I recently posted about my first attempt at the Megan Nielsen Maternity Shirt.  There were aspects I liked, but I hit some sizing issues and the cut didn’t quite work for me.  This is my second attempt, a little hybrid experiment: half MN maternity, half Sewaholic Renfrew!

I’d been pretty spoilt by the Renfrew t-shirt – I love the way Tasia puts a garment together, and this one’s just right.  The instructions minimise stretching out the neckline during construction, and give such a simple way of setting in the sleeves.

Plus I realised my existing Sewaholic Renfrews still fit comfortably round the bust, so I figured I could use the upper bodice part, incorporating that well-constructed neckline, and blend it in to the Megan Nielsen one, keeping the nice ruching and length.

I traced out an XL version of the Megan Nielsen top first, then laid my TNT size 10 Renfrew pattern over the top.  Funnily enough, the two patterns met exactly around the first side notch… confirming my feeling that the ruched maternity t-shirt has incredibly teeny tiny sizing!  Surely one pattern’s XL and another’s size 10 shouldn’t line up at the bust?!

The orange line below is what I ended up cutting, and the green is the original Maternity t-shirt outline.  You can also see that the shoulder seam of the Renfrew is much shorter, so that the sleeves sit further in (which is my preference).

When it was all sewn up, there was still a little excess round the tummy, so I guess I only needed the XL sizing up top, and probably just a Large lower down.  I took it in at the sides, but didn’t trim the seams so I can let it out again if I need more space later on.

The colours just came together from old knit fabrics that happened to be in my stash (the yellow’s from an old hen party t-shirt), but I’m enjoying the contrast!  Doesn’t it look a little… superhero-esque?  Maybe once I take off my glasses…

Haha, Super Amy!

So my conclusions: if you’re trying out this pattern, make it BIG.  Unless you happen to be petitely miniature.  But if you’re a standard medium or above, start with the XL and work down.  Compare and contrast with your other t-shirts to get the fit and cut you like, and then blend that ruched section right in.  Sew on, super-sewist amigos!

So one of the first things I did after finding out a baby was on the way?  Look up maternity outfits on Pinterest, naturally.  I didn’t get raring on the sewing machine straight off, but after the three-month scan it seemed like time to start planning my rather different wardrobe for the rest of 2013.

Of course, Megan Nielsen patterns popped out and hit me in the face.  As another sewist recently said to me: “she’s rather cornered the maternity pattern market, hasn’t she?”  So I ordered the gathered t-shirt and the gathered skirt from M is for Make (and thanks Kate for sorting out blips in my order so promptly and efficiently!)

I’ll start with the t-shirt.  Helpfully, the pattern says to use your normal (pre- or early pregnancy measurements).  I confidently cut a safe medium:

I really like: the ruching down the sides, and the lovely generous length (always been a sucker for long tees).

Not so keen on: the baggy width in the sleeves, and that the shoulder seam sits right out on the edge of my actual shoulders.

I’m not sure that this top will go the whole nine months – you can’t really see it in these photos, but there’s already some pulling across the bust.  Fit round the tummy is great right now, but another four months of growth might just go beyond the stretch.

So for my second MN make, I cut EXTRA LARGE:

And a good thing too.  It does fit, but again there’s not much extra mileage in there.  I used a thick knit fabric as recommended - and it sparkles!  Perhaps I needed something stretchier… but did I mention that I cut EXTRA LARGE?!  And it’s not uncomfy, but there was a little bit of relief in peeling it off at the end of the day.  One of the things I enjoy about making my own clothes is the comfort of a really good fit, so…

…although I think it actually looks pretty cute and classy, I don’t love it.  This now seems very predictably obvious – because I don’t like wearing pencil skirts, full stop.  I’ve never made one: I sew big circle skirts, plenty of pleats, an A-line at a pinch.  And somehow I thought pregnancy would make me a pencil skirt fan?

Well I guess being properly pregnant stops that horror of looking accidently pregnant in a certain kind of skirt (been there, my friends, been there).  But still, I worry about my underwear line showing through, or the whole thing bunching round my empire line…

Nope, even with side ruching there’s just too much cling.  This skirt did serve its purpose in making me feel a little glam at the epic V&A meetup, and it might score me a day’s grace during Me-Made-May, but I don’t see a repeat make in here.

On the other hand, I think a MN Maternity t-shirt + Sewaholic Renfrew mashup might be just the ticket…

Here’s Australian Babushka: a present for my English brother-in-law and his girlfriend who live in Melbourne. I know, she looks British, right?  After all, that’s a pretty big embroidered Union Jack on her apron.  But see those little Australian stars around the edge…?

(As close as I could get to fitting a rectangular flag on a big round skirt).

Like her Indian sister, she’s got super-cool blue hair… but this time it’s satin-stitch smooth instead of felt applique.  And with a cute flower, she’s all ready for her trip home in a few days’ time.

Inspired by A Beautiful Mess (picture above used with permission), here are mine for 2013, with a photo of the beautiful day I woke up to this morning:

1. Draw more:  I recently came across all my old sketchbooks from school, and remembered how absorbing it used to be.  Plus, my arty friend bought me Contemporary Fashion Illustration Techniques for Christmas, and I can’t wait to have a try.
2. Plan well to eat well:  I actually enjoy eating and cooking healthily, but too often end up with pre-fab supermarket meals… because I haven’t got the right ingredients, or I can’t be bothered to cook from scratch.  Whenever I have managed to plan ahead, it’s been easier, cheaper, and healthier all round.
3. Sew for my home:  Living in a rented apartment means I can’t do much to the walls, but there’s so much that could be added with textiles.  I’ve made plenty of cushions, napkins and such for other people, but never for myself -why?  The other day, I was contemplating buying some table runners until I worked out that’s surely one of the easiest things to sew of all time.  So in 2013 I’ll be making cushions, table runners, and maybe turning my hand to a bit of upholstery…
4. Streamline my possessions:  Oh I have so much stuff.  Too much stuff.  I feel laden down with it all.  Our spare room is still box city.  And my fabric stash is currently taking up a third of our available storage space. Oops. So I will be thoroughly picking through, sorting out, and moving things on. 

Finally, I’m throwing something specific into Karen’s 2013 Jar Of Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is with my plan to create The Ultimate Bag… 

(Current unsatisfactory bag situation.)

I’m tired of bags which almost but not quite manage the job of containing my various day-to-day stuff.  I have to tote a lot of things around for work (used a suitcase at one point).  And then I use the same handbag at the weekend, leaving out my work keys / memory sticks / stationery, and only remember when I can’t get in to the office on Monday morning.  So! The Ultimate Bag (I think of it with capitals) will be carefully designed to meet these needs, while looking professional AND stylish.  And I have to do it, or Karen might name and shame me next December.

Are you looking forward to getting stuck into 2013?