Layette For Royal Baby Now Almost Complete At Palace

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 18, 10 November 1948, Page 3

Layette For Royal Baby Now Almost Complete At Palace

Almost the whole of the layette for Princess Elizabeth’s baby is now assembled at Buckingham Palace in readiness for the day for which the entire British Commonwealth is waiting. Every single garment is hand-made and, with the exception of a few ‘extras’ sent by relative's overseas, is entirely of British workmanship, says the N.Z. Wool Board news service.

Strict secrecy has ben observed concerning the sketches and patterns for the layette which were submitted to the Princess nearly four months ago. Buyers from all over the world hav been enquiring how soon the designs will be available, for it is certain that thousands of babies throughout the Commonwealth and in'the United States will soon be dressed in exact replicas of the Royal infant’s garments. But they will have to wait until after the birth, for no designs will be made public until then. But there is no secret about the materials which will be used. The little Prince or Princess, whose arrival will coincide with the start of an English winter, will be dressed completely in white, and almost entirely in wool, during the first few months of its life. Although Princess Elizabeth has had one or two crepe-de-chine dresses made 'for special occasions, the baby—like millions

of' other babies the world over—will normally wear knitted woollens. There will be garments of the finest Shetland wool and tiny garments made from new lightweight pure woollen fabrics. The only occasion on which the Royal infant will wear a really Ornate gown will be during its christening ceremony, when it will be dressed in yard-long cream silk and lace robe made for the infant Queen Victoria, and since ‘borrowed’ for an hour or two by every British Prince and Princess. But although the baby’s woollen clothes are simple, they are of such fine quality and exquisite workmanship that they are as dainty and as attractive as the elaborate flounced and be-ribboned silks and satins favoured by earlier generations. The Princess has also ordered lightweight wool blankets for the baby carriage—her old pram renovated by the makers—because, like all modern babies, Royal and otherwise, the infant will spend much of its time out of doors, even in the winter. Its first outings will be in the 40-acre gardens of Buckingham Palace. The Princess herself already possessed several fine shawls suitable for the baby, as well as a number of warm woollen bed-jackets, including a becoming pale pink handknitted model, for her own wear. Koyal Family As Knitters All the women.of the Royal Family are good knitters and nearly all of them have made some item for the new baby. Both the Duchess of Gloucester and the Duchess of Kent are experts at baby-clothes, for both have ‘kept their hand in’ by making clothes for their own young children. The Queen is also adept at

making small garments—she made many of Princess Elizabeth’s early clothes herself—though she prefers fine sewing to knitting. * Queen Mary, who taught both Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret to knit, is the most expert of all. In the past 60 years she has made garments for scores of babies, quite apart from her own young relatives. Moreover, Queen Mary’s keen interest in and expert knowledge of woollen garments and wool textiles generally is world renowned. She is also noted for her beautifully even crochet work. Cot covers are her speciality in this.