Burda Wof 9/2007 dress 121: the infamous jumper dress

I finally have finished another BWOF pattern – the pinafore dress from the 9/07 magazine. I have seen so many great versions out there on the internets, and I really love the striped versions done by the productive sewists over at the Slapdash Sewist and Miss Celie’s Pants posted at Pattern Review. Hmmm, I could have been that adventurist and individual, but I happened to have some beautifully soft cotton jersey in a grey charcoal left over from the baby ninja clothes I made for a friend a while back, so my finished dress pretty much looks exactly like the pattern photo! I’ve gotta stop being so influenced by the pattern envelope/photo (I am not a sheep, I am not a sheep……), but I did manage to use the stash so that makes up for it.

I decided that this dress would be ideal at this point in time because I am in fact pregnant and am starting to need some stretchy clothes already at 3 months! So to make sure this dress would last me and my swelling belly the rest of winter and early spring (when I’ll be 6 months preggo), I added a bit extra width to the front dress panel and made those pleats a little deeper. Actually the volume around the front is hiding my little paunch, which is good because I'm at that in between stage of looking chubby as opposed to pregnant.

I must say that I love this dress and may make another version in a more colourful fabric to wear in spring / summer over short sleeved tops. I did originally make the bodice in a size larger than I normally wear, in case my bra size increases (here’s hoping) as I’ve heard, which is why I think it looks a little large at this stage and the waist band is a bit of a ‘w’ shape rather than being straight around the middle. But I’m sure I’ll grow into to it in no time!

So there you have my happy news, although I can’t say the last three months have been delightful. I have been unbelievably tired and suffering morning sickness quite a lot, which is all quite normal and I expected it, but I did not expect to be feeling nauseous all day long nearly every day, or that things like brushing my teeth or bad smells would make me retch, or that my skin would not only break out but in weird places like my neck and hairline, or that my finger nails would grow into talons and my hair would grow so much (and not just the hair on my head either, my legs look like woolly mammoths! Sorry, probably too much info…). But I guess that pregnancy, childbirth and child rearing is a journey of surprises and much learning, so I’d best get used to it I guess.

And if you look closely, I am wearing a pair of flat shoes that I recently purchased in the half yearly sales (see Vicki, you are my guiding light!). Quite a few people have been telling me with delight that I won’t be able to totter around on heels for much longer, and although it was difficult I managed to find two pairs of half decent flat shoes from Mollini for the bargain price of $120 for both.

I’ll leave you with a totally unnecessary shot of Oscar the wonderdog, who hasn’t been in any photos of late despite him trying his best to get in the way. This photo was taken in the far back corner of the garden which is his domain (see the deflated ball in the background?) so it’s only fair.