Pattern of a christening shirt for a baby. Baptismal clothing - traditions and trends
Baptism is undoubtedly one of the most important events in the life of a believer. Many associate it with the second birthday, because it represents spiritual rebirth. The sacrament of baptism is a rite of union of a person with God, his acceptance into the ranks of the Christian church. We believe that on this day he finds his own guardian angel, who will protect him throughout his life’s journey.
Naturally, this event should be approached seriously, having thoroughly studied the details. One of the key aspects of christening is the choice of outfit. It contains sacred meaning. After baptism, the clothing will become a personal amulet for its wearer.
According to the tradition established in Orthodox Christianity, the future godmother chooses the clothes, however, the mother herself can fully take part in this.
When choosing an outfit, it is necessary to take into account the canons established by the Orthodox Church. The item must be new. By tradition, the length of the shirt is strictly below the knee. Preferably until toe.
The color scheme of the outfit should be light, pastel colors. No variegated colors. Preferred color is white. It symbolizes innocence, purity and rebirth. Give preference to materials that will not injure delicate skin and will absorb moisture.
The main thing is not to overdo it in the pretentiousness of the outfit; this will look inappropriate in the process of performing a spiritual sacrament.
2 years
For a two-year-old child, a loose christening shirt is suitable. The main requirement that must be followed is the length of the outfit. The outfit should include the fact that the baby’s arms and legs will need to be exposed for smearing.
For maximum effect, you can wear several full skirts. It is important to pay attention that the clothes are comfortable, easy to put on and take off to save time, otherwise there is a possibility that the ceremony will be drawn out and the solemn moment will be ruined. A shirt that needs to be pulled over your head is also extremely uncomfortable. Items should not contain protruding seams, compressive elastic bands, or extra fasteners.
The choice of fabric plays an important role. Fabric made from natural, hypoallergenic materials is suitable. It is worth paying attention to the details of clothing. They must be well sewn, for example, if they are beads or any other beads, then to be sure, you need to check their strength so that if they fall off, they do not fall into the hands of a child who might eat them.
3 years
At the age of three, it is important to pay attention to the child’s mobility. The dress should not fit too tightly to the body and hamper its movements. Once again it is worth checking the strength of the sewn decor on baptismal dresses. It is necessary that the outfit does not put pressure on the baby’s skin and does not rub it when moving.
A girl's baptismal dress is usually decorated with Orthodox embroidery and openwork lace, which gives the girl's baptismal dress special tenderness and beauty.
Soft and delicate fabric will make your baby feel comfortable.
Common materials for a christening gown are satin, satin and silk, but modern synthetic materials can also be suitable.
4 years
At four years old, the child’s consciousness becomes more receptive. And therefore, he will remember such an event as a christening more or less deeply than at the age of two or three. Again, due to the mobility of age, it is important to choose materials that do not irritate the skin, without rough seams that can create discomfort for the child.
8 years
Eight years is already a fairly conscious age for a child. Here, an important factor in the choice can be considered the opinion of the girl herself. It would be quite reasonable to ask her wishes regarding the baptismal dress that she will wear to participate in the first great sacrament. After all, she will clearly remember this moment in her life.
For originality and beauty, the edges of the hem, sleeves or neckline can be trimmed with lace and matching satin ribbons. The outfit can be embellished with various ribbons, beaded patterns or openwork embroidery.
Everything you need for baptism can easily be found and bought in a church store or ordered from companies specializing in this.
How to choose?
When choosing an outfit for a christening, remember that you are purchasing things for an Orthodox ceremony. You should not buy an outfit that is too pompous, pretentious and expensive, showing your financial superiority. Whatever the dress is, it should be spacious and pleasant to the child himself. You need to prioritize comfort first.
Baptismal clothing must comply with Orthodox canons. The girl's clothes should be light, muted colors, white is the most preferable.
