SPRING DRESSES // TESSUTI RUBY x 2

So I realize that I still haven't shared my spring/summer wardrobe plan - but it is firmly in place, and maternity friendly. It consists mainly of dresses like the ones below that can expand as I do (by removing the belt!), and things that streeeeeetch. I even have so much of it completed (surprisingly for me) that I'm about ready to fully move on to baby clothes, without too much more personal sewing for awhile.

 
A few weekends ago, Jeremy and I spent some time in King City, CA with his nana and took these pictures around her beautiful yard - filled with really pretty flowers and birdhouses made by Jeremy's grandpa.

Pattern: Tessuti Ruby Dress
Size: 14
Modifications: None!
Fabric: Shibori rayon (sold out) from Blackbird Fabrics

To start, I've really been loving the swing dress silhouette recently - but I wasn't quite sure if it was right for my body. Being an hourglass shape, I generally do better with defined waists and flowy fabrics. However, being pregnant and wanting clothes with room to grow, mixed with the idea of self fabric belts (along with inspiration from Sarah's versions of this pattern: 1 & 2), made the Tessuti Ruby dress a no brainer.

The first version I made with my pre-pregnancy measurements, with no alterations - and it still fits great. I used some fabric I picked up from Caroline at Blackbird Fabrics, and hemmed and hawed a bit about pattern placement on this really pretty shibori rayon. I opted to keep the pattern horizontal and with the grain, but I really love Katie's vertical placement.

I really love the shoulder shape on this dress, as well as the back neckline detail. The only sort of mistake I made here was using serger thread to make a loop for my button... You actually can't get the dress over your head as-is without unbuttoning the neck, and the serger thread is fiddly enough to get around the button that it takes me a few tries to get this dress on. I'm also not crazy about necklines being too high, so I made some changes for my next version!

Pattern: Tessuti Ruby Dress
Size: 14
Modifications: Lowered the neckline 2", lengthened by 2"
Fabric: Floral rayon from LA Finch Fabric

For my second dress version of this pattern (I made a knit tank in between the two), I lowered the neckline by 2" and graded to nothing at the shoulders. I feel like it still keeps the general shape, but gives my neck a bit of breathing room. Plus, I can now slip this dress over my head without unbuttoning! I also wised up the second time and used self fabric to make a button loop on the back... just in case I actually do need/want to unbutton it.


The only other alteration I made for this version was to lengthen the pattern by 2" to accommodate my belly as it grows... my first version starts to creep up a bit high now that I'm in my third trimester (!!!!!). Doesn't stop me from still wearing it though (albeit belt-less). :D

The fabric for this version is from LA Finch Fabrics. They stock really beautiful rayons and knits at super reasonable prices. This floral rayon has such a beautiful print with a crepe-like texture that made cutting and sewing this dress a total breeze.

Both of these dresses are currently in heavy rotation, and I love that I can always just belt them back up after the baby is born... so these should last me well into fall!