Whew! I cut this blouse out months ago and finally managed to sew it up!
The pattern is vintage (circa 1971)
Simplicity 9446, which is a pattern for a maxi/mini dress. I really wanted to sew this as a dress for the summer, but the baby bump made that impossible. Since I had already done the bodice alterations, I decided to make a maternity top. The fabric I used is an embroidered stretch poplin from
Fashion Fabrics Club.
Sure looks awful on the hanger, doesn't it? The alterations I made were - FBA, converted the underbust dart to gathers, shortened the skirt to blouse length, full tummy/maternity alteration, moved the zipper from CB to side seam and used an invisible zip.
I did the maternity alteration by slashing a spreading the lower bodice/skirt pieces in front and at the side seams. I also lengthened the front 2 inches at CF, tapering out to the side seams.
Since the poplin was a little sheer, and I didn't want any show-through, I used white batiste for the facings and button loops. Those buttons are a bit problematic, though. Since they are ball shaped, the loops keep slipping off them. You can see in the top picture that they have all come unbuttoned, just while taking 3 pictures. Fortunately, the neckline is quite high, so even unbuttoned, modesty is preserved, but I'd like the option of keeping it buttoned, so I may trade those out.
Here is my side seam invisible zip. This was the first time I tried this in the side seam, and it went pretty smoothly. It really is invisible!
In the final analysis, I'm not sure that I am in love with this top. It makes me feel immense, which is definitely not what I am going for! It isn't bad in the pictures, so that may just be my perception of how tent-like it looks on the hanger. The puffy sleeves feel a bit linebacker-ish, and the hemline flares out more than I'd like (although I suspect that may be the result of baby belly, and not the pattern's fault!). I'll wear it around a bit and see how I feel about it...
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In knitting news, the gauge for the baby sweater was totally off with the Bernat Satin yarn, and on bigger needles it would just be lacy, which was not at all a look I wanted, so I decided to go looking for a new yarn. I really appreciated everyone's input!!! Knitting is new to me, so I feel a little lost when things don't go *exactly* according to my grand schemes. When I read
Liesl's comment recommending corduroy for the pants, I got this mental image of a baby professor, in cream corduroy pants and a tweed sweater. I can't get that adorable image out of my head! So, I found a couple of tweedy yarns in heavier weights, and some cream corduroy...
I've already started the gauge swatch with the I Love This Yarn, and it is knitting up nice and dense, but still soft. If it knits to gauge, it will be the one! The Wool-Ease is a more subtle tweed though. I'm just going to knit up swatches of both and see which one I prefer.
15 comments:
Knitting is a lot like sewing, in that it can take awhile before you can get to the point where you are confident going in that the end project wil be something worth wearing. I made a lot of crappy, ill-fitting sweaters before it clicked for me. Keep up the good fight! (Also, baby clothes are nice because they are small!)
That top is great! I am knitting a little and I have a question. I am knitting a scarf (not so hard right?) that is striped. I am switching the colors every ten rows. What is the proper way to tie in the new color?
The blouse is pretty. You definitely don't look at all immense! The empire line looks really great.
I think your baby professor is going to look adorable in tweedy yarn and corduroy!!
I love this top! The embroidered poplin is lovely with this design. I don't think you look immense. Quite the contrary, you look so great preggers:)
Nice job on that invisible zip and really sweet fabric. Too bad about the buttons cuz they look great.
I know zero about knitting, but the baby professor sounds cute!
What a happy mommy!! I love the top!! Great job, again!
You don't look immense at all. You look gorgeous and the top is very pretty. I gained 60 pounds when I was preggie. Now, THAT's immense!
I love the top - I was thinking how the flare looks great and gives definition to you under-boob/above-waist area (your epigastrium?) so you still have an hourglass figure - before I read that you don't like it. Pretty fabric too!
Aww, a baby professor. I had some outfits like that for my boys when they were that tiny. Some corduroy trousers with a sweater with pads on the elbows. DOn't know why, but those pads made it even more professor like *grin*. They looked adorable. I am sure, with your skills, you'll make it one cute professor! ;-)
About the top: I like it, it looks really nice. Yes, ofcourse, you look pregnant, but very pretty pregnant!
the top is gorgeous! Love it!
Great top! The buttons are pretty and the color is perfect for your blouse... too bad they're so finicky!
This is perfect, because I have seen so many influences from the 70s in the 2011 spring runway. You will be so on trend!
Your top is very cute and pretty and I think you look lovely in it!
Very cute! I think it's "sweeter" than current maternity trends, which may be what you're feeling. But I love the retro vibe.
I really like this one on you. I agree that it looks a little funky on the hanger, but I think it's beautiful on. Maybe just close your eyes when you're pulling it out of the closet and open them once it's on you. ;)
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