Clothing for girls is a shirt dress of a simple cut. It is also a symbol of purity and harmony. It is important to pay attention to the fabric from which the baptismal attire is made. It should be natural so that the body can breathe easily. Suitable fabrics are silk or satin, linen or satin (cotton).
Obviously, the size of the outfit should match the child’s measurements. When choosing items, you should refer to the size chart.
Details play an important role. They emphasize the solemnity of the moment and decorate the overall appearance. The details should be sewn tightly and match the outfit.
It is also important to take into account the time of year. When choosing a baptismal dress in the warm season, you need to pay attention to the child’s condition; he should not be hot. Therefore, knitted items can cause heat stroke. It is worth choosing things that are spacious and have short sleeves. For colder periods, it is accordingly worth choosing clothes that are tighter to the body, in which the child should not freeze. Among other things, the outfit should simply please the eye and maintain the mood of the important day.
The baptism of a baby is a very important stage not only in the life of the child himself, but also of his parents. Mom and dad choose godparents, the temple in which the sacrament will be performed, as well as the baptismal attire. According to tradition, the choice of clothing for this event can be entrusted to the godmother or father.
The baptismal set for a girl must include a long shirt, an openwork cap or scarf and a towel in which the child is wrapped after the font.
In today's article we will tell you about the features and types of baptismal shirts for girls. You will learn how to choose the right shirt depending on the baby's age, as well as how and when to wear it.
Models
In children's clothing stores and church shops, you will come across different options for children's baptism shirts. They differ mainly in style, method of decoration and “gender.”
Here are the most popular types of christening shirts for girls.
Straight christening shirt
The simplest and most popular option is exactly what the shirts traditionally looked like in which children were baptized in Rus'.
Christening shirt with skirt
The model with a gathered lower part, reminiscent of a fluffy skirt, looks very cute and gentle and is suitable even for the smallest princesses.
Christening shirt with ties or buttons
Models that can be easily put on and taken off without disturbing the baby are ideal for newborns, because they do not like clothes over their heads.
Christening shirt with hood
This model should be chosen if you are afraid of your baby catching a cold after taking a bath. The hood will protect your child from cool air and drafts.
Christening shirt with embroidery
Since ancient times, clothes for special occasions have been decorated with embroidery, as this was the most affordable way of decoration. Today, shirts are most often embroidered with a cross, floral patterns, or the child’s name and baptism date.
Frilly christening shirt
Models decorated with lace and ruffles are often purchased not only for girls, but also for boys. Girls' shirts are usually more decorated, while boys' shirts are more laconic.
Crochet
If the mother or future godmother of the girl is an experienced needlewoman, then the baby has the opportunity to receive a truly unique item as a gift, which no one else in the world has. A hand-knitted baptismal shirt will retain the warmth and love of the one who made it.
To knit an openwork shirt, it is better to choose a crochet hook rather than knitting needles, as it can be used to create more complex shapes and subtle patterns.
You can come up with a shirt style yourself, or you can find a suitable pattern in knitting magazines.
Which pattern to choose depends only on the imagination and experience of the needlewoman herself. For example, baptismal shirts in loin knit (mesh) with thematic patterns are quite popular; these can be angels, crosses and other Christian motifs.
What should a baptismal shirt be like?
There are no strict requirements for the appearance of a christening shirt for a girl, as such. Today it is not even a mandatory element of christenings. But, as a tribute to tradition, most parents prefer to baptize their youngest children in special shirts.
- Traditionally, a baptismal shirt should be:
- Condition: New is required - it is customary to carefully store the baptismal shirt throughout your life; it is even credited with healing powers.
- Color: White, milky, ivory and other light shades. White color is associated with spiritual purity and cleansing from sins.
- In addition, the christening shirt must have sleeves, but the presence of embroidery and other decor is at your discretion.
For girls 2-4 years old
In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary for a child to be baptized on the 40th day after birth, but today few people follow this rule. Many parents postpone the sacrament until a later time so that the baby can retain memories of it.
