It’s been fun trying to sew creative maternity makes these past few months. Looking back over the length of my pregnancy, I haven’t actually had a huge baby belly for that long. Even though, of course, at this point it feels like I have been waddling around with a belly that’s become this protruding extra third of my body for forever now. As I said yesterday in my sneak peek, I expect these garments will be my last maternity makes for this pregnancy. The baby is “due” in two weeks now, and I’ve shifted to trying to finish up my Craftsy Block of the Month squares and a few other baby things instead of more maternity clothes. Here’s to hoping I’ll be back to sewing my own clothes (and to sewing as part of MSN) here in no time! Now, on to my January MSN post…
I currently can’t stop dreaming about making beautiful silk blouses and tailored wool coats and faux leather jackets, but my dreams are confounded by the fact that I’m so far into my pregnancy that all I want to wear are my comfiest comfies. So, to add a bit of polish to my daily wardrobe here in my last month of pregnancy, I decided to make a maternity-approved variation of the classic cowl from Mood Fabric’s black wool jersey.
Mood describes this jersey as “a soft, tissue-weight wool jersey knit… perfect for t-shirts and tops.” I couldn’t agree more – it really is perfect for this winter top. Plus, it cut and sewed quickly and easily (a must for me at this point in my pregnancy!), and it’s super warm and cozy to wear. If you haven’t tried wool jersey before but are comfortable with knits and would love a warm top this winter, I highly recommend you check out this fabric.
To make this top, I started with the Sewaholic Renfrew pattern (which I’ve used a million times it seems – here, here, here, and here, not to mention the number of knit garments that I’ve modified using this pattern as a guide), and then I lengthened it 11″ in the front and 6″ in the back while also widening it, gradually increasing to an extra 6″ around the hem. When I was sewing it together, I gathered the extra 5″ of length in the front into the side seam near the widest part of my baby belly. You can see the little puckers from the gathering in the photo above. I also made a more substantial hem band to complement the longer length of the top.
So that I can get double wear out of this cowl (a necessity since so little fits me these days!), I decided to make two pairs of funky leggings to wear with it using two of Mood Fabric’s jerseys, a navy jersey panel printed with a white forest and a wine jersey with an “applied tattered printed layer”.
The navy fabric is a panel print, and to make sure I had enough yardage, I ordered two panels. When I was laying the pattern (Vogue V8401 with the waistline dropped so that it ends under my belly) out on the fabric, I realized the second panel would start a few inches above where the top ends. Even though the repeating pattern would be hidden for the most part, I couldn’t ignore the fact that there might be times when it would peek out. Since I figured a navy-to-navy seam would be more subtle than the start of a new tree line, I separated the two panels and serged them top-to-top before cutting out my pattern. I don’t notice the extra seam when I’m wearing them, and no one’s inspecting my leggings closely enough to even see it, so it’s a win-win in my book! When I was ordering my fabrics, I imagined these leggings pairing nicely with black ankle boots. But, in reality my feet are too swollen at this point! Maybe post pregnancy?!
The wine-colored fabric is a wonderfully comfortable jersey that feels and wears exactly like my favorite pair of store-bought leggings. It has a second layer of fabric applied to its surface that is printed to look like old denim and roses. I really love the my-jeans-are-falling-apart-but-oh-look!-roses! vibe it has going on. Mood suggests it would be “great for a variety of apparel”, and I agree. I’d love to see what others have made with it!
All in all I am very happy with what are likely my last handmade maternity clothes – at least for this pregnancy! Having something that keeps me feeling cozy while not looking like a bathrobe or a pair of sweats is very nice right now. I’m pretty sure these outfits will be on heavy rotation for the next little bit, especially considering that my due date is only two weeks away now!
Well, this post is likely my last for MSN before the little one arrives. As I mentioned yesterday in my sneak peek, I’ll be taking a few months of leave from MSN so that I can spend some quality time with my newborn, but then I’ll be back making my dreams of beautiful silk blouses, tailored wool coats, and faux leather jackets into realities. See you back there in the spring!
This post can also be found on Mood Sewing Network. I used my MSN allowance towards the purchase of the fabric.
