Swishy viscose maternity T-shirt dress


Well travelled apple dress (maternity dress hack of New Look 6217)
I have finally finished my first maternity make, and I have to say I'm so glad to now have another piece of clothing in rotation! I'm now down to about 5 outfits on rotation so I desperately needed this dress.

It's a hack of my favourite woven T shirt pattern, New Look 6217 (which I've made here and here before as tops), which I began right back when I had just found out I was pregnant. Then the sickness hit and this poor project sat, all cut out, in a bag waiting to be sewn up. Of course, once I got round to it over the last couple of weeks, it was a quick and easy sew, and it is so comfy!

My maternity hack

My first port of call was to lengthen the top to a dress length. Pretty straightforward. 

Then I created extra room in the belly by slashing and spreading from the new "hem" up to just under the bust. I wanted a really swingy, swishy dress so I thought this would both give me room for the bump and also extra volume at the hem. I was right! 

I also slashed and spread a tiny bit on the back piece, though nowhere near as much, since I won't really be needing more room in the back. 


The only back shot I got! Oops!
I dipped the hem down at the front, so that when I get reaaallllly big it won't ride up indecently at the front, it will hopefully be more level. The good news is I think it will fit me all the way to the end of the pregnancy, there is so much room! Maybe even too much room! 




I also added ties into the side seams, just under the bust. I like to be able to create some kind of a waistline, so that I don't look like one big lump in a sack. It's nice to define the bump a little and it means I don't look like I'm drowning in all the extra material there is to grow into. 


Since my bust has grown with pregnancy, I decided to sew the side seams at 3/8" to give me slightly more room than in my T shirt version, which worked really well and hopefully allows for a bit more expansion as I keep growing!

The dress is so lovely and comfy, and in the springtime when the weather gets a bit warmer I think it will keep me nice and cool. Perhaps I can find a nice viscose print to make a brighter version in? This was such a quick and simple make (once I got my act together and actually sewed it up), and I have the pattern all altered so why not?! Birthday fabric maybe? 

I felt the fear and did it anyway!

You may notice something a bit unusual for me... my photos were taken outside for once! Honestly, my dark indoor photos have been bothering me for a while, so I decided to bite the bullet and go for it in the park with my tripod and remote. I don't know why but I've always had a daft mental block about taking pictures of myself in a public place. It makes me a bit self conscious! But I decided that I should just give it a go. I'm so glad I did. In all honestly no one else in the park was bothered (to be fair, every second person passing was probably a blogger anyway!!). I do have a long way to go in taking better photos! I know these aren't the best but hey, it's a step in the right direction. Here's to feeling the fear and doing it anyway!

Bump Update

I'm 27 weeks now, and baby has had a huge growth spurt over the past few weeks. I'm definitely feeling more and more pregnant! My bump is growing too of course and it's funny to see it change shape when baby moves into a new position. I can't believe I'm nearly in the third trimester already. It has all gone so quickly! I'm doing well, but getting more tired and out of breath on hills and things. I'm trying to shake off a cough and cold so that has taken it out of me a bit, but other than that I'm AOK. This week was good as I finally got round to having a hair cut. I'm not quite used to it yet but so far liking the long bob! Also I got the boots I'm wearing in these pictures (they're from Office). I loooove them, and it will be nice to have another comfortable footwear choice.


The case of the disappearing bump...
Ah, there it is.


Over and out friends, see you soon. x

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