Showing posts with label Sewing Pattern Ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sewing Pattern Ideas. Show all posts

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

Thursday, 16 July 2020

Sewing a Maternity Wardrobe

Yesterday I officially hit the third trimester! 28 weeks. Eeek. For someone who was always quite terrified at the idea of childbirth, I'm actually feeling pretty god-damn excited now. It'll be lovely to finally meet the little thing that's been kicking me in the belly for the last few weeks. It'll also be lovely to once again be able to tie my shoelaces without breaking a sweat.

The bump is certainly protruding now, and it is just a few stretchy dresses and flowy tops from my pre-pregnancy wardrobe that have stepped up to the mark and proved themselves reliable. All of my trousers, even my skirts, have fallen by the wayside over the second trimester.

But as my fellow sewists will know, there is nothing like a legitimate excuse to go fabric shopping! So it has been all-hands-on-deck, researching suitable patterns, matching them up with versatile fabrics, and getting to work on sewing myself a maternity wardrobe.

I thought I'd share my progress with you - the garments I've made so far, and how they are fairing up at 28 weeks. Bearing in mind that this my first pregnancy and I didn't know a thing about maternity clothing beforehand, I am yet to know for sure how good the choices I've made really are. But I will revisit this when I'm reaching pregnancy-max to report on how well each garment has lasted. Hopefully this will be helpful to other expectant mums out there who are attempting to sew their maternity wardrobes too! 

Let's go chronologically:

Cloth Habit - Watson Bra
My boobs had an impressive growth spurt early on in pregnancy, leaving me with nothing but a couple of sports bras to wear. I had this pattern already, so I quickly (and urgently!) made two - one in black, one white - using existing jersey remnants from my stash. The pattern is good in that it has no underwiring, so significantly more comfortable than my shop-bought bras. And making them both two cup sizes up from my normal size, they were great for a month or so. But by 22 weeks, my boobs had grown further, and not only do they now spill out a bit, but the jersey fabric cannot offer enough support to the extra weight. So they are sag-gy!! The pattern itself may not be too bad if you use a sturdier fabric. But the straps are quite narrow and it does not offer a whole lot of coverage anyway, so I wouldn't really recommend it for maternity.
At 18 weeks

 Friday Pattern Company - Wilder Gown
I had seen this all over Instagram, and well-praised as a maternity-friendly make. I very much agree! I made two. The first as a long, flowy dress with full sleeves, in a soft, light viscose. It was ideal during our brief heatwave in the UK in May - very airy but also offering a lot of sun protection! And so far I have had no issues at all with the fit, either across my chest or belly.
At 20 weeks

The second was more hacked, with short sleeves and a knee-skimming hem. I used a fancy embroidered tulle, with a friend's wedding in mind for late August when I will be nearly eight months pregnant. She and her partner have since postponed the wedding, due to coronavirus, but I still think it's nice to have a maternity party dress, just in case of an impromptu celebration! And I'm confident I'll be able to wear both of these dresses post-natally too.
At 20 weeks

See my full pattern review of the Wilder Gown here.

Sew Over It - Libby Shirt
This is a lovely baggy shirt pattern, which I made in (I think) another viscose, or something similar. It's soft and drapes nicely. I made the shirt a size up from my usual size, and the fit feels good at the moment. The pattern has the option of cropping the bodice at the front, which I chose to do. But I wish that I hadn't. The bump has started peeking out underneath, especially as my trousers are tending to ride down too. I am still wearing it, as it is comfortable, but it has become a bit annoying in public, having to rearrange myself to not be on show too much!
At 23 weeks

I have a viscose crepe lined up to make another, which I will do as the full length version this time. In fact, I am tempted to lengthen it an extra inch, if I have enough fabric.

See my full pattern review of the Libby Shirt here.

Tessuti Fabrics - Hazelwood Top
This jumper is lovely for colder days as I used a heavy sweatshirting fabric. Like the Libby Shirt, it is cropped, and belly has a tendency to poke out. But with it being a jumper, this feels like less of a problem since I can wear a longer t-shirt underneath. The pattern has the option to make it as a significantly longer top, which is what I had originally planned. But once sewn up, the shape didn't work at all for me in such a stiff fabric. So I cropped. I reckon in a lighter knit, the long version would be a great option for maternity.
At 24 weeks

See my full pattern review of the Hazelwood Top here.

Named Clothing - Ninni Culottes
Trousers are the thing I have been really crying out for during the second trimester. With an elasticated waistband and very loose fit, these culottes are really comfortable. I made mine in a double gauze cotton. I actually sized down from my normal size, believe it or not, because they are seriously baggy. I used a soft plush elastic in the waist, since I find that it stretches more comfortably.

While I definitely think they are useful, and expect them to last throughout pregnancy, there are days when it feels far too chilly to wear them. And the style and colour doesn't go with many of my existing tops. However, I do have a couple of projects in the pipeline that I hope will compliment them and help me to get more wear out of them.
At 26 weeks

See my full pattern review of the Ninni Culottes here.

Deer & Doe - Givre Dress
Deer & Doe have a deal where if you buy this dress pattern, you can get the maternity version of it super-cheap alongside (an extra €2, I believe). I honestly cannot praise this pattern highly enough. The fit is really flattering, plus it was quick and simple to make.