Between the ages of 2 and 4, a girl is unlikely to be able to understand the meaning of what is happening, but this is not at all a reason to postpone baptism for another few years.
Small sizes of baptismal shirts are in greatest demand, since older girls are often baptized in elegant white dresses.
If a newborn child is not being baptized, a lace scarf is chosen to go with the shirt instead of a cap.
For girls 5-8 years old
Older girls can choose their own outfit for baptism if their parents correctly explain to them the meaning and significance of the sacrament. Sometimes it can be difficult to find a baptismal shirt in the right size, as stores buy more sets for newborns and very young children.
However, companies that produce baptismal accessories often provide a custom-tailored service - you can order a shirt of any size not only for a child, but also for an adult.
Baptismal dresses are produced for girls of primary school age. They differ from shirts in a more complex cut, fitted silhouette and rich trim. But all the traditional elements of a baptismal shirt - color, length, sleeves - are preserved in such an outfit.
Baptismal shirt decoration
Christening shirts for boys and girls differ mainly in decor. As a rule, more attention is paid to the decoration of girlish models. This can be not only traditional embroidery and lace trim.
Common ways to decorate baptismal shirts for girls also include:
- embroidery with metallic threads;
- embroidery with satin ribbons;
- openwork tying of edges with threads;
- trim with braid and ruffles.
When decorating a baptismal shirt, you need to observe moderation. Decorative elements should not be conspicuous, so try to stick to a restrained color scheme. White, golden, silver, soft pink - these colors are usually preferred when decorating a christening shirt for a girl.
Accessories
When preparing your baby for baptism, you can get by with only buying a shirt, or you can purchase a ready-made baptismal set, which includes everything that will be useful during the sacrament, as well as memorable souvenirs.
The christening kit may include:
- kryzhma - this is the name of the diaper in which the child is wrapped after he is dipped into the font;
- headdress - for very young children it is a cap, and for older girls it is a scarf or an openwork cape on the head;
- booties are not necessary, they can be replaced with simple socks, but things from one set will look much more beautiful;
- bib - needed to preserve the original whiteness of the baptismal attire, preventing the appearance of various stains on it;
- diaper panties – you don’t have to wear anything over the diaper, but many parents, for the sake of aesthetics, prefer to cover it with white panties;
- hair bag - strands cut during the sacrament will be stored in it.
Clothing for baptism: what is it for?
Christenings are considered one of the most important moments in the life of any person. At christenings, a white shirt is usually worn, symbolizing the purity and innocence of thoughts before God. Before the start of the sacrament, old clothes are removed as a symbol of sin, and a new clean person comes out of the water and puts on a clean shirt, like a new soul received from God.
Anavolius, this is exactly what the baptismal shirt sounds like in Greek, has a straight, loose cut and is decorated with very symbolic embroidery.
Model overview
For adults
Women's baptismal shirt Traditionally, it has a loose fit, maximum length and is sewn from white fabric. The cut of the shirt includes sewn or one-piece sleeves and maximum coverage of the chest and shoulders. Women's anavolia are decorated with embroidery in the spirit of Christianity and thin lace.
A christening shirt is also necessary for men, since in it the immersion into the font takes place and the Sacrament of Baptism is performed. Men's models may be shorter than women's. Usually their length reaches the knee. In addition, men's models are more laconic than women's, less often decorated with lace inserts and resemble the clothes of a priest. A cross is traditionally embroidered on the back and chest of the shirt.
For teenagers
Teenage models are not much different from adults. They are usually smaller and shorter than adults.
Models for girls are more delicate, sometimes the style resembles a dress. Boys' shirts have a more formal design. Universal shirts for boys and girls are also made; they usually have a simple cut, embroidery and modest lace decoration.
For newborns
The baptismal shirt is the first thing the baby is dressed in after the ceremony. Incredibly beautiful and delicate clothes are made for little princes and princesses. They are usually decorated with a lot of lace and embroidery.
A christening outfit for newborns is a whole set of clothes, consisting of a shirt, a cap (for girls) and booties.
