Lyla Dejesus
Several charities and organisations, including NICU Helping Hands, Allison's Angel Gowns, and Little Angel Gowns, transform donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns. These gowns are offered to hospitals, funeral homes, and bereaved families free of charge. The process involves adapting the wedding dress fabric into a smaller outer gown layer with an inner lining, usually made from absorbent cotton. The Angel Gown Program provides comfort to grieving families, recognising the need for better support for those who have lost an infant.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Infant burial gowns made from | Wedding dresses |
| Organizations involved | NICU Helping Hands, Little Angel Gowns, Allison's Angel Gowns, Knots for NICU |
| Purpose | To provide comfort to grieving families, to acknowledge their loss in a personal way |
| Cost to families | Free of charge |
| Gown recipients | Hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and directly to families |
| Gown sizes | Preemie to full-term baby; newborn, preemie, tiny, and micro |
| Gown styles | Kimono-style with ribbon ties, modified tuxedo for boys |
| Additional items | Angel pods for very small infants, matching bonnets, keepsake hearts, beanie hats, headbands |
| Donor recognition | Thank-you memento |
| Sewing | Hand-sewn by volunteers |
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$20.69 $22.99
$16.02 $17.8
What You'll Learn
Sewing patterns and tutorials
Sewing burial gowns from wedding dresses is a meaningful way to upcycle old gowns. The process involves cutting and sewing the wedding dress fabric into a smaller gown, which can be donated to hospitals for parents to use free of charge.
The first step in creating a burial gown from a wedding dress is to cut the fabric. Cut along the existing seams of the dress and use a seam ripper to remove any lace or other embellishments. Cut out the pattern pieces for the exterior and liner, ensuring that you have the same size for the front and back halves.
For the back pattern, fold the gown fabric in half and pin on all four sides, then cut along the outline of the pattern. Repeat this process for the lining fabric. You will need four pieces of fabric in total: an "exterior" front and back, and an "interior" front and back.
Pin the shoulders of the exterior front and back pieces, right sides together, and sew the shoulders with a 1/4" seam. Press the seam flat towards the back of the gown using an iron. Repeat this process for the lining pieces.
Pin the lining to the exterior, right sides together. Sew the neck, end of the sleeves, and inside of the back, leaving a small area at the back to turn and top stitch later. Snip around the curves of the neck, being careful not to clip the stitching.
To create the sleeves, slide your hand through the shoulder and grab both back pieces of fabric (exterior and liner), pulling them through the shoulder to the front. This will right-side-out the dress. Flatten the dress and press the sleeve seams flat using an iron, ensuring that the lining is not visible from the front. Repeat this process for the other sleeve.
Measure and cut satin ribbons for the back closure of the gown. Position and pin the ribbons on the backside openings so that there are ribbon ties at the neck and again at one-third of the way down the back. Be sure to align the ribbons on the left and right panels.
Sew the side seams, turn the gown right sides out, and press. Add snaps or another closure method.
It is important to note that embellishments should be hand-sewn onto the gown, as machine stitching can cause beads to break needles.
This process can be adapted for different sizes and styles of burial gowns, and it is a rewarding project that provides comfort to families during a difficult time.
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Donating wedding dresses
Donating your wedding dress is a great way to free up closet space, get a tax deduction, and help someone in need. There are several organizations that accept wedding dress donations, which they pass on to brides in need or resell to raise funds for various charitable causes. Here are some options for donating your wedding dress:
Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a nonprofit organization with showrooms in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Sacramento. They collect and resell wedding dresses to raise funds for charities supporting women. Since 2012, they have collected over 40,000 wedding dresses and donated over $3 million to local and national charities. They accept new and once-worn dresses up to five years old and in good condition. You can mail your dress or drop it off at one of their locations.
Brides Across America
Brides Across America is a nonprofit that provides free wedding dresses to military and first responder brides at Operation Wedding Gown events held twice a year. They accept wedding dresses, veils, and jewelry that are less than four years old and in wearable condition. You can fill out their online form to see if your items meet their acceptance criteria.
NICU Helping Hands
The NICU Helping Hands Angel Gown Program provides comfort to bereaved families by offering custom-made gowns for final photos and burial services. They accept wedding dress donations and connect seamstresses with nearby donations to create Angel Gown garments. They also provide support resources and mentoring programs for grieving families.
The Emma and Evan Foundation
The Emma and Evan Foundation transforms donated wedding dresses into infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns, which are offered free of charge to hospitals, birthing centers, funeral homes, and grieving families. Their volunteers work tirelessly to provide comfort to families experiencing the loss of a baby.
Little Angel Gowns Charity
Little Angel Gowns is a charitable organization that creates infant burial attire from donated wedding dresses. Their handmade garments are provided as a gift to grieving families, offering them a measure of relief and comfort. They were founded in Indianapolis in 2014 by a career NICU nurse who recognized the need for appropriate burial garments for infants.
In addition to these organizations, other groups such as Brides Against Breast Cancer and The Brides Project also accept wedding dress donations to raise funds for breast cancer awareness, early detection, and support services for cancer patients. Donating your wedding dress is a meaningful way to give back and support important causes.
