Monday 2 November 2020

Sewing A Maternity Wardrobe: Post-Pregnancy Review


So, happy news! Baby Mabel arrived smoothly in early October, making us a new family of three. Yippee! It is by some small miracle that I find myself writing this post already. My only real goals for the first month of parenthood were 1. Keep baby alive and 2. Return to full health. 

But so far, Tom and I have been very fortunate to have a baby that will sleep for a couple of hours at a time, giving us a chance to catch up on our own rest, tidy up the strewn muslins and still have a little spare time to carry on with "normal life", albeit in short bursts. I am not going to try and claim credit for Little One's behaviour, I know it's entirely down to luck rather than our excellent parenting skills. And it is not something I'm expecting to last. But, make hay while the sun shines, as they say.

For me, this means a bit of time in the sewing room, making simple alterations to some of my favourite garments so I can wear them while breastfeeding. I had mentioned a couple of ideas in my previous post, as well as promising to document the post-pregnancy fit of the maternity clothes I made. So that is what I'm here for today.

Deer & Doe Givre Dress

The garment I was most eager to try on and alter post-birth was my trusty Givre dress. I've been told a few times now that the fabric is very in line with current research/trends in baby products. Apparently bold monochrome patterns help with babies' cognitive development, since they cannot distinguish colours for the first few weeks of life. I have to be honest - I haven't noticed any particular fascination with my dress, but maybe Mabel is still a bit young to really focus on anything just yet.

My Givre dress is made as the 3-6 month maternity version of the pattern, which has extra fabric in the front around the belly and a bit of elastic down the side seams to ruche it in. This isn't too obvious post-bump. It doesn't sit quite as tight to the skin, but it isn't baggy or unflattering. 

In its original form, the Givre is no good as a nursing outfit as I'd have to pull it the whole way up from my knees to expose my boobs! However, there is a very conveniently-placed seam across the chest, designed to allow you to have a contrasting yolk at the top of the dress. I have unpicked this seam and inserted a concealed zip from armpit to armpit. It sits smoothly and discretely, is easily accessible and, once opened, offers plenty of room to get either boob out without being too in-your-face.




If it wasn't for the fact that Covid is likely to lock us up at home for most of the winter, giving me little motivation to expand my wardrobe, I would be very keen to make more of these. 

[As a side-note: the summery sleeveless version of the Givre does not have the seam across the chest so cannot be adapted in the same way. Bit cold for it now anyway, innit?]


Sew Over It Anderson Blouse

Another item I've been wearing a lot since Mabel's birth is my Anderson Blouse. I made it long before pregnancy, but it turned out to be roomy enough to wear right up to nine months. The front panels simply fold across each other and are held in place by stitching at the hem, and a couple of hand-sewn stitches at the cleavage. This design offers a very straightforward alteration to make it nursing-friendly. I just unpicked the cleavage stitches and replaced them with a hook and eye. As with the Givre dress, it makes for an easily accessible, discrete but wide opening.




Papercut Patterns Pinnacle Top

The two Papercut Pinnacle tops that I made very late into pregnancy still look pretty good. I had made alterations to the pattern by lengthening the hem by several inches, and introducing a split up the side seams - necessary for a flattering fit with the bump. I thought I might look swamped in them after the birth, but the drape is still good and feels light and easy. 

Despite the deep V-neck, I haven't found them great for breastfeeding though. They just don't stretch quite far enough, and the fabric clings quite tightly underneath my boob, so that milk seeps into it if baby is not fully latched on. Lovely.


Tapered Trousers (self-drafted)

Also featured above are my self-drafted maternity trousers. An absolute triumph at full-term pregnancy, and - much to my surprise and glee - still looking and feeling wonderful now! I don't know how I've avoided a funny, awkward sack of fabric around the belly. A good elasticated waistband goes a long way, I guess!

As mentioned in my previous post, there are similar-looking patterns available to buy, like the Miller Trousers by Paper Theory.


Friday Pattern Company Wilder Gown

Another favourite through pregnancy was the Wilder Gown. I didn't have any worries about the fit of this dress post-pregnancy, since it has been raved about by so many non-pregnant people. But I had speculated about whether the opening at the front would be deep enough to make the dress suitable for breastfeeding. Well... it is! Easily.

The vibe is a bit summer-time, but it does have a long hem and sleeves, so with a cosy shop-bought cardi and slippers, it's perfectly wearable around the house. And hey, I kind of think it's nice to wear something cheerful in these more sombre winter months.


Sew Over It Libby Shirt

The Libby Shirt certainly did not make it to nine months due to the cropped hem, but I had been optimistic about its capacity as a nursing garment. Unfortunately, it still feels way too cropped to me (maybe thanks to my currently massive boobs). 


I do like the style of it though. And there is a non-cropped option in the pattern. So I will try again, since more loose-fitting button-down shirts would be very useful for breastfeeding. 


