Vintage Maternity Take Two

It’s been a month since the newest addition to our little family has arrived and things have certainly changed in our house. Thankfully, little miss Finley has been a pretty good baby thus far, a stark contrast to her 18 month older brother, Fischer, who was, and occasionally still is, a terrible sleeper. Her sweet demeanor and good sleeping habits are definitely appreciated as her brother has chosen this precise time to test limits, as toddlers are apt to do. Despite the stress and exhaustion that comes with raising two small children, the itch to stitch has become a nearly unbearable desire.

My sewing machine has sat sadly idle since the latter part of February, as I had neither the want or energy to sew during the third trimester of my pregnancy. I did manage to complete two more versions of the Butterick 9951 before I completely lost all motivation; another long sleeve version and a short sleeved version, which I modified into a v-neck. In further efforts to clear out my stash, I used quilting cotton to complete both of these makes.

For the long sleeve version, I opted to cut one long piece of grosgrain ribbon and styled the bow in the back in hopes of keeping it out the way. While this approach served its purpose, I found it also added tension in the middle of my back, as I prefer to my bows quite taut. The neckline, hem, and sleeve cuffs where finished with white bias binding, adding a bit of contrast and, what I hoped would be, a more modern feel. As I found myself yearning for pockets in my original adaptation, I used them in my second attempt. I completed this rendition in Michael Miller’s Strawberry Tea Herbal Tea in teal.

In all honesty, I don’t believe this version came to fruition as I wished. While I hoped the contrast binding would elevate this pattern to being more vintage inspired versus true vintage, for me, it calls more attention to the high, modest neckline. Coupling the neckline with the oversized front pockets, I got a very Little House on the Prairie vibe, which is definitely not to my personal taste. One thing I was really pleased about however, was my choice of print. I’ve mentioned previously that most of the prints in my wardrobe are geometric in nature, so choosing a ditsy floral was a bit of a stretch for me. I also don’t generally wear any shade of blue beyond navy, so my choice to use teal was another exploration. I think overall the print is really fun and cute and that maybe that kind of fabric doesn’t look so silly on me after all. I thought the teal actually looked really nice with my skin tone, another pleasant surprise.

XOXO

-The Dressmaker