How to choose and what it should be
When choosing a baptismal shirt, you need to think, first of all, about comfort. The design of a shirt or dress should not restrict movement; it should be spacious and light. This is especially true for children's clothing.
An uncomfortable christening shirt can cause your baby or toddler to become cranky and in a bad mood. Shirts for newborns should be lined or have perfectly finished seams or outside seams.
The material from which the shirt is made should be pleasant to the body. Anavolia made from natural fabrics that do not irritate the skin and are well breathable are preferred. For sewing baptismal shirts, cotton, linen, viscose, and silk are used, which undergo a special softening treatment. All these fabrics are environmentally friendly and harmless to the health of adults and children.
Previously, decorating baptismal shirts was highly welcomed. Luxurious embroidery and luxurious lace adorning the hem of a long shirt meant a long and rich life. Over time, shirts became shorter and jewelry became more modest.
Nowadays christening shirts are decorated in a cute and tasteful way. Lace and satin ribbons are used as decoration.
Varieties
Despite the general features, lines and rules for sewing baptismal shirts, their range is quite wide and has many design features and design differences.
Hooded
This model is mainly used when sewing anavolia for children. These hooded shirts are not only beautiful, but also very comfortable. They are very quickly put on the body, and the hood goes over the head. This point is especially important when baptizing boys, who are not customary to wear caps after the ceremony.
With a cross
The cross symbolizes the suffering of the Savior and his victory over death. The cross is made using various embroidery techniques, mainly with gold, silver or white threads.
The technique of appliquing a cross from Swarovski crystals is also known. As a rule, the cross is located in the center of the shirt on the front and/or back.
With smell
The christening shirt with a wrap has a special cut - its edges overlap each other. The halves are tied together with braid or ribbon. The cut lines of such a shirt are usually straight. The wrap style allows you to adjust the width of the shirt and usually fits several sizes.
What to do with her next
Orthodox tradition requires further storage of the baptismal shirt. It is believed that a shirt that retains traces of the world on itself has a beneficial effect during illness and illness.
Is it washable?
Taking care of baptismal clothing helps preserve it in its original form for the rest of your life. It is not customary to wash a baptismal shirt, since during anointing, droplets of the world fall on it. You can only wash the towel that was used at baptism and this must be done separately from other things.
Is it possible to wear
In everyday life, a baptismal shirt is not usually worn. It is taken out in case of illness and applied to the sore spot.
Brand overview
My pea
When sewing baptismal shirts, My Pea, as for its other products, uses only natural fabrics and, basically, the brand gives preference to 100% cotton fabrics. The seams of the baptismal shirts are very carefully processed and will not damage the baby’s delicate skin.
Seraphim and Seraphim
The brand produces baptismal shirts for true connoisseurs of tradition, style and beauty. The production uses high-quality natural fabrics and rich Italian lace. Satin ribbons are used as additional decoration.
The collection includes models with a hidden zipper at the back, which allows you to quickly put on and take off the shirt.
Tron plus
The brand offers baptismal shirts of various cuts for newborns. All products are made from 100% cotton and decorated with satin ribbons: white, pink or blue. The cut of the shirts is spacious and does not restrict the movements of children. The fabric is soft and pleasant to the touch, giving the child only a comfortable feeling.
My angel
Almost all models have elements of the old Russian style and are made of natural fabric - percale, which is the thinnest and thickest cotton fabric. The fabric is made from long-staple cotton fibers, which makes it strong, dense, but smooth and soft. The design of shirts often uses embroidery with gold and silver threads and Swarovski crystals.
Baptism is in some way a magical rite, as well as the most important sacrament of Christian society. Parents strive to baptize their children, since since ancient times it has been believed that this ritual opens the spiritual world and provides the child with protection from higher powers.
Let's get acquainted with the rite of baptism itself and with popular models of baptismal shirts intended for children of different ages, and with the brands that produce them.