Named Clothing Ninni Culottes

These looked completely ridiculous at full-term, but now with a smaller waist again they are more "cool-baggy" than "clown-baggy" - well - I think so at least!? Still, they didn't work as maternity wear, and that was disappointing.

Check out my magic boot! WOW!


Named Clothing Reeta Shirt Dress

I had considered my Reeta dress quite an autumnal floral when I made it in July. Yet when I wore it to a hospital appointment last month, just before Mabel was born, the midwife said "Someone's pretending it's still summer..." which I'm afraid did make me feel a little self-conscious. But as with the Wilder Gown, I think it's worth embracing it as the rain pours and the nights draw in.


Having made it at six months' pregnant, I left out the waistband cord from the pattern, since I wasn't entirely sure where my waist was anymore. But I've added it now - it was the last step of the pattern instructions, so nothing needed unpicking first. That's a big win for someone with little time on their hands!



Conclusion

I hope this series of blog posts has been helpful to those pregnant sewists who are trying to make maternity gear that will last through their nine months and beyond. It was a fun challenge and distraction for me during my own pregnancy, spent almost entirely in (sometimes self-imposed) Coronavirus lockdown. I have some beautiful and practical new outfits, I have sewn with new fabrics (Tencel is a wonderful wonderful thing...), and I've overcome my fear of fabric shopping online.

I am relieved to still be finding a tiny bit of time to sew, with Mabel sleeping in her cocoon beside me. Thankfully she isn't bothered at all by the whirr of the sewing machine. I expect I will be making her a few outfits in the coming months and years. And hopefully one day teaching her to sew herself. 

Sunday 20 September 2020

Sewing A Maternity Wardrobe: Full-term Review

Two months ago, I showed you the clothes that I had been frantically sewing for my expanding pregnant belly. As promised, I am here checking in again at 37 weeks to update you on how the garments fit now that I can't get much bigger. There are also a couple of new makes I've added to my wardrobe since my last post that I will show you at the end :) 

I hope this will help my fellow pregnant sewists get a few ideas for patterns to attempt (or avoid!) in their own quests to sew a maternity wardrobe. 

Givre Dress by Deer and Doe Patterns

At 26 weeks vs 37 weeks

Starting with my most worn make over the last few months, the 3-6 month maternity version of the Givre dress has been amazing! So very comfortable and flattering. It has stretched easily over my growing bump without distorting the fabric much at all. I've worn it on walks, around town, to hospital appointments and received lots of compliments on it.  


I highly recommend the pattern - you can get a good deal on it on the Deer and Doe website when you buy the maternity and standard versions together. It also comes with a sleeveless option... 

At 28 weeks vs 37 weeks

I'm not sure whether it's because I made it in white, or because I cut the standard pattern rather than the maternity version, but I don't like it anywhere near as much as the black. It ripples a lot more around bump. Still, it has been very useful on hotter days, and is very comfortable.

Reeta Shirt Dress by Named Clothing

At 28 weeks vs 37 weeks

This is another outfit that has had plenty of wear. I think dresses have generally been more successful for me than separates, since I don't have to worry about waistbands sliding down or cutting into bump. I made it in my normal size and there is still enough space now to feel comfortable and airy, great on a hot day. I've stopped wearing it with a belt, and it's not quite as flattering, but it's still pretty, and it's really practical. With it opening fully down the front, it will be perfect for breastfeeding later:


And during pregnancy I have used the buttons to avoid taking it off during hospital scans!


Hazelwood Top by Tessuti Fabrics

At 24 weeks vs 37 weeks

I still love this jumper and you can't even see the bump! It has been difficult to get much wear out of it because it's so cropped. I was hoping to find some good maternity leggings to pair with it, but that has proved very difficult without being able to try anything on in shops during the pandemic. 

There is a longer version you can make, and in a softer, drapier fabric I think that would work really well as a light autumn jumper. Mmm, I'm tempted to do that now, in a nice autumnal colour... 

(literally did just wander off and scour the internet for a suitable fabric - oopsy)


Ninni Culottes by Named Clothing

Unfortunately, despite still fitting and looking good from the front (as shown above with the Hazelwood Top), the baggy shapeless style of these trousers just makes me feel like a bit of a whale from the side!


I think the way the fabric hangs vertically off my bump and bum just makes me look a lot wider than I really am. They also have an annoying habit of doing this constantly:


As a result, they have hardly been worn, even around the house. Not recommended as maternity wear!

Libby Shirt by Sew Over It

At 23 weeks vs 37 weeks

I had intended to make a second version of this pattern, since I love the easy style and think it will still look good once baby is out. However, this one was pretty short at 23 weeks, and is now just tooo short. I reckon it would still look great had it been an extra two or three inches long at the hem. But I don't have enough of my second fabric to try that out, so I shall just hold onto it until a later date now.

Wilder Gown by Friday Pattern Company

20 weeks vs 37 weeks

Hugely popular both amongst pregnant and non-pregnant sewists on Instagram (where I came across it), this really is the perfect bohemian maternity dress. I wore it out elderflower picking in July, and just felt so hilariously wholesome, I love it. Still looks beautiful with a full bump, and still feels mega comfortable too. 

