so, I have some very exciting news! I’m going to be a granny again! Well of course I’m already a granny to darling little Arthur, but I am going to be granny to TWO. That’s cause for celebration, I think! Especially if by celebration, I mean celebratory sewing … which is specifically the kind of celebration this blog recognises, hehe.
Cassie is quite early on in her pregnancy but is already uncomfortable and in need of maternity clothes. Kelly passed on to her one or two of the things I made for her last year, but they are different sizes and so Cassie needed some things of her own, too.
Exhibit A!
I printed out another Closet Core patterns Ebony pattern to cut out Cassie’s size… now I know it’s not technically maternity, but in my opinion this makes a really good maternity option! And there are so few! Honestly, you go and check out the maternity range around at the moment and it’s quite shocking how few there are on offer. Quite disgraceful, to be honest! There used to be lots of options back when I was sewing for my own pregnancies, but those options seem to have sadly dwindled… today’s pregnant ladies who sew for themselves have to be resourceful because there is practically nothing at all being designed specifically for the expectant figure. And even less that’s very interesting.
Anyway.
The first thing I made is the above cotton jersey floral dress for Cassie… she absolutely loves it, which is great because I was initially not a fan of the fabric she chose! However, once I’d made it and she put it on I could see she looks lovely in these fresh, bright, pretty springy colours. She wanted something that could work for just about everything, casual and comfortable for both at home and out, she can wear it to work, and even to a formal event if she wants with the appropriate shoes. Specifically, she has a friend’s wedding coming up, to which she is planning to wear this; and with her high heeled black booties I think it’s going to be lovely. Plus, it’s stretchy fabric, so it’s very comfortable too, she can curl up on the couch in it just fine. Pretty? and comfortable too?!! win win!
I used the aforementioned Ebony pattern, of course, with the set-in sleeve. The swing of the skirt is a little less than the pattern, because the fabric I had wasn’t as wide as needed.
Exhibits B! and C!
This top is another Ebony, naturally, in the tunic length and with the raglan sleeves. This spotty cotton jersey is absolutely lovely! such a pretty print. Oh, both of these fabrics, the spots, and the green, plus the previous blue/pink floral, were all from Spotlight.
please excuse the lumpy look, there’s a cushion doing baby stand-in duties in there and it’s not doing a very good job…
The skirt is Burda 7023, one I made several times previously for Kelly, so we know it’s a fantastic little pattern. Thanks again to my lovely reader Graca, who very kindly sent this to me! xx
I did the same thing I did before for Kelly’s skirts, with a self-drawstring in the front band coming out through little eyelets on the inside, so she can tie the front up tighter during these earlier days before she’s very big.
Exhibit D! and sorta E? though I’ve shown this little top here before so it shouldn’t really count actually. Cassie made the skirt herself, using the Megan Nielsen Axel skirt pattern, and a pretty embroidered and pleated organza that she bought from Megan Nielsen store too actually. It has a stretch jersey waistband, and is lined with lightweight cotton jersey too. The little top is one I made for Kelly, and is a streamlined Closet Core patterns Ebony, first blogged here. I made it using the same oatmeal-coloured, lightweight cotton jersey Cassie used for the waistband and lining of her skirt… I originally bought this gorgeous stuff at Homecraft Textiles.
I just wanted to add pictures here of two other me-made clothes that Cassie is finding very useful in her pregnancy, a sort of pregnancy-appropriate, pattern round-up, if you like. Both these dresses are getting worn a LOT.
Exhibit F: this Megan Nielsen patterns Sudley dress that I made for her in 2017, in a gorgeous spotty rayon from Spotlight, originally blogged here.
and also Exhibit G: this Burda dress also from a few years ago, made using a really beautiful, Amalfi coast printed crepe from Fabulous Fabrics, and Burda 02/2015/107, and originally blogged here. This was my Christmas present to her from 2015, so I’m thrilled she’s got so many years of great wear out of it!
I’ve not used it but there is a website where they’ve tried to pull together maternity sewing patterns https://www.maternitysewing.com/shop
These look great. I found Burda magazine to have loads of options during maternity days for me, and of course the Named Kielo was a firm favourite as well.
she looks so cute. I’m surprised that there aren’t more current maternity patterns. seems like an untapped market and I’m sure some women want to wear things that aren’t just stretchy knits.
Congratulations!
