Big News! With Related Sewing Project

I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but I have been a more slack-than-usual seamstress and blogger this past little while (well, I have felt that way anyway).

The reason for this is that Michael and I are having a little baby! We will meet this little person at the end of April next year - meaning I'm about 19 weeks.

I was very tired for the first trimester, and used all my reserves for work, but then at almost exactly the beginning of the second, I got my energy back, my appetite back, and started sewing again.

I've just had to to start wearing different clothing - my fitted-around-the-waist work clothing and play clothes are too snug for comfort now, so I've been doing some sewing to compensate!

So... onto my first actual maternity outfit.

It is Simplicity 2554, which I think is from the 1960s - I couldn't find it on vintage patterns Wiki.

And here is my version made in cotton sateen from my stash:

I'm wearing it with leggings here, which are soooo easy to wear with an expanding belly.

The blouse came together nicely - I had to draft my own sleeve facings, but that was okay, and not very difficult. The only part of the blouse that needed attention paid to it was the bow, as it directed you to make 'soft pleats' - something I had never come across before. But all turned out in the end:

I also made a vintage maternity skirt from this pattern:

It was an easy pattern, but I had to take approximately 40cm out of the skirt overall (from the side seams and centre back seam). Annoying. I made this one from a wool ponti knit, which was a dream to sew with. Here it is with the blouse:

The skirt does up with a drawstring, and is still a little big, but I'm assuming I'll grow into it!

I've also made two dresses from the same pattern, but that shall be for another post.

So - the beginning of dressing for pregnancy! For those of you with children, what did you wear throughout your pregnancy? And those of you who don't have children, what maternity styles do you like?