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

Monday 23 June 2008
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.

38 comments:

  1. Congrats, Kristy, on the baby-in-the-hot-oven! I love the doggie photo. He's sooo cute!

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  2. Congratulations! The dress, of course, looks fab like all your other stuff. I love your flats too. You have such wonderful taste. I was very nauseous all day, every day throughout my entire 2nd pregnancy. Hopefully your's goes away. Will you be making more maternity clothing?

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  3. Great job on the dress and CONGRATULATIONS!!!

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  4. Congratulations! Now you have to check out vintage maternity patterns on ebay! BTW, the dress is beautiful.

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  5. Congratulations on your impending baby! Great dress to start things off.

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  6. Congratulations! How exciting! And thank goodness for knits that will grow with you, right? :)

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  7. Congratulations! You look great in that jumper!

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  8. Okay, let's see - so much to say:

    1. That dress looks amazing on you - great work!
    2. Congratulations on the pregnancy - that really stinks about the morning sickness - I hope it passes soon.
    3. Oscar is so cute - what a sweet face!

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  9. Oh congrats!!! How great and now we get to follow you make all new clothes for your new figure. Myra is right about those vintage maternity clothes, the 1960's had the right idea. They had the loose tops (WITHOUT bows and ruffles) paired with groovy Capri pants. Good luck trying to avoid the ones from the 1980's though!

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  10. You look great, the dress looks great, your dog looks great, and my warmest congrats on the bun in the oven!
    -Sandra

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  11. Congratulations, Kristy! I've only been reading your blog for a short time but a new baby is always a call to come out of lurk mode. Love your new jumper, too.

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  12. Congratulations! I had awful morning sickness with all my 3 so you have my sympathy. That dress is lovely!

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  13. Congrats! I love your blog and find it very inpsiring. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your own maternity creations and that dress is a great place to start.

    Your exhaustion will pass and small healthy snacks eaten regularly will help your sickness - but I'm sure plenty of people have told you that already.

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  14. Congratulations Kristy! You will have a little less sewing time with the baby, but a whole new world of sewing to prepare!

    Love the jumper too - and it looks good in grey.

    Sallysews

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  15. Kristy, I love the jumper and the shoes and you look brillant as usual. Congratulations on the baby news! I've been reading your blog for some time and decided it was time to come out of lurk mode.
    Sharon

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  16. great dress, and good ideas with the modifications. I hope you can wear it for months! Laughed out loud at the cleaning the teeth and gagging, boy does that bring back memories and my baby is 11! Floss baby, floss!

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  17. Congratulations - the jumper dress will be a very stylish piece to carry you through the next few months.

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  18. Wooohoooo congratulations! That's one stylish maternity dress ;)

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  19. Congratulations Kristy! Just think of all that you are going through as the preparation for the prize...your wonderful new bundle of joy...well at least that was how I tried to look at it! :)

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  20. Congratulations!! So exciting!

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  21. How Wonderful for you all! Just wait til you get a nice fine line of hair going vertically from just under your bust to well... the nether regions! LoL... Yep, my daughter was pretty shocked at that one! Hang in there... as they say "This too shall Pass". Oh, and just so you know... it will only last (at least for some) until the baby is born! Hope your not one of them!
    So, what do you want first boy or girl?
    Eat the good stuff!
    The dress is really cute! I vaguely remember my mom having something like that when I was a kid (way back when!)

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  22. Oh, how exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Well my assistant is 7 months pregnant and only has just traded in the high heels. But I am glad you followed my advice and went shoe shopping :)

    You look really well (shame about the morning sickness etc).

    And finally, the dress - perfect in grey!

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  23. Congratulations! I hope the rest of your pregnancy is happy, healthy, and uneventful.

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  24. Congrats on the bun! Looking forward to see your maternity sewing. Oh, yes, this jumper is fab!

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  25. Congratulations...your jumper looks like it will be stylish as well as comfortable! Mary

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  26. Great pinafore! Congrats on your pregnancy. The all-day morning sickness and tiredness is something I remember well and not fondly. :/ I hope you feel better soon.

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  27. Hi Kristy

    Congratulations on your pregnancy!
    What wonderful news! I hope you can keep up your sewing mojo as I love reading your blog.

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  28. Congratulations! I am so looking forward to seeing what you do with maternity clothing... especially since I just hit the three month mark myself! Hopefully your nausea will abate very very soon (I'm sure hoping mine will). I'm terribly impressed that you've been sewing (especially something so cute). My crafty endeavors have all been replaced by my new hobbies of napping, lying on the sofa, and watching TV from bed.

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  29. Congrats! And I love the dress.

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  30. Congratulations! What a perfect dress for a body in transition!

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  31. Hey! Great news!

    I look forward to seeing your sewing produce garments in larger and larger sizes... then lo, presto, teeny tiny little things!

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  32. Congratulations. Your maternity dress looks really classy. I look forward to seeing your maternity wardrobe, and those are great shoes.

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  33. Congratulations! You look lovely in that jumper.

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  34. Wow, congratulations! For many of us, the first 3 months was the worst, so hang in there, good times ahead. Now you'll get to sew lots of cute baby things...have a look at Ottobre magazine...I think I made 16 patterns out of just one issue! Now back to that dress...looks great and a very inspired choice for maternity wear. I have traced off this pattern, have a very soft navy jersey folded with the pattern, but just have not got there...and may not this year. Though you could inspire me to do something about it soon.

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  35. Hi Kristy - what awesome news, congrats. Really hope the nausea takes a hike soon and you don't take anyone's eye out with those talons. :)

    Oscar's so cool!

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  36. Congratulations! You'll sew the best maternity wardrobe, of course.

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