Baptism ceremony
Baptism can be performed at any age, when the parents want it or they give the child the opportunity to choose his own faith, postponing baptism until a more conscious age.
In ancient times, it was customary to baptize a child in infancy, as soon as he was forty days old, just as Jesus Christ was baptized, but, unfortunately, few people adhere to this tradition.
To carry out the baptism ceremony, parents need to choose two people, a man and a woman, who will become the godparents of the child, and from that day on will have a subtle, spiritual connection with him. In addition, it is necessary to purchase special clothes for baptism and this is the main task of the godmother, and the godfather usually purchases a pectoral cross for the child.
What do you need?
In addition to the cross and baptismal shirt, you also need to choose a towel. Often, parents use ordinary cute suits of various colors, without resorting to purchasing specialized items that are direct attributes of baptism. But still, we advise you to purchase a snow-white shirt designed specifically for baptism. Previously, such a thing could only be purchased in shops at churches, which were called church shops, but now children's baptismal shirts are also sold in regular stores specializing in goods for children.
What does a christening shirt look like for a boy?
There are no differences in christening shirts for boys and girls, since this item is universal. As a rule, the color of such a shirt ranges from snow-white to light light blue, and the cut is quite loose. As for the length of the shirt, fashion here is very diverse and allows the use of shirts of completely different lengths - from short to the waist, to long to the floor.
The baptismal shirt may have embroidery in the form of an Orthodox cross, which is made with blue, silver or gold threads. Regarding the material from which baptismal shirts for children are sewn, it can be noted that products made from soft fabric that is pleasant to a child’s body are preferable.
1 year
For a one-year-old baby, a short, wrap-around shirt is quite suitable, which definitely makes it easier for the child to put on and take off the item. You can use a thin cotton model, decorated with embroidery, as well as small lace on the sleeves and at the bottom of the shirt.
2 years
Since at two years the child is still quite small, you can use the same option as for baptizing a one-year-old child. But you can choose something a little different, for example, a medium-length, odorless shirt with a solid collar is perfect.
3 years
At three years old, the child is already a little older and you can use a long shirt, with various kinds of embroidery and decoration, which is worn over the head. This option will be very convenient and practical, and also visually looks beautiful and innocent.
4 years
At four years old, children often consider themselves adults and are aware of many things, so they may begin to feel embarrassed about their open sexual characteristics if they wear a short shirt at baptism. For a child of this age, we recommend choosing a thin, floor-length cotton shirt with ties and a small cutout in the throat area, as well as unobtrusive blue embroidery.
Models
As with any clothing for adults, there is a huge selection and a fairly wide range of models among christening shirts for boys. The shirts are not particularly different in any functional qualities; rather, they have purely visual differences. Let's take a closer look at the most popular models.
Hooded
The christening shirt model with a hood looks like a cute robe, medium or short length. The shirt is quite comfortable and has a functional use, in case the room is cold and the child’s hair is wet, then in this case the use of a hood will be useful.
With smell
As already mentioned, a wrap shirt makes it much easier to put on a child, and then it can be taken off just as easily. This model is most preferable for young children, from one to two years old, for whom it is extremely difficult to sit still. The fact is that due to the high activity of the child, the process of putting a shirt over the head may be somewhat difficult, since the child may begin to be capricious and cry.
Middle length
Mid-length shirts will be appropriate for children of about three years old, since they directly cover the first sexual signs. In terms of any functional qualities, this model does not have any significant differences from the smell model.
Christening suit
Baptism suits perform the same functions as baptism shirts. The differences are only in appearance, and may also relate to ease of use, since the shirt is much easier to put on or take off. In itself, such a suit usually consists of a three-piece suit - a short shirt, pants and a headdress in the form of a cap or beret.
Brands
Since children's christening clothes are very popular and in demand, it is completely natural that many brands are engaged in the manufacture of these items. But many of them have completely different policies and concepts of the company’s work, so we decided to select and compile for you a list of the most popular brands that offer baptismal clothing.
