Christening cape

Grey is an unusual colour for a christening garment, but one that is very much in accord with the Edwardian taste for elegance. This cape is hand-embroidered with flowering rose-like sprays worked in ivory silks, using satin and stem stitches. The two-layered cape had become fashionable for babies during the early 19th century, and was usually white or cream coloured. It replaced the traditional bearing cloth, a shawl of richly coloured fabric, usually in bright colours such as red or blue and lavishly trimmed with lace or braid.