There has been a lot of love for the nursing mod on the
Women's Boheme Sky pattern. Ashley from
DIY with Ashley is joining us today with an awesome hack on making a surplice nursing top or dress - perfect in the sleeveless option for spring and summer!
I was really excited when I found the Boheme Sky dress pattern with the option to make it a nursing dress. I skimmed through the instructions after I purchased my pattern and realized that I could modify the pattern to make it like my favorite surplice nursing top. I typically wear a top over my surplice top to keep my girls from falling out, so this dress would be a stylish alternative to my shirt over a nursing shirt style.
To make this version of the nursing dress we will need a few supplies:
- Self drafted surplice bodice piece (get started by printing a second copy of pages 22, 23, 26 and 27)
- Straight ruler and curved ruler
- Pencil
- 1/4" inch wide clear elastic
- Walking foot
- Twin Needle
Let's get started!
First, tape the duplicate front bodice pattern pages together but don't cut out your front bodice piece yet. Instead, grab your ruler and starting from the top corner of the shoulder, draw a line diagonally down (as shown in the picture).
The bottom of the front bodice piece is slightly curved so we will need to take our curved ruler and continue the curved line until it meets the new line we just drew.
Once you're done you have your new surplice front bodice piece! You will need to cut out two pieces from your lining fabric (or main fabric...whichever you prefer).
Take your surplice pieces and attach a strip of clear elastic along the edge on the back of the fabric using your walking foot and a zig zag stitch. I didn't use pins for this process. If you have a serger, you can also attach the clear elastic using your serger. I gently guided the clear elastic and the fabric through the serger being careful not to trim off any fabric as it went through the machine.
Next fold over the elastic, using the width of your elastic as a hemming guide. Top stitch using your twin needle or coverstitch machine. Place your surplice pieces aside for now and grab your two front bodice pieces (one out of main fabric and the other out of lining fabric).
Pin the main bodice piece and the lining bodice piece right sides together and stitch along the neck line using your 3/8 seam allowance. Flip out the lining and understitch your seam allowance. This will keep the lining from rolling and peeking out of the dress. Repeat this step for the back bodice piece and the back bodice lining.
For the sleeveless version:
Sew the armscye of your back bodice. For the front bodice, sandwich your surplice pieces between the main fabric and the lining. Pin the surplice pieces WS to the RS of the main front bodice with the RS of the lining touching the RS of the surplice bodice. Sew the armscye of the front bodice, making sure to catch all 3 layers. Understitch the seam allowance of the armscye or topstitch the armscye once the side seams have been sewn. Turn your bodice right side out. You will have the shoulder and side seams left unfinished for the front and back bodice pieces. Pin the two bodice pieces together and sew the shoulder seams. Serge the shoulder seam or press open the seam allowance and topstitch each side. Afterward, sew the bottom band to the front bodice and front bodice lining. Follow the instructions for the tunic/dress skirt and finish off the side seams.
For the sleeved version:
Baste stitch the armscye of your back bodice. Pin the surplice pieces RS to RS with the front bodice lining and baste the armscye. Attach the front and back bodice at the shoulder seams. Serge the shoulder seam or press open the seam allowance and topstitch each side. Sew the bottom band to the front bodice main and lining pieces.
Continue the instructions for the tunic/dress skirt and attach the sleeve as shown in the pattern instructions.
Congratulations, you're done!!!
