Bettine Maternity Dress Pattern with Rifle Paper Co. Fabric

Since I’ve outgrown nearly all my regular clothes, I’ve taken to sewing as many maternity clothes as I can! While I still consider myself a beginner seamstress, my sewing skills are improving with each piece I finish. And to me, sewing your own clothing is one of the most rewarding types of DIY projects you can do.

The first pattern I started with was Tilly and the Buttons maternity Bettine dress. I picked this pattern because it’s for beginners (i.e. no zippers to fuss with) and it can be made in both knit and woven fabrics which creates two totally different looks with one pattern. Plus, you have the option of adding buttons down the front like I did with this one, which makes it wearable post-pregnancy too.

My first go of this dress was in a dotted knit fabric that I’ll post soon. When I decided to make a second one, I opted to use a flowy woven fabric and add buttons in the front for a new look. I used the Rifle Paper Co. black floral rayon fabric, which was fairly easy to sew with given it was a little more slippery than regular woven cottons. And who doesn’t just adore Rifle Paper Co.’s gorgeous florals, am I right?

Pink scallop earrings by Sarah Hearts

The pattern includes a sleeve variation with cuffs and cuffs with tabs but I preferred the simpler look of the cuffs without the tabs. Although, I think the tabs would be adorable if you made this in a chambray.

Black tulip earrings by Sarah Hearts

Last summer, I gifted myself a new sewing machine (the Husqvarna Viking OPAL 690Q) and while I’ve had it for months, I really didn’t make time to use it until the start of the new year. While I’m still learning how to use all its bells and whistles, this was the first project I sewed that used its automatic button hole feature. I tested it out on a scrap piece of fabric and it was easy peezy. Then when I gave it a go on the bodice, the sewing machine took off on me and just kept sewing sating stitches for inches without turning back around to complete the button hole. I spent nearly an hour meticulously ripping out those stitches and then after a quick YouTube search, I realized that the automatic button hole foot wasn’t plugged in all the way causing it to run wild. So all that to say, if you look closely, just below the top button hole you can spot where the fabric tore and I used Fray Check to attempt to fix it. You sew and learn!

Do you have any favorite maternity sewing patterns? If so, please let me know! I’m on the search for a button front sundress pattern that I can wear post-pregnancy this summer!

P.S. Have you picked up a pair of my new statement earrings yet? All items are in stock and ship same day!

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