How To Sew A Maternity and Postpartum Dress (Easy DIY)

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

What fabric would you make this dress out of?! Thanks for watching! I can't wait to see what you create :) -Courtney

[@andreadenekamp6249]

I made one from viscose linen. It turned out great!

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

@@andreadenekamp6249 So happy to hear that! Thanks for the fabric recommendation :)

[@kerri-jofehr2412]

Added a belt to dress it up! First maternity dress I have made and I like it!

[@Kitty-gf2dr]

Omg I have been looking for a dress like this!! I’m currently 31 weeks along and nothing fits but I don’t want to sew or buy things that I won’t wear after I give birth as well

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Congratulations! I understand that feeling of nothing fits but needing things to wear :)

[@cor3944]

This dress is also nice for women in postmenopause. Thank you!

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

That’s very helpful! Sounds like it’s a dress for all seasons 🥰

[@GabriellaRigsby]

I just finished making this, and I’m obsessed! Thank you so much for sharing this! ❤️

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Oh yay!! I love hearing that you made it :)

[@KarliF-j9l]

Im 15 weeks pregnant and have been looking for a free dress pattern like this!!! thank you! thinking about doing it but making it longer maybe with a teir and some shirring on the sleeves/ around stomach.

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Oh congratulations! I love your ideas - those would be perfect additions to the dress 🤍

[@annouchka6469]

Great tutorial, thank you so much :) ... still waiting for pocket pattern... but totally understand and I know how it is with little ones (I have 3 under 6 ) ! what you make is beautiful!

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Oh thank you for pointing that out, definitely a face palm moment -- time gets away from me these days! I just added the pattern to the description :)

[@lenorekelly1985]

L

[@olenapometun9286]

Very grateful for detailed tutorial! But have problems with downloading the pocket pattern. It's not klickeable for some reason

[@shanimarais9695]

Almost time ❤🤰🤱 Beautiful little dress, my champion.

[@tayalt2406]

It looks so cute, I really love it. Thanks for sharing

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Thank you 🤍☺️

[@pamelaeberhard]

I would love to make this dress. I can't download the pocket?? How do I down load the pattern? Thx Love your stuff

[@antoniettadepadua8086]

I love this video! It’s my first time seeing a dress and I’m almost done but having trouble putting all the pieces together. Do you sew front and back with the sleeve in the between? Thank you!!! And congratulations for your sweet baby ❤

[@belleringr6377]

Beautiful

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

thank you!

[@TaylorGillilan]

Planning on making this this week! Do you have any suggestions for tweaking it to be a tiered dress? I was going to do two sections-a top bodice cut below the chest, and a long skirt attached. I am worried though about the top piece attaching correctly with the extra fabric needed at the top for the drawstring, but not needing it so much at the bottom. Any thoughts there? I’m a newbie so maybe this is too challenging to try tweaking! 😂

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hey Taylor! How fun you're planning on creating this :) For a tiered dress, I would definitely not make the top bodice as wide to accommodate for the second tier. So I think the drawstring is still possible, it just wont be as bunched up -- which should be a very nice look still!

[@Tinymouseknits]

Sew perfect!

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

🤍🥰

[@ChelseaQWhite]

I’ve had some fabric in my stash that I’ve needed a good dress pattern for and this is perfect! I’m not pregnant anymore (just nursing) so would you recommend making the front and back panels equal width? Also, did you make that quilted jacket?? And some time will you do a post on your jewelry? Every time I watch your videos, I’m drooling over your rings and necklaces! Lots of questions today 🤪

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Oh I love when you already have the fabric for a project :) For the front and back panels, it really depends on how much fabric you want on the front. If you did the front and back the same, it wouldn't be as flowy but it would still fit great, I believe. Yes! I did make the quilted jacket using the Billie Jacket pattern :) For my jewelry, I have most of it linked on my blog, www.courtneyweston.co/shop. The necklaces are from GLDN and Made by Mary!

[@SOMESAMES]

Thank you for sharing 😊

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

🤍

[@taylorallen4475]

This is so cute! Did you cut the same triangle wedge out of the sides of the front and back bodice too (or do you attach the diagonal cut of the sleeve to the straight edge of the bodice piece)?

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Yes! You'll cut the triangle from the sleeves, front, and back bodice pieces :) That way when you go to sew them right sides together, they'll fit together perfectly.

[@taylorallen4475]

@@RooneySewingPatterns thank you!!

[@emilybeyer7987]

For the around the shoulder measurement, is it from where you measure the bust up over the shoulder to the same place in the back? I am having trouble with that measurement. Thank you!

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hey Emily, are you wanting the measurement for the sleeve? If so, I just measured all the way around my shoulder starting under the armpit to the same place in the back, like where a sleeve would wrap around. For the sleeve elastic, I measured from the bust up over the shoulder to the same place in the back. Let me know if this helps!

[@emilybeyer7987]

Yes, thank you!! @@RooneySewingPatterns

[@gzmsk8]

Hi there! Very excited to give this pattern a try! Quick question, did you adjust the length of the draw string on the pattern? I cut two 2 x 15 inch pieces and they seems so much shorter than the ones on the video. Thanks.

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hey! The length can be adjusted to your preference. I changed the measurements for the video because I thought mine could have been shorter :)

[@gzmsk8]

@@RooneySewingPatternsok phew! good to know. 😊 I will continue on with the ones from the pattern. Thank you!

