Sewing a Maternity Givre Dress with Stylish Fabric

Happy Tuesday! I’m officially 27 weeks along today, which means I’ve entered the THIRD TRIMESTER! It’s so hard to wrap my head around – it feels like our due date is so far away yet also so very, very near. We’ve definitely felt a little less urgency during this pregnancy, likely because it is our second and everything isn’t entirely new and unknown, and we’ve just now started working on planning out the nursery and moving furniture around. However, even though we’ve had the peace of mind to take some things a little slower this time around, I feel like my belly is growing even faster than it did the first time around, and maternity-friendly patterns are a MUST! 

We’ve all seen the cute photos on Pinterest of pregnant mamas in their cute midi-length dresses, in basic solid colors, with a cute cropped top or tied-up tee layered over the top. I think it is such a cute style that would allow a lot of versatility with my wardrobe, so I was eager to make one for myself. I hunted around a little bit and landed on the Deer & Doe Givre dress and t-shirt pattern. I’d seen this pattern in standard sizing many times, but was excited to see they had a maternity specific version of the pattern, with options for a 3-6 month bump or 6-9 month bump! It looked like just what I was looking for, so I grabbed myself a copy and cut out the 6-9 month version.

I will be honest, I am a little bit disappointed with the end result of this pattern. The fabric is absolutely what I wanted, and I will still wear this dress plenty over the next 3 months, but I was surprised to find that the neckline is more square than I had hoped, and the dress straps are wider and further set than I prefer for myself. If I decide that I want more dresses in this style in my wardrobe, I will alter the existing pattern to lower and round the neckline slightly, narrow the shoulder straps, and potentially drop the bottom of the armscye down just a smidge. In all honesty, I think this dress is going to be perfect as the layering piece I’d originally imagined, but I may not wear it on its own quite as often. Have you made the Givre dress (maternity or standard) and found similar concerns? I’m curious if this is just me, or if it is the pattern! I’ve had a look through Instagram at other sewists’ versions of the Givre, but I can’t quite tell if the quirks of the pattern that I am not fond of are present in many of the versions I’ve seen! 

When it came to fabric decisions, I knew I wanted to go with a rib knit. Although I’ve seen lots of cute solid black versions of what I had in mine all over the internet, I love the texture and elasticity of a rib knit – especially during pregnancy! I lived in my rib knit dresses during my first pregnancy, and was excited to make a new one for this time around. I wanted to stay with a pretty neutral color, to increase the versatility of this piece. This way, I’d have the opportunity of wearing the dress on its own, or pairing it with a cute top or jacket over the top! I looked through a couple options and finally found the perfect one – this 2×1 rib knit in a sand washed black from Stylish Fabric! I love that it still matches the casual cute maternity LBD idea that drew me to this idea originally, but the sand wash and rib knit offer a little texture and color that heightens the fabric a little!

I’ve always been drawn to sand washed fabrics, and Stylish Fabric seems to carry such a great array of them. One of my first projects with them featured a sand washed rayon fabric, the end result dress is still one of my favorites almost 3 years later! Sand washed fabrics tend to be very soft, and the effect on the look of the fabric makes it look a little worn in and slightly distressed. The colors always have a slightly vintage appeal to me, and the fabrics always feel great on the skin. This rib knit in particular is a heavy weight, and I imagine without the sand wash it may have felt a little more sturdy or stiff than I prefer with figure-hugging garments. Instead, this is perfectly soft and feels like a comfy item that has been in my closet for years!

As is usual at Stylish Fabric, this lovely knit comes in a range of colors – 13 right now, to be exact! If neutral hues are your preference, the Sand and Blush options are really lovely. If you lean towards something a little brighter, the Kelly Greenchic is perfect for summer! I’ll be wearing this dress constantly until the little one arrives at the end of the summer – grab some matching fabric and let’s be twins! I’ve got a link to this particular colorway below, and you can  use code ELIZABETH15 for 15% off anything on the site!

Top: handmade by me

Fabric: Stylish Fabric – Black 2×1 Heavy-Weight Rib Sand Wash Knit Fabric (use code ELIZABETH15 for 15% off sitewide!)

Pattern: Deer & Doe – Givre Maternity Dress / T-Shirt

Thanks for reading my thoughts on this make! The fabric used for this post was generously provided to me by the team at Stylish Fabric in exchange for me sharing my experience with the fabric on social media; the pattern used here was purchased by me! The words and opinions expressed throughout this post are my own, as always. Links provided throughout this post may be affiliate links – if you choose to purchase any products through these links, I may receive a small commission, at no cost to you. This simply helps me justify the costs of my sewing habit and the time it takes to share it with you!! Happy Sewing!!

• XX Elizabeth