I made the standard non-maternity pattern first, as a strapless dress, in a dotty white jersey that apparently was designed for kidswear (ooops... Well, it means it's nice and soft anyway!) I'm interested to see if it will stretch out enough to make it through to Month 9. So far, so good.
At 28 weeks

I then made the 3-6 month maternity version. (There is also a 6-9 month pattern included) This time, I went for the full-length sleeves, mainly to give myself more wardrobe versatility. But this version also has a yoke on the front and back bodice, so I hope to unpick the front yoke seam and install an invisible zip after birth, so I can use it as a nursing dress. I used Tencel jersey, which is ridiculously soft and has a comfortable stretch to it, while still holding plenty of structure.
At 26 weeks
Greenstyle Creations - Stride Tights
Leggings are, of course, an excellent addition to any maternity wardrobe. I chose Greenstyle's pattern because they are tailored towards fitness rather than fashion, and I'd like to be able to wear mine for running, once I start up again after birth (tooooo uncomfortable right now!). I made them in my normal size, and chose the high-rise waistband option. They do tend to slide down below my belly quite quickly when I go out for a walk in them, but around the house they have been great so far. I'm interested to see whether I am going to stretch the waistband to a point where the fabric won't spring back after pregnancy. But I figure I can always replace the waistband later if needs be.
At 27 weeks

Greenstyle Creations - North Shore Bikini
I happened to have enough fabric leftover from the leggings to make a bikini top too. In this particular fabric - "Life Recycled" nylon - I was delighted to find it's sturdy enough to work as a sports bra. In fact, it has become my boobs' new best friend, supporting them almost everywhere I go! There are many variations of this pattern, and I used the Full Coverage front and Pullover U back, which seemed like the most robust combination of the lot.

 Named Clothing - Reeta Dress
I absolutely fell in love with this fabric and this pattern. I don't have many shirt-dresses in my normal wardrobe, and it's been pointed out to me that they work really well for breastfeeding. I actually got to make use of the button-down front today too on a trip to the doctors, opening up the middle section to allow for a listen of baby's heartbeat!

The pattern has a drawstring waistband so you can loosen it as the bump grows. For now though, I've chosen to leave out the waistband completely and use a belt instead, since I worry that my waist is now sitting a lot higher than it normally would. The loose fit is great, particularly around the chest, and the side slits at the hem give a bit of extra ventilation on hot summer days.
At 28 weeks

Yet To Come!
I still have a pile of fabric waiting to be sewn up into maternity clothes. Next on the list is a Papercut Pinnacle Top in red polka dot viscose crepe, and some self-drafted tapered trousers in black Tencel twill.


I shall see you in a couple of months' time for my final verdict of these patterns as maternity-friendly projects!

Monday, 1 June 2020

Inspiration from Me Made May 2020


Well, I have surprised myself! Never before have I managed a full month-long Instagram challenge. Perhaps it was the slower pace of life in a pandemic. Perhaps it was the laidback nature of Me Made May, without the pressure of a daily theme or a weekly sponsor I was supposed to follow... I just full-on enjoyed myself, digging out me-made garments that I haven't worn for years, and experimenting with outfits, something I haven't really done since I left my 9 to 5 job in 2015. Normally I just sling on the same outfit I've been wearing for the last few days, or I mooch about in my PJs or exercise gear.

It's been lovely to find new sewing friends to follow. With many of us posting each day, it's felt like I've been able to get to know them a bit - or at least quickly come to recognise their faces and styles. One has even very kindly gifted me some maternity patterns, after I announced my pregnancy partway through the month.

The #memademay2020 hashtag has been an amazing (/dangerous!) resource for finding new patterns I would like to make, as well as new fabric websites to explore.

I've become aware of how incredibly popular certain patterns are: the Sirocco and Zadie jumpsuits, the Persephone and Hudson pants, the Ogden cami... Part of me finds it surprising, because often we talk about dressmaking as a way of "being different" and having clothes that no-one else has. But I also recognise that it is a way for us to connect with each other, to get excited and inspired by each others' creations, to share advice and pattern hacks, and to ask for suggestions and second opinions. This definitely leads to pattern trends forming within the sewing community and I think Instagram has really helped to boost the smaller independent pattern companies, which is wonderful.

As the month has gone on, I have built up a pattern wishlist, and have already got too excited and bought three of them!


I made the Libby Shirt in an existing fabric from my stash. I made two Wilder Gowns - one again in stash fabric and the other in a brand new viscose I ordered from the Sew Me Sunshine website - also discovered through Me Made May. I'm just waiting on a couple of swatches from Funki Fabrics before I make the Stride Athletic Tights.


There are plenty more patterns on my wishlist, which I've share below including links to the patterns, and to my Instagram inspiration. For now, with an increasing need for more roomy garments as my belly grows, I will be prioritising those that are maternity-friendly. The rest will just have to wait til I'm post-bump, sigh.












Thank you to everyone who's taken part, to those that have liked and commented on my posts, and particularly to Zoe, who created the Me Made May challenge. It really has been an incredible source of inspiration, and a great excuse to get dressed up a bit during the pandemic. Of course now on 1st June, I am still sat around in my pyjamas at 3pm. Well, after a whole month, I figured I'd earned a day off!
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