Last fall when I was in Arizona, my mom was going through her cedar chest and she came across my blessing dress! My sister, Lisa, also wore it when she was blessed. I asked her if I could have it so I could clean and preserve it and have it framed. I was so excited when she handed it to me.
I picked it up today after 2 months at the framer.
I had no idea all that goes in to doing a shadow-box like this with antique items.
They are very thorough! Making sure it is just right, little tiny stitches taken to make the fabric stand just 'so', the pressing, measuring, to get every detail perfect. I had it professionally cleaned, but Teresa at Aaron Brothers did all the rest. Extra fabric to make sure the thin organdy would be highlighted in just the right way, polishing my baby locket, little jewels on the shoes, etc.
My mom gave me my baby locket when I was a teenager. I'm so glad now that I had saved it after all these years.
Look at all the fine details.
The lace, the sleeves, the hem--it is scalloped underneath and hand stitched with oh-so-tiny stitches, the embroidery of the nursery rhyme Little Bo Peep.
Here is the story about the blessing dress and my blessing day:
My parents went together to buy the dress. They got it at The Broadway department store. It is a white organdy dress with a cotton slip with one little button on the right shoulder made by Feltman Brothers. It had short puffy sleeves with no elastic, just the stitching and a very thin ribbon of 'entredeau' between the stitching and the lace. Little Bo Peep is embroidered along the hem line with her sheep in light blue and in-between them and all around are pastel pink satin stitched dots. It cost them about $20 in 1956, which was a lot of money at that time. I wonder what the cost would be in today's money?
I was blessed on a Fast Sunday in the Westchester 2nd Ward. Bishop Steed was the bishop at the time, and the building was on Arizona Avenue in Los Angeles.
We lived with my mother's parents at the time because my mom and dad were saving money to buy their first home in Torrance, California. My grandparents address was: 8419 Truxton Avenue, Los Angeles, California, 90045. This was the only home I ever knew for my grandparents my whole life until my grandpa passed away in 1973, and my grandma moved to Yucaipa, CA about 5 years later. The Truxton house was very close to the Los Angeles International Airport.
My father gave me a name and a blessing. Those in attendance that day:
Ward F. Davis--Father
Sigrid G. Abramowski Davis--Mother
Kurt E. Abramowski--Grandfather
Minnie Giesewski Abramowski--Grandmother
Floyd W. Davis--Grandfather
Myrna Ward Davis--Grandmother
Rita Abramowski (Walgren)--Auntie Tia
Darlene Abramowski (Hurdsman)--Auntie Dolene
Ann Davis (Penney)--Auntie Ann
Robert L. Davis--Uncle Bob
After the meeting, everyone gathered at the Truxton house for a roast beef dinner with all the trimmings. Funny thing: that is still my favorite Sunday dinner today! It's what I ask for on my birthday.
My mom and dad say it was a very happy day with lots of love.
I was the first grandchild on both sides of the family.
