Vintage Slip with Nursing Alterations

This pattern has been my go-to slip pattern for years. It's so simple. The darts and princess side seams keep it fitted but there's enough ease that it can pull over my head even with a cotton fabric that doesn't stretch much. 

 

It's a great basic pattern. I changed it up a bit a few years ago and made a longer, fancier slip to go with this dress - a favorite that sadly no longer fits me, so I am toying with the idea of taking out the seams and recutting it smaller...

 

My standard procedure is to skip the facings and just encase the neck and arms with bias tape. While I enjoy dainty underthings, so far I haven't made any - my slip-making is usually as quick and simple as possible so it can be worn right away.

However, the ones I've made previously won't work for nursing, so I had to come up with a different option.

Which was the simple one of lengthening the shoulder straps to allow for some overlap, and then cutting through them where it starts to flare wider.

 

Again, this time because I needed it and I had a short timeframe (i.e. the baby napping), I did things super simple. I sewed the seams and darts and then serged the whole way around the neck and arms to finish the edge, rounding the corners for the straps.

 

I also didn't have enough of the fabric (a thrift store sheet) to cut both sides on the fold, so I had to seam the front. Should have been the back of course, but I didn't realize until too late that I'd already cut the back on the fold and didn't have enough fold left!

And yes, it badly needed pressing. ;-) 

 

For the hem, I wanted to sew some lace along the bottom so that if the slip peeks out at any time, it looks a little nicer than just a top stitched plain hem. I didn't have any suitable lace however, so I tried my sewing machine's fancy stitch for the first time. It worked great and added a bit of embroidery that makes the hem look a little more upscale.

I do need to add a tuck to shorten it, I discovered, however. It's a late 1940s pattern which means it has a lot more length to it than some of the other styles before and after, which I frequently wear.

 

Then all that was left was to sew the snaps by hand. I put two on each side, and so far they have not been a problem to open and shut with one hand.

 

One benefit to doing it this way is that I can step in and out of the slip instead of pulling it over my head - so nice! And it works well to nurse in, which was the point, while it isn't obvious so I can wear it at other times as well. I made it in just a few hours, so despite how utilitarian it is, I think it's a success.

Comments

[Gina White]

Brilliantly done my dear! And it's so pretty with the lovely stitching!
Blessings!
g