Guess what!? Iām an aunt! My sister Tracy gave birth to a little baby girl and they are both very happy and healthy. The little nugget doesn’t have a name yet, but she is cute as a button and I canāt get enough of her!Ā
But enough about babies – what about that dress, right!? I made Tracy two Deer and Doe Givre dresses to wear in the last three months of the pregnancy when all clothes feel the worst and everything is uncomfortable! I figured that these would work really well as casual dresses or holiday dresses, and I made them in bamboo jersey so they would be as soft as possible!
I have never made maternity clothes, but this dress was very simple. It has ruching on the sides that help to make room for the belly, and thatās about it! Otherwise, it is a normal dress (and this pattern also comes in a non-maternity version). I like that the pattern includes a draft for 3-6 months and one for 6-9 months. This is obviously the 6-9 months one, LOL. Ā It also has options for sleeves and colour blocking. I made her 2 sleeveless versions in black and bordeauxĀ bamboo jersey from Blackbird Fabrics.
We took these pics just a few days before the due date and we were making lots of jokes about the baby coming mid-shoot. I mean, that would make for some good blogging, right? My sister is very outdoorsy and (unlike me) would happily spend every weekend hanging out on a glacier somewhere. Since that wasnāt an option in her current state, we wandered down to a local park, Trout Lake, to take these pics in an outdoors setting.
The Givre fit Tracy right out of the packet, which was a relief! It is nice to sew knits for others because the fit is so forgiving. We also have a similar body type, although her strength and yoga skills put me to shame. Tracy went to yoga every week right up until giving birth. She is seriously unstoppable!
We also discovered when she was pregnant, that the Blackwood Cardigan makes a great maternity layering piece. It isn’t designed to close in the front, so it hangs nicely on either side of the belly without looking bunchy or messy. I gave Tracy a bunch of Blackwoods and she has been getting a ton of use out of them! This one is from my tutorial on making an extra long Blackwood with thumbhole cuffs.
Tracy and my brother in law, Adam,Ā are over the moon about their little angel. Can you blame them?
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19 Comments on “Maternity Givre Dress for Tracy”
Beautiful work, Helen–looks totally like high end rtw, which is always my goal when I sew garments. Congratulations on your adorable new niece.
Thank you!!
Congratulations to all of you! What a blessing! The clothes look fabulous. I think it’s nice that you are able to blog about maternity wear also. Both pieces you photographed look comfortable and realistic for that stage. Your niece is beautiful.
Thank you so much!
Blackwood would also be great post partum over a nursing tank!!
So true! <3
Congratulations to you and your sister as brother-in-law! The dress and cardigan look great! And the baby is pretty cute, too. š
Thank you Lisa!!
Congratulations on your sweet, gorgeous niece! Those cheeks are everything, lol! Your sister looks amazing in the clothes you made, and the Blackwood cardigan is fire!! I don’t think I have ever seen a bad version. Bravo to you on an creating such a great staple!!
Thanks Vanessa! Her cheeks are irresistible!
Congrats Auntie! You did a great job on outfitting your sister during one of the hardest times to buy clothing! She looks fab!!
Thank you!
Congrats Auntie! Your sister looks amazing in this! As long as she was comfortable and less stressed figuring out what to wear those last few months, that’s all that matters.
When sisters sew… LOL. My sister thinks it’s great and has a quite a few pieces from me including a 5 pc work capsule.
Thank you Abbey! You are so generous to make your sister a capsule wardrobe! That sounds amazing!
Helen! Congratulations on becoming an aunt! What a special time. And your sister looks so at ease in that beautiful dress. She makes a great model!
Helen, this is gorgeous! The dress turned out so nicely and it’s just perfect. It looks really good on her! How do you find the thickness of the bamboo knits for tight garments? I want to make a Nettie dress (after seeing yours) and I am just a tad worried.
The little lady is just perfect! What a tiny beauty. Congratulations to you and your family!!
Thanks Anya! I think that this knit works well for tighter garments! I have made Averys, Nettie, and hudsons from it and really loved it! I typically wear control top tights under the Netties for that added feeling of security š
Such great pictures Helen! Your sister looks so much like you and what a fun project for sisters to embark on – sewing her maternity clothes, playing together in the woods while expecting the birth any minute. Your new family “nugget” is SO sweet. She’s going to be fun to make some duds for too š
Thank you Kathleen! She is so so so sweet, and you are right that it was a really fun afternoon for Tracy and I! Her name is officially Nora š