Once I read that a baby's vision and brain is most stimulated by high contrast colors, especially black and white combinations, I started buying up black and white striped fabrics.
This is a best of both worlds project: Raspberry's need for visual stimulation plus my need for a nursing cover up. It also continues my stripe matching theme. Seriously, if I've learned one thing during Project Bump, it's how to match stripes!
Eventually, I'll figure out what I'm most comfortable nursing in, but for now I thought Simplicity 2603 would make a great layer that I could throw over a normal outfit. This pattern has been around and in my stash for years; judging by the number of reviews on PR, I must be the very last person to actually sew it.
I chose view B, which has the longest length waterfall front with shorter sleeves. I'm constantly scrunching up sleeves to my elbows, so why not start out that way? Plus, I was a bit short on fabric.
I used an absolutely gorgeous rayon jersey knit that I bought at Paron Fabrics. I've been on a real rayon kick this year. I just find it so soft and breathable to wear, and it seems to hold up well through multiple washings. I was lucky that this fabric was unusually wide (almost 90" I think) since I bought the remainder and it was just enough to eke this pattern out. It's only because of the huge width that that I was able to cut it in a way to match the stripes at the side seams. I definitely didn't have enough to even try to match the sleeves to the body, but I'm fine with it anyway.
The only fitting change I made was to the armscye and sleeves. The top was a little tight under the arms and through the armpits. So, I let the sleeve out a bit from the bicep up, and I let out the side seam from a few inches below the armscye to the sleeve. It's still a bit high compared to other patterns, but I actually prefer a higher, tighter armscye for added ease of movement, especially in knits.
There's not much to say about construction, which was a cinch. I sewed the sleeves in flat rather than setting them in and did almost everything on the serger. I sewed the miles of hem with a twin needle. Actually, I have to confess that I wore this shrug a week ago to a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with my family before it was even hemmed. Naturally, I got cranberry sauce on it and had to wash it before hemming. So, yeah. It's a winner.
If I have any time after finishing diaper bag sewing before Raspberry's arrival there will be another version or two of this cardi-wrap. It's really just the most versatile and functional layer, and I've been wearing it for the last two days.
This is a best of both worlds project: Raspberry's need for visual stimulation plus my need for a nursing cover up. It also continues my stripe matching theme. Seriously, if I've learned one thing during Project Bump, it's how to match stripes!
 |
| Really happy with my stripe matching! |
Eventually, I'll figure out what I'm most comfortable nursing in, but for now I thought Simplicity 2603 would make a great layer that I could throw over a normal outfit. This pattern has been around and in my stash for years; judging by the number of reviews on PR, I must be the very last person to actually sew it.
I chose view B, which has the longest length waterfall front with shorter sleeves. I'm constantly scrunching up sleeves to my elbows, so why not start out that way? Plus, I was a bit short on fabric.
I used an absolutely gorgeous rayon jersey knit that I bought at Paron Fabrics. I've been on a real rayon kick this year. I just find it so soft and breathable to wear, and it seems to hold up well through multiple washings. I was lucky that this fabric was unusually wide (almost 90" I think) since I bought the remainder and it was just enough to eke this pattern out. It's only because of the huge width that that I was able to cut it in a way to match the stripes at the side seams. I definitely didn't have enough to even try to match the sleeves to the body, but I'm fine with it anyway.
The only fitting change I made was to the armscye and sleeves. The top was a little tight under the arms and through the armpits. So, I let the sleeve out a bit from the bicep up, and I let out the side seam from a few inches below the armscye to the sleeve. It's still a bit high compared to other patterns, but I actually prefer a higher, tighter armscye for added ease of movement, especially in knits.
There's not much to say about construction, which was a cinch. I sewed the sleeves in flat rather than setting them in and did almost everything on the serger. I sewed the miles of hem with a twin needle. Actually, I have to confess that I wore this shrug a week ago to a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with my family before it was even hemmed. Naturally, I got cranberry sauce on it and had to wash it before hemming. So, yeah. It's a winner.
If I have any time after finishing diaper bag sewing before Raspberry's arrival there will be another version or two of this cardi-wrap. It's really just the most versatile and functional layer, and I've been wearing it for the last two days.
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| Yeah, some days it's yoga pants and sneakers... |
12 comments:
This looks so great for nursing - as stylish as a 'normal' garment, with way more versatility than an actual nursing cover thing. An undercover cover-up! And you look truly fab wearing it with the yoga pants & sneakers too :-)
Fantastic! I love that it's a perfect nursing cover, but will have life beyond that! Great idea!
brownie points for such fashion and comfy
oooh, undercover cover-up! That's what I'm going to call this now! ;-)
Me too! There's actually nothing about it that's "nursing" - just a fun cardi!
Ha ha your stripe matching is so good that I didn't see the seam and instead was looking at the edges of the garment on the left of the photo and wondering if you had gone mad! This is a great and versatile pattern.
I am loving all your stripes. Y'know... about that "babies are attracted to high contrast" thing.... I have beige hair, beige skin, beige eyes... very monochromatic. But my husband is a dark swarthy-looking guy with a lot of contrast on his face (dark hair, mustache, eyes). A couple of weeks after my first daughter was born, I realized that she talked and cooed with daddy way more than with me, although I was with her 90% of the time (and therefore thought she'd know me better - ha!). I suddenly realized it was because he has a face with so much contrast in it! So I started wearing more makeup than I usually would to give my beige self some contrast, and lo, she started talking to me! BTW, I'm so excited for you guys! Counting the days...
Ha ha ha - that's a real compliment - thanks! I hadn't even looked at it that way.
Thanks so much! We're counting the days, too.
That's so funny! Phin has long been the pied piper when it comes to babies and now I'm wondering if his dark hair/eyebrows/eyes is part of it. I'm sure the other part is that he is generally known as "silly Uncle Phin" to all our nieces and nephews based on behavior...
I love the stripes and the pattern is perfect for nursing or not. Rayon jersey is my favorite fabric!!!
I like the 'under-cover cover-up' too- Your wee babe can go all 'Secret Agent Man!'
Silliness always wins out in the popularity department over sober-minded responsibility. ;)
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