[@lavrendiakalokerinos4289]

Quick question! Do we cutting on the fold for this dress and half the pattern pieces for the front bodice and back bodice? Thanks!

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Great question! It depends on your measurements. I cut on the fold for the front and once again for the back making two separate cuts. Cutting it folded just helped me measure.

[@ElisesAngels]

hello , im not quite understanding how the back bodice piece looks smaller in your example , but is meant to be the bust x 1.5, so technically larger then the front ? and the bust measurement is the whole way around from front to back is that correct ? mine x 1.5 would be very large

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hi! The back bodice is smaller so the measurement I used is bust x 1.5 / 2. So if the bust is 36 you would do 36 x 1.5 / 2 = 27 as the back measurement.

[@moldovandoris6107]

Hello! If I want the dress to be more around the neck, what cand I do? How can I modify the pattern, can I do something?

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hey! Are you wanting it to be higher neckline? Or more rounded neckline?

[@cooperowen905]

I am currently postpartum but am wondering if I didn’t double the front if it would still fit flowy?

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Yes! I would recommend 1.5 if you don't want to double it but still have it gathered.

[@MareliFerero]

I love this dress but am struggling to understand how to add the placket. I’ve followed all the instructions but mine is not working. For the placket, do you stitch it to the bodice right sides together? (Does the little fabric placket go on the inside or outside of the dress) The video glitches so I’m not sure if you mentioned it :)

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hey! Thank you so much for bringing this up. This video shows the same placket tutorial so hopefully that will clarify: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b53FaGWFl556aNE The placket will be on the inside of the dress so you begin with the right sides together. Let me know if the video I linked helped!

[@MareliFerero]

Thank you

[@ryleeocker9761]

Hey, okay so the front bodice you keep saying you made bigger but according to the measurement chart you made the back bodice bigger even though the graphic looks smaller. And in another comment you mentioned you doubled the bust size for the front but that would mean your fabric bolt would need to be 60+ inches wide for a normal bust size. Just want to get it correct when I cut it out 😬 I think you meant to say the back bodice is half of the front bodice size? And the front is panel is the full bust measurement ? Maybe? Lol Also how much longer did you make this dress for pregnancy than your usual length you prefer for a “mini” dress. Or did you keep it the same length. Just want to make sure it covers the bump well 😊

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hi! I think it must be difficult to see the formula for the back is bust x 1.5 / 2 = width of back bodice. So if your bust is 36 it would be 36 x 1.5 / 2 = 27. I must have misspoke on the previous comment about doubling the bust, I didn't double it. I just used the bust width as written in the graphic on the video :) I believe I added an inch or two. For reference, my finished dress length measures 32 inches from shoulder to hem and I'm 5'2". I cut the bodice to 29 inches on the long side.

[@s.s.3068]

For the back bodice measurement formula I believe the slash in the equation means "divided by" 2, not "or" 2. So, the back is indeed smaller because you're multiplying by 1.5 but then dividing that number by 2. Hope that helps, that's how I understood it.

[@maryalisoncolumbus]

Hi, what is your front bust measurement on the fabric? I noticed you wrote the back bodice measurement as measurement X 1.5 or 2. Does the same apply to the front bodice?

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hey! This really depends on preference. I liked the back to be measurement x 1.5 because I found multiplying by 2 made it too flowy for my preference. For the front, multiplying it by 2 made it accommodate the bump and still be flowy!

[@s.s.3068]

I believe the slash in the back bodice equation refers to "divided by" 2, not "or" 2.

[@shif7905]

Hi. Enjoyed the tutorial. Last few of your videos has some glitches. Just letting you know.

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Thanks for the heads up! The videos have had some trouble uploading to YT lately that I hope to have sorted soon 🤍

[@amberking7459]

Do you have pattern to follow.

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Instead of a pattern, this dress uses measurements shown in the video!

[@TaylorGillilan]

How many yards of fabric did you use?

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

I believe I used 1.5 yds. The 58" wide bolt of fabric helped!

[@brendaseaborn5407]

Hello everyone. I’ve never made a dress with sleeves before. I have started to make a toile in this style as I wasn’t sure how the arms would pan out. The sleeves are a little tight under the arm. Can anyone help me with how to adjust that please? Thank you in advance. ❤

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

Hi Brenda! I would start by adjusting the elastic length. If you've already sewn them in place, you can seam rip the stitches and re-measure your arm. Then add an inch to see if that is more comfortable.

[@brendaseaborn5407]

That’s great! Thank you ❤❤❤❤

[@brendaseaborn5407]

@@RooneySewingPatterns may I just ask do I need to adjust the length of the triangle you cut at the sleeve and back/front edges too as I’ve adjust elastic and that fits the sleeve in place along with front bodice. Feel it just needs to be cut a little further down.

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

@@brendaseaborn5407 This would be a personal preference depending on how low you want the armhole and sleeve to be.

[@brendaseaborn5407]

@@RooneySewingPatterns thank you so very much 🥰🥰🥰

[@ningdanger875]

❤❤❤

[@RooneySewingPatterns]

thanks for watching!

[@coryburns2188]

Glad here's a video....she folded in half and then folded in quarters but she said thirds....

[@jordisbraun4985]

I love these dresses. Today the pregnant women wear a normal t-shirt and there is no accepting pregnity. No wish to good look during this time waiting for your precious wonder coming soon.

[@rarevlog2700]

@loepsie