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Creating comfort for grieving families
Infant loss is a tragedy that many families face, and it can be overwhelming for parents who often have nothing but a simple blanket or shirt to clothe their baby for burial. This adds to the heartbreak and grief of losing a child.
The idea of transforming donated wedding dresses into burial gowns, or 'Angel Gowns', is a way to provide comfort to grieving families. These Angel Gowns are offered free of charge to hospitals, birthing centres, funeral homes, and directly to families. The gowns are handmade by volunteers, and the process of creating them can be therapeutic for those who have experienced loss. The act of sewing and crafting these gowns is a labour of love, and the gowns themselves become a symbol of compassion and support for bereaved parents.
The gowns are carefully crafted with consideration for the specific challenges and requirements of medical and burial professionals. They are designed with practicality in mind, such as the Kimono-style gown with ribbon ties at the back, which are easy for nurses to administer. The gowns are often accompanied by keepsakes, such as matching bonnets, scent hearts, or mementos for the mothers and donors.
The process of creating Angel Gowns from wedding dresses holds a special significance. Wedding dresses represent new beginnings and joy, and by repurposing them into burial gowns, they become a symbol of comfort and support during a time of immense grief. The transformation of the dresses holds a powerful message of hope and compassion, providing a small act of kindness to families when they need it most.
The act of donating a wedding dress and transforming it into an Angel Gown is a way to affirm the importance of the baby's life and offer emotional support to grieving families. It is a way to let families know that their loss has been acknowledged and that they are not alone in their grief. These Angel Gowns become a beautiful and personal way to honour the memory of an infant.
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Adapting designs for medical and burial professionals
Infant burial gowns, also known as Angel Gowns, are made from donated wedding dresses. These are offered to hospitals, birthing centres, funeral homes, and directly to grieving families free of charge.
Designs are adapted to address the specific challenges and requirements of medical and burial professionals. For instance, the Kimono-style Angel Gown has ribbon ties at the back, which are easy for nurses to administer. The gown will consist of an outer gown layer (front and back from the dress) and an inner lining (usually from purchased absorbing cotton). The inner lining is cut and pinned in the same way as the outer layer, with the lining and exterior then pinned together at the neck, matching the shoulder seams and back edges. The Angel Gown is then right-side-outed, and the sleeve seams are pressed flat using an iron. Satin ribbons are then measured, cut, and pinned to the backside openings of the gown, creating two sets of ties for the back closure.
For infants too small for a gown, a specially designed angel pod accommodates their size. Gowns are also designed for boys, with a modified tuxedo design available for boys weighing between three and 13 pounds. Matching or compatible outfits are also available for multiple births. Each gift is individually packaged and includes a matching bonnet and a keepsake heart memento.
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Supporting bereaved parents
The loss of a child is a tragedy that no parent should ever have to endure. For bereaved parents, dressing their baby one last time is a way to honour their memory and say goodbye. This is where charities like Cherished Gowns UK, Daddys With Angels, NICU Helping Hands, Kennedy's Angel Gowns, Little Angel Gowns, and The Emma and Evan Foundation step in. They transform donated wedding dresses into beautiful burial gowns for infants, providing comfort and support to grieving families.
These charities understand the significance of this final act of dressing a precious baby, no matter how tiny they may be. The volunteers who dedicate their time to this cause often have personal experiences with loss, and they ensure that each gown is unique and handmade with love. The gowns are sewn to fit each baby perfectly, with sizes ranging from under one pound to over thirteen pounds. For infants too small for a gown, organisations like Little Angel Gowns offer specially designed angel pods, ensuring that every baby is laid to rest with dignity and love.
The process of creating these burial gowns begins with donated wedding dresses. Volunteers carefully cut and pin the fabric, following specific patterns and tutorials, to create the outer gown layer and inner lining. They sew the pieces together, press the seams flat, and add ribbons for ties at the neck and back of the gown. Each gown is thoughtfully crafted, often with matching bonnets or keepsakes for the grieving parents.
The impact of this support for bereaved parents cannot be overstated. As Shellie Blow, a trustee and volunteer seamstress at Cherished Gowns UK, shared, "This is the only time these parents will dress their baby. Having a gown which fits, and has so much love and sentiment attached to it, means so much to them." It is a way to affirm the importance and cherished nature of each tiny life, providing comfort and a sense of personal connection during an unimaginably difficult time.
In addition to creating burial gowns, some of these organisations go even further to support bereaved parents. Kennedy's Angel Gowns, for example, offers counselling and education to improve maternal health in the community. NICU Helping Hands provides mentoring programs and support resources for families, while Daddys With Angels supports bereaved families through local Facebook community groups. These holistic approaches ensure that parents receive emotional and educational assistance as they navigate their grief.
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Frequently asked questions
It is a way to provide comfort to grieving families who have lost an infant by offering them burial gowns free of charge.
You can contact organisations such as NICU Helping Hands, Little Angel Gowns, and Allison's Angel Gowns, which specialise in transforming wedding dresses into burial gowns for infants.
The process involves cutting the wedding dress into an outer gown layer (front and back) and an inner lining, sewing the pieces together, and adding ribbons for ties.
Yes, it is important to consider the specific challenges and requirements of medical and burial professionals. For example, the Kimono-style burial gown with ribbon ties in the back is preferred as it is easy for nurses to administer.