If you’ve got the January Burda 2015 issue, they had several maternity dresses in there. Mine fit well right to the end, with two small changes. I added two or three inches of width to the front skirt section, and also added to the length of the skirt in the centre. Belly raises the hem so much, I felt I needed the extra length. 1/2015/121 This dress will need a snap to keep the overlap in place, but will also be good for nursing before the belly goes back down. Burda 8377 is stupidly easy, a flattering shape, and that neckline is so massive it too is suitable for nursing. As for pants and skirts, I just borrowed a maternity panel pattern piece and put that onto my favourite shorts pattern. In order to keep things from falling off, I put in button elastic around the front. Worked great.
If she needs a maternity swimsuit, two pieces are great. I made several for friends, and added about four inches of width below the bust, and about 12 inches of length with side ruching. As for the bottoms, I just added about a cm to each side, and dipped the ‘waist’ so it sat under the belly. I used Jalie for this.
Hope this was useful, and not pesky.
🙂
Congratulations. Your daughter is very fortunate to have such a talented mom.
Awww, Congratulations to you and your family! Wonderful news and, as always, beautifully made clothes.
Congratulations on the new addition! And lucky Cassie, to have a mom who can make her some lovely things. I’ll second maternitysewing.com. I didn’t find out about it until after my second pregnancy, but I did utilize it to get ideas and make a few bump/nursing friendly things for my third. It also helped me find a bunch of indie designers that I hadn’t previously known about.
Congratulations to you both. I think much of the maternity activity in patterns tends to be in smaller companies, mostly pdf-only and knit-oriented. See for instance this post about maternizing most of the Patterns for Pirates offerings
https://www.patternsforpirates.com/p4p-maternity-wear-hack-tips/
Many people using these patterns also make nursing-friendly modifications, especially to their early-to-mid pregnancy wear. Which seems smart so you’re not trying to get sewing done during baby naps instead of catching some sleep too
Congratulations! So much fun to have grandkids! Lucky to have ave such a talented designer whipping up cute clothes. The skirt is so nicely adjustable. The print dress with low elastic is adorable!
It’s so exciting expecting a grandchild isn’t it? Cassie is lucky really for you making the best of maternity dresses for her! A quite useful blouse I made for my daughter is the SewOverIt Lily top with overlapping fronts. It looks good when pregnant but is very useful afterwards, too, for breastfeeding. Please send my congratulations to Cassie!
Have a wonderful time! Xxx
The best kind of news. Congratulations to the whole family!
Rarely have I seen such a golden opportunity to create brilliant maternity wear! I still don’t think the marketplace has really nailed it. You and your daughter have the design creativity and skills to make… anything. I can’t wait to see what you cook up!
You could go so many different directions. Sleek, chic workwear. Architectural, edgy, minimalist office wear in monochrome tones with bold artistic accessories. Open wool jersey (?) coat-cardigans or dresses with matching tights or tall boots. Romantic, floaty dresses for party wear (assuming there will be parties some day again.) Short dresses with statement sleeves and necklines. As a delicately built woman your daughter might veer into cutesy if she went all into flowery prints and ruffles, but a pair of moto boots or leather jacket could ground the cuteness.
I agree her coloring works well with turquoises, aquas, teals. How about corals and apricots? Mustard? If there were pieces that would also work long post pregnancy, how about a suite in tans and goldens, colors in luxury fibers cashmere and suede/leather? Olivey-sagey greens.
Or, a grouping of all-off-whites – pencil skirt, ivory tights, a chunky textured sweater with pushed up sleeves; or in warmer weather, a sheer balloon sleeve organza (or handkerchief linen) blouse/jacket overlay over a tone-on-tone sleeveless shell.
You two might invent functional features that aren’t available but should be. Clever pockets. Clever size adjustment features. Nursing openings. What fun.
Pardon my playing with your daughter’s wardrobe as if she were a paper doll we get to dress up. Main thing is, she looks beaming and wonderful. Happy spring to you all.
Congratulations to you and Cassie! Your creations are such an inspiration for me. My daughter is pregnant too and I am also in search for maternity patterns. And I just had the idea to check Lekala patterns. I found they have some nice options – not many, but I really like some of them. So I thought I would mention them here, you might like it too.
Congratulations to you, Cassie and the whole family. The clothes you made look good. Look forward to see what you will be making next and what you will be making for the little one. Enjoy the time all of you and stay safe and healthy. Anita from Basel
Congratulations! I did see that some one above left a link for patterns for pirates, but she didn’t mention the absolutely fabulous peg leg maternity leggings. There are options for both over and under the baby bump coverage. I know the legging pattern is free, I think the maternity pack might be as well. It’s a pdf but I had it printed. I had two pregnant people last year that both loved these leggings throughout and post childbirth.
Congratulations!
How really lovely to have your first grandchildren so close in age!