Choupette
Choupette is a brand specializing in the production of children's clothing for children from zero to eight years old. This brand divides its production into collections with corresponding names, and also, by the way, is engaged in tailoring luxury clothing. And it is not surprising that among the wide range of this company there is a line of clothing for baptism, presented in the form of light, airy outfits symbolizing purity and innocence.
Papitto
The Papitto company began its existence back in 2001, specializing in the production of goods for newborn children, as well as children up to four years old. The company positions itself as a manufacturer of high-quality goods at affordable prices, and indeed, this is quite consistent with reality. The line of clothing for baptism consists of items made of soft material that is pleasant to children's skin and does not cause irritation or allergic reactions.
Hello, my dear! Now I will tell and show you how sew a kryzhma for the baptism of a child with your own hands.
Baptism is a very responsible process, because godparents take responsibility for the soul of the child. A kryzhma- this is a cloth, towel or blanket in which the godmother receives the baby from the holy font; the child is wrapped in kryzhma throughout the entire baptism procedure.
Kryzhma, as a rule, is ideally white - as a symbol of the purity of the soul and sinlessness; after baptism, it cannot be used as a veil, but is best stored as a valuable thing in a secluded place.
With this I think I will finish the short introductory part about Kryzhma and show how you can sew it yourself.
Fabric for kryzhma
The basis for kryzhma is any natural fabric that absorbs moisture well, usually: calico, cotton, linen and terry. If the baptism of a child takes place during the cold season, then it is better to sew a warm kryzhma (from two layers of natural terry cloth or an insulated blanket made of calico).
If a child is baptized in the warm season, then, of course, there is no point in warming up and you can sew a kryzhma from light natural fabric.
Kryzhma size
The standard size of the kryzhma is a square with sides of 1 meter; if a baby is baptized at 1.5 months, then you can make a kryzhma with sides of 75 cm (since the baby is still small, such a kryzhma is enough to wrap him fully). For older children, it is better to take a side of 1 m.
How I sewed a kryzhma - an insulated blanket
So I needed kryzhma for baptism child in winter, so I will make a kryzhma - a warm blanket.
I needed:
- Calico white: 2 m
- Insulation padding polyester 100 or 70: 2 m
- Openwork edge: 4 m
- Gold (or silver) threads for embroidering a cross
We cut out a square with sides of 1 m from padding polyester. I had padding polyester 200, so I layered it so that the thickness turned out to be 70, for this the padding polyester needs to be layered into three parts, since 100, in my opinion, would also be too much (if you layer into 2 parts).
We cut out two kradrats from calico with sides of 1 m, iron the fabric with steam.
We sew one layer of cotton fabric with a layer of insulation on four sides, applying the padding polyester to the wrong side of the calico.
Now we sew the edge along the edge of the krakrat with padding polyester, we apply the edge to the front side of the square with the front side of the edge.
Sew the edge along the entire perimeter of the square, first rounding the corners a little (trimming a little).
At the corners of the square, we sew the edge with a slight gathering, so that when turning the product inside out, the edge does not “pull” at the corners.
Sew on the second square of cotton fabric, folding it face to face with the first square. Thus, the edge should be between two layers of cotton fabric. We do not finish the second square by 15 cm and turn our blanket inside out through this cut.
We sew an interfacing stitch next to the edge to fix both layers of fabric and allowances, then the edge will not puff up.
We carefully sew up the cut through which we turned the bedspread inside out.
This is such a beautiful bedspread:
Now you need to embroider the cross. To do this, mark the lines of the cross with a pencil in one of the corners of the bedspread:
I first stitched the clear lines of the cross with gold thread:
And then I sewed a zig-zag along these lines, it turned out very well. You can make the cross in a different, more ornate shape, but I’m happy with it this way - the simplest option:
It turned out so beautiful kryzhma for baptism, and you convinced yourself that sew it yourself It’s not difficult at all, so sew with me and see you again on the pages of my blog “site”.