- Pattern: Sewaholic Renfrew and Vogue V8401
- Fabric: Mood Fabrics black wool jersey, navy jersey panel printed with a white forest, and wine jersey with an “applied tattered printed layer”
Love the outfits – looking very comfy indeed.
Not long at all… Can’t wait to see the little one.. All the best and see you when you return.
Thanks! We’ll see how well I can juggle my time here in a little bit!
Whenever I think of wool, I think of scratchiness. Is wool jersey scratchy at all?
Wow, 2 weeks until your due date! You look awesome and are rocking that belly! 🙂
Someone asked the same question yesterday. Here’s what I said, “This wool jersey really is pretty soft. It’s not silk jersey, of course, but it’s no where near typical wool either. It can get a tiny bit scratchy over my belly by the end of the day, but I assume that’s because it’s stretched so tightly there. So, I might advise you to think twice before planning on making a skin-tight dress with it. But, it feels warm and cozy around my neck and sleeves, even after an entire day of wear. I hope to open back up the seams and get rid of the extra 5″ of length I added to the belly so that I can have an everyday cowl once my maternity days are behind me. I hope that says a lot about how much I like this sweater! One thing I didn’t mention was that I pretreated the wool jersey by simply throwing it into the dryer with the damp legging fabric.”
Very nice. I love the leggings! Best wishes for a easy birth!
Thanks! I was very happy to figure out just how easy it is to make leggings! I see lots more of them in my future!
These are great pieces for your end of pregnancy.
Thanks! These days I need pieces like this to keep from just reaching for big shirts and sweats!!
You’re so close! Best wishes in this final stretch! The cowl top is stunning, and it works so well as maternity wear! I hope it makes you feel fabulous every time you wear it.
Thanks! It’s funny how much a nice outfit can help on days when I’m otherwise feeling so heavy and slow!
Wishing you all the best in the home stretch for this blissful but life changing event! Congrats in advance for becoming a mom!
Thanks! Here’s to hoping all goes well in this home stretch!
You look fabulous in these clothes and gorgeous in your pregnancy! So excited for your little one to be here, and as I keep saying, to meet baby in a few months when we are up in Seattle!
Thanks! I hope graduation, paper writing, wedding planning, and pattern making continue to go well. It’ll be fun to have you up here in Seattle soon!
These are so cute! I love the Chuck Taylors paired with the leggings, too– really fun!
For some reason a long time ago I decided that Converse were okay to wear with just about anything if you weren’t happy with (or couldn’t fit into!) other shoe options. I wear these way too often! But, I love them!
You are a stylish mama!
Thanks! Here’s to hoping I keep reaching for the nicer things in my closet once the little one comes!
Just wondering, are they maternity leggings? Did I miss that post? Best wishes for your time off! So happy for you!
No, I just modified a regular legging pattern. I used Vogue V8401 and lowered the waistline so that it ends under my belly. I didn’t take photos since I wasn’t feeling up to showing off my actual belly online! I thought about making a band that extended over my belly, but I didn’t have enough fabric. Ending lower is just fine for me though.
Great job! that outfit looks great and looks confortable.
Thanks! It is comfortable, and I’m ever so thankful for that comfort these days!
There must be something in Seattle’s water because I made almost this exact same outfit recently! Except my cowl Renfrew tunic had 3/4 sleeves & was non-maternity. Glad to see yours turned out equally cozy and is comfy for your last few weeks of pregnancy. Hopefully you went easy on yourself & didn’t serge those side seams for when you decide to alter it!
Amy-
You look so adorable. You haven’t gained except in the belly!!!We can’t wait until baby gets here. It’s getting closer , and we will be praying for the three of you. You will be great parents! Our thoughts and prayers are with you. And we also know two very excited grandparents to be, are wating to meet the little one. Love , Aunt Lisa & Uncle Barry
You look so cozy and beautiful Amy! I can’t wait to meet your sweet baby soon!
The perfect combination of fabric and patterns for the final stages of pregnancy. Your leggings are such fun and the modifications to the Renfrew are perfect.