think he recovered pretty well :)

It was a really fun shower and Kristen did an amazing job. I didnt have to do anything but arrive. She even provided my thank you cards. Im so grateful for her and those who came!

Kristen: A Civil War Baby Shower

Finally! Becky's baby shower! I started planning all the way back in August, coming up with little ideas to make it perfect. I know that baby showers weren't a "thing" during the Civil War. And yet dressing in our wrappers for an afternoon of food and discussion is our "thing." How could I not throw this party? It was utterly perfect! And a group of finely dressed ladies attended the event, as evidenced by this fine likeness taken...

I've had months to prepare, and I've thought on this topic for awhile. I made 5 of the lovely little sewing baskets, as well quotes/pictures from Godey's and ribbon flowers. The baskets didn't take very long to make, though they were much adored by everyone! The decor matched the environment; I had rented an 19th century school house for the shower, just for more accuracy!

The food was delicious! I made sweet potato and turkey sausage stew, along with my own bread and baked butternut squash. Apple pie, pickled beets, fresh apples, and ginger snaps completed the festive fall scene. I'm not known particularly for my cooking (unless I burn things), but I had many ladies ask for the recipes...

After eating I led the ladies through a quick game. Yet it had to be distinctly 19th century. What better than a "pass the envelope" game using an article from Godey's Ladies' Book? As I read certain words, the lady had to either pass the envelope to the right, the left, or across the table. By the end, they opened the envelopes, and it identified which sewing basket they had won! Everyone also received a lovely striped cloth prize bag, the contents of which I will explain in a later post...

Finally, the gifts! I wrote down names for Becky as she opened presents, and helped move them to another table (the baby is now getting in the way!). She received lovely gifts, some modern and a few for reenacting. Many were handmade by talented hands, crocheted and stitched with care. 

 I asked the ladies to write notes to Becky too, and this will be included in a surprise for her later! Throughout the whole party, Becky seemed to be glowing! It was a lovely occasion which brought together so many friends on a mild November day. We couldn't help but be a little silly too! We posed in funny directions, even playing a little "game" that judges the gender of the child based on the swing of a needle. Could it be true? It predicted she was having a girl, and that I would have both eventually. So silly!

Perhaps the greatest surprise came at the end-Becky asked me to be the child's godmother! I am so excited to have a little godchild running around, and am already scheming to spoil him/her rotten...By the end of the shower, I was exhausted in every way imaginable! I probably slept for 12 hours straight, but it was all worth the time and attention. We have such a fine group of reenactors here in Michigan, all together to celebrate the birth of a child. It simply does not get better than this!

Just imagine, in no time the little one will be reading this post.

Hello little one! We've been waiting for you!

~Kristen