Sew Over It Kimono - Maternity Style

As many of you can probably relate, finding maternity clothes can be a hard task! I don't want to spend a lot of money on them but I also need to be comfortable. And as my baby bump grows, my regular clothes are getting tighter and tighter.

Thankfully as a sewist, I have the ability to sew maternity clothes that will fit and I will like. I have already remade the tops of a few over-the-belly pants and took older pairs of regular shorts and added an over-the-belly band. That's been helpful for sure! (I think the over-the-belly pants are so uncomfortable. I make my belly bands a little bigger while still holding my pants on me.)

Being the frugal person that I am, I REALLY don't want to make a lot of garments that will only be used in pregnancy (and for a time in post pregnancy.) I want things that I can adjust later to fit my new "regular" body. Therefore I have sewn a lot of tunics and dresses that have plenty of room to grow but will still be stylish afterward.

As I looked through maternity clothing sites, I saw some kimono-style jackets and I fell in love. They looked so comfortable but stylish at the same time. And being that a kimono stays open, I can wear them no matter what my size!!

Enter the Sew Over It Kimono Jacket....

I'm not even sure how I came across the pattern. I heard of Sew Over It, but had never made anything from their line before. The only thing I didn't like was that it was only available in PDF. Yuck. But I went with it. I'm not sure if it was the pattern or my printer, but there was a section of the PDF that was slightly off. The tester square measured correctly and most of the pieces matched up really well, but a small section was off about 1/4-1/2". Thankfully it was easy to draw out and fix what it should be.

I used a fun retro floral print rayon crepe that I picked up from our pre-cut piece fabric deal earlier in the year. I love the color combination! I always think about rayon (challis especially) as being cool. This isn't. Yes, it could be my pregnancy hormones making me warmer but I thought this would have been a pretty cool fabric. Oh well, I still love it!

Construction was pretty straight forward. The directions are easy to follow although I didn't pay attention to them too much. Definitely easy for a beginner to follow along.

The only construction detail I did differently was that I squared off the front band at the hemline. The pattern calls for you to sew the front band to the kimono, then hem all the way around. I decided to fold the band right sides together at the hemline and sew till I met the printed fabric. Then clipped the corner and turned it right side out making a nice point. Then I sewed the hemline around the rest of the kimono. I did this because I thought it would drape nicely at the band and not have the chance of winging out.

I loved the kimono so much that I'm making another! This time in a 4-ply silk from a NY designer. It's not available anymore, but if you were lucky enough to get a piece of it, you may want to try it for this too! I cut this one longer and used the self fabric for the band. While the silk kimono won't be as practical when I'm a mom, I can still wear it to work or out with hubby on a date night. Then quickly take off the jacket as soon as baby is with me!

Speaking of baby -- he's growing every day and a very active little fellow! One more week till the 3rd trimester!

Have you sewn maternity clothes? Have any pattern suggestions for me?

Happy Sewing,

Julie

Made By A Fabricista: Basics vs Fun Clothes

Every summer I make flowy, pretty dresses because they are so fun for me to make, wear, and they keep me cool as temperatures rise. But when the days get shorter and autumn rolls around, I’m not always confident on how best to transition my summery dresses into garments that will allow for the seasonal changes. In an effort to be more intentional about maximizing the use of my clothing, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to make for August. It’s been a hot summer in New Jersey. From what I can see, it’s been a hot summer across the US. Looking for clothing that will keep me cool, perhaps hide some sweat stains, and allow me to transition between seasons, I decided to make separates that would pair well with each other and allow me to mix and match with the rest of my wardrobe. For the top, I wanted a basic tank top, something I could layer later on. For the bottoms, I wanted flowy, summery pants that can last into brisker weather or become phenomenally cozy in front of my wint...

Made By A Fabricista: Sewing Summery ITY

Hi sewing friends! I’m dropping in to share a few makes sewn with ITY fabrics and inspire you to try out this slinky, cool-to-the-touch fabric for hot weather if you haven’t yet, or to recommend some patterns that work fabulously if you already love it. This is by far my favorite knit to wear in summer. Since it moves easily there’s lots of airflow, and it just skims the body. More often than not, it has a four-way stretch that doesn’t grow when worn, so it works great for loads of styles. ITY stands for Interlock Twist Yarn and the knit gives it some wonderful drape and stretch. There are lots of different weights and even some differing textures. Because it’s so fluid, the fabric really resists most wrinkling. I’ve sewn three different weights and prints here to show off just what ITY can do! This white floral is a lighter weight and features a slightly crepe-textured finish, and I think that combined with the large and spread-out floral makes it quite elegant and eye-cat...

Made By A Fabricista: From Paris with Love!

Bonjour! I am still in bliss from my recent trip to Paris!! It was much more than I expected and I absolutely fell in love with the city. I can honestly see myself living there one day. I knew before leaving I wanted to make something to fit into the Parisian landscape because I knew it would be a special opportunity. I was inspired by one of my favorite fashion creators Juliette Foxx. Her checked gingham corset and wide leg pants were on my list to remake. For fabric I used this red and white pin stripe denim twill and deep red sateen for the pants. The pattern I used for the corset was McCall’s #M8182 with a few modifications. The fit was a little large so I took it in along the sides and shoulder seam. I then lowered the neckline since the shoulders were taken in. I used the sateen as my lining which gave a great contrast. My pants are my unreleased pattern which happens to be exact from the inspiration. I drafted these last year and have been wo...

Fabric Mart Fabricistas

Search This Blog