Monday, June 4, 2007

Handkerchief Bonnet

Here is a very easy special gift for a baby. You use a dainty handkerchief to make a bonnet. This one was plain white so I added a embroidered flowers on the corners. You can use bought handkerchiefs, vintage ones or make one from linen or batiste. All you do is fold the handkerchief almost in half leaving the rows of lace next to each other to frame the face. After it is folded, you stitch along the fold leaving enough room for the ribbon. Insert the ribbon through the casing you made and tie tightly gathering it into a circle and forming the back. For the ribbon ties, you can make rosettes with the ribbon or a couple of folds and attach to the front corners. Add the following poem for a great gift. Here and here are a couple of links I found that had other versions of this bonnet.

I'm just a lttle handkerchief,
Quite square as you can see.
but with a stitch or two they made
A bonnet out of me.
I'll be worn home from the hospital
Or on the christening day
then neatly pressed and folded
I'll be carefully packed away.
On her wedding day a bride must have,
Traditionally, something old...
Good Luck, good health and happiness
It brings her so I'm told.
Then what could be more pleasant
Than to unpack little me
To snip a stich or two and find
Her handkerchief I'll be.
And if I'm first worn by a boy
He'll surely someday wed
Then he can give his lovely bride
This hanky once worn on this head.

1 comment:

MorningSong said...

I love this! My Grandmother gave one to my daughter but it was store bought. I think it would be even better if made special for baby!!

Hope you are doing well.