I don’t like the idea of sewing/buying maternity garments. It seems such a waste of time and money, given that I’m gonna wear them only for few months. So I’ve tried to wear garments from my wardrobe (included me-made garments) or secondhand loose clothes I was given (Filippo’s and my mom’s t-shirts/sweaters/cardigans for instance).
I’ve only bought three things so far: a pair of maternity leggings and tights and a very simple cotton bralette, because the regular leggings/tights/bras I have in my wardrobe started to be too tight and a little bit troublesome on my bump and bust. And I sewed a maternity garment only, the Givre Maternity Dress.
My idea has always been to sew clothes that I can wear during and after pregnancy and that can be comfortable also for breastfeeding. I have in mind some simple and easy dresses and blouses to wear in these three months and after the baby will be born. This summer floral empire dress is the first one I sewed!
I designed and drafted the pattern on my own. The dress is very simple: empire silhouette, cut and gathered under the bust line (so that it could be comfortable with my bump), cross front v-neckline (comfortable for breastfeeding), above-the-knee a-line skirt.
I used a beautiful floral viscose that Ilaria – In_bottega gave me during the First Italian Sewing Meet-up/fabric swap, exactly three years ago…it has been in my stash waiting for the right project! It was about one meter, the right length for this dress.
I used a block pattern based on my measurements (I’m a standard Italian size 42) ,I drafted over the professional pattern making course I attended at Afol Moda in Milan, to draft my pattern. I made a sample of the bodice using a cotton fabric and I checked the fit on my body. I modified the pattern a little bit after the fitting phase and then I cut the viscose fabric to sew the dress.
I lined the bodice using a black cotton voile fabric. I sewed a knit stay tape on the neckline (front and back) and armholes, as usual, to stabilise the seam and to prevent it from stretching. I sewed the skirt and then the skirt to the bodice with French seams. The elastic is sewed inside the French seam between the bodice and the skirt.
Then I pin-hemmed the skirt (you can find how to sew a pin hem here).
And I finally sewed my handmade LDT (LaDulsaTina) label, I made with the help of Filippo, my boyfriend. We screen-printed a cotton ribbon.
I really like this dress, even if it could be improved in some details. I’m sure I’ll wear it a lot over the next months, because it’s the kind of dress I love to wear in summer (I’ve already have a lot of empire line dresses in my wardrobe). It seems also very comfortable for breastfeeding, I only have to move the neckline aside a little bit.
I hope to sew a new version of this empire dress soon, maybe with a different bodice. Let’s see!
3 comments
Since you love to self draft you would probably really enjoy watching Diane Diezel on youtube! She has some brilliant videos on making your own blocks – you can find her work here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq2hqN9NWIZNJr5vfKxLt8g Love your dress! I always love to see expectant women in empire line cotton dresses – it must be the old-fashioned in me 🙂
Thank you so much! Diane Diezel Youtube channel is cool…I’ve just watched some videos and they are great! Thanks again, can’t wait to see more. Thank you for the dress too! 🙂
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