So far in Project Bump, I've been sewing and wearing a lot of ruched, fitted clothing that is appropriate for work. But I thought it might be wise to add some more casual pieces and additional silhouettes so I have something to wear on weekends and once I'm on maternity leave.
One of the first things I mentioned for my Bump wardrobe, is that I've been looking outside of maternity patterns for interesting things to sew.
So, this is V1179, an out-of-print DKNY pattern. It has a pleated neckline with a cowl collar and, I think, fits the bill for maternity without being "maternity".
I picked the pattern because the neck pleating gives it lots of volume through the loose middle while creating shape through the bust. I did not make any fitting changes whatsoever. Talk about easy to sew!
The fabric is a crazy multi-animal print ITY knit from MetroTextiles. I bought it on an impulse (how easily that happens at Metro!) and by the time I got it home I was very not sure what I would do with it. But I think this was just the right pattern and, if you can't tell, I'm really liking throwing caution to the wind and embracing horizontal stripes/prints!
A minor thing I'm not crazy about is that the cowl doesn't fully cover itself - you can see where it meets the neck pleating. At first I thought I had made some kind of mistake with sewing this part since I just glanced at the directions, but it looks like that on the Vogue website as well, so apparently that is just how it is.
To do again, I'd make this dress a bit longer and give myself just a little extra room in the hip/thigh area. As is, it's a bit shorter than my hemline comfort zone - really, this is more tunic length than dress on me, particularly when sitting. So, I probably won't wear this until it's a little bit cooler and I can pair it with dark tights or leggings. Then I will wear it plenty!
Again, a point I made with my striped skirt - how hard is it to do just a little bit of print matching at the side seams? Not all that hard, but worth the effort. Otherwise, I'd have ended up with something like this.
I think this will be fun to wear when I don't feel like flaunting my belly and when I am transitioning back out of maternity wear. It's definitely not my norm - both the print and the style are outside the box for me - but that's kind of what excites me about it. Just slipping it on feels fun!
One of the first things I mentioned for my Bump wardrobe, is that I've been looking outside of maternity patterns for interesting things to sew.
 |
| From the front: not looking so pregnant |
So, this is V1179, an out-of-print DKNY pattern. It has a pleated neckline with a cowl collar and, I think, fits the bill for maternity without being "maternity".
I picked the pattern because the neck pleating gives it lots of volume through the loose middle while creating shape through the bust. I did not make any fitting changes whatsoever. Talk about easy to sew!
The fabric is a crazy multi-animal print ITY knit from MetroTextiles. I bought it on an impulse (how easily that happens at Metro!) and by the time I got it home I was very not sure what I would do with it. But I think this was just the right pattern and, if you can't tell, I'm really liking throwing caution to the wind and embracing horizontal stripes/prints!
 |
| Cowl and pleating |
A minor thing I'm not crazy about is that the cowl doesn't fully cover itself - you can see where it meets the neck pleating. At first I thought I had made some kind of mistake with sewing this part since I just glanced at the directions, but it looks like that on the Vogue website as well, so apparently that is just how it is.
To do again, I'd make this dress a bit longer and give myself just a little extra room in the hip/thigh area. As is, it's a bit shorter than my hemline comfort zone - really, this is more tunic length than dress on me, particularly when sitting. So, I probably won't wear this until it's a little bit cooler and I can pair it with dark tights or leggings. Then I will wear it plenty!
 |
| From the side: there's a bit of a bump |
I think this will be fun to wear when I don't feel like flaunting my belly and when I am transitioning back out of maternity wear. It's definitely not my norm - both the print and the style are outside the box for me - but that's kind of what excites me about it. Just slipping it on feels fun!