If you undo the tie at the neck, it can be opened up and potentially used for breastfeeding. I'm not quite sure yet that the slit is deep enough for that, but I will probably just unpick some of the centre seam to make it more accessible if not. 


My second version of the Wilder Gown was intended for a wedding last month that had to be postponed due to Covid :( It's far too fancy for everyday use, but I wore it last week when Tom and I dressed up to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Again, I'm still super happy with it.

At 37 weeks (don't worry - it's Nosecco...)


Stride Athletic Tights by Greenstyle Creations

At 27 weeks vs 37 weeks

I haven't really had much need for this outfit recently. After two attempts at pregnancy yoga, I badly strained my side and could barely stand for a couple of days. Me and yoga do NOT get on. Now I'm sticking to daily walks, and while the actual fit of these leggings is pretty good, the fabric is really slippery and I have to pull them up constantly. So they have sat in my drawer unworn sadly.


In a fairly thick, structured jersey, I think they might have worked well as maternity leggings, but I just haven't had the time to experiment with that. I would probably make the waistband even higher though, to be sure I could wear them with my shorter tops.

North Shore Bikini by Greenstyle Creations

In my last post at 28 weeks, I sang the praises of the sports bra version I made (shown above with the Stride Athletic Tights). It does still fit, but I haven't worn it much because it doesn't offer great support, and I've found more recently that the elastic under the boobs causes me quite a bit of pain if I wear it while sitting down for too long. I have since switched to shop-bought bras. I know, what a cop-out!

More recently, I have made the full two-piece bikini version using a lovely rib knit from Funki Fabrics. I chose to cut the high rise bikini bottom, partly in the hope that it would sit over the top of bump and not slide down (wishful thinking!). I was also considering that further down the line, I might have sags or scars across my tummy that I would prefer to cover up.

At 30 weeks, at Pembrey Beach, South Wales


I wish I had just made a one-piece swimsuit instead. It would have been quicker, and probably comfier than having thick elastic around the hem of the top and waistband of the bottoms. I also just find the height of the waistband really unflattering across my bump. But hey ho, they got a trip to the beach and a dip in the sea. 

Pinnacle Top by Papercut Patterns

At 37 weeks, in viscose crepe

I mentioned having this pattern in the pipeline in my last post. The Pinnacle is a light, airy summer top. I made two, both with the shorter sleeve length. I also hacked the pattern to be more maternity-friendly, adding 3 inches to the hemline and leaving a 5 inch slit up the side seams to help them drape better over the bump. 


They are super comfortable and loose-fitting, but do need to be worn with high-waisted bottoms to stop bump peeking out - even with my lengthening of the hem. They are quite exposed around the neck and chest, so I often find they shift about and reveal a bit of bra, but I'm not too precious about that. As long as they are comfortable and relatively flattering, I don't really care at this point!

They were really quick makes, they only have four pieces to sew together! And the pattern can also be made as a jumper, using an extra triangular panel to replace the V-neck with a higher round neck.

At 37 weeks, in dobby cotton

Self-drafted Tapered Trousers

Worn with both Pinnacle Tops is my final maternity make, and one of my biggest sewing triumphs to date. I'll try not to bang on about these trousers too much, since they don't come from a pattern you can buy. But I am obsessed with them.


Unlike the very baggy Ninni Culottes, the tapered leg on these make me feel like there is still a bit of shape to me. And I gave them a super-high elasticated waistband which sits above my belly button and stops them from annoyingly slipping down below my bump all the time. 

This is definitely the style of trouser I would recommend for maternity sewing. I've seen a couple of patterns on Instagram which look quite similar - the Clyde Pants by Elizabeth Suzann and the Miller Trousers by Paper Theory. Neither are maternity, so you would probably want to hack them a bit, adding extra room in the crotch, and heightening the waistband.

I used a black tencel twill, which is a fabulous fabric for trousers. It's soft and light, but has enough structure to drape really beautifully. 

Clyde Pants (left), Miller Trousers (right)

Anderson Blouse by Sew Over It

With all of my maternity makes, I selected patterns that I hope to still wear after birth. But this blouse is one that I have already had in my handmade wardrobe for a few years. Turns out it fits brilliantly even at this late stage of pregnancy. So I can already confidently recommend this pattern as a maternity make that will work well in your normal wardrobe later.

2017 vs 37 weeks pregnant

It is just long enough to cover my full bump, and has a ribbon around the hem that allows you to cinch it in underneath. And the long fitted sleeves, like the tapered legs on the trousers, help me to avoid just feeling like a round ball.
 

So there you are, a review of my maternity wardrobe at full-term. Not long to go for me now. Just a bit of time to sew some baby-grows from my fabric remnants. 

Wishing all the pregnant sewists out there a happy and healthy nine months x
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