prairie darling

I told myself it was pointless to make any more maternity clothes...  But I found myself wanting to wear my first darling ranges top all the time (which apparently isn't legit; you're supposed to wash clothes between wearings I supppose?) so I decided to just bite the bullet and make another one.

This fabric is from the op shop.  It lured me in with it's brownness and cutesy floral pattern that is just too Little House on the Prairie.  However, as soon as I got it home I decided it isn't really adult garment appropriate.  The nice thing about being pregnant, though, is that maternity clothes aren't the same as regular adult garments: they're overly cutesy and, more importantly, temporary.

So was born the prairie darling...

I added to the FBA this time and it fits quite well... except that the way I did it was kinda cracked out and I somehow made the armholes a bit tight?  I was trying to do it from memory and definitely did something weird.  Oh well, it's certainly still wearable.

On my first one I cut the back out in a curved shape since that's how my back is shaped.  The sides kind of pull and twist weirdly, though.  I guess it's got something to do with bias and grain and all that.  For this one I did back darts instead.  Unfortunately, as you can see, I didn't take enough out and there's some weird excess fabric at the bottom of the back.

 Actually I think I'm beginning to sense a theme here...  Maybe that's what a swayback adjustment is for?  I actually think the first DR top has the least problem.  Maybe because the seams are on the bias it drapes better.  I really don't know.  I am tempted to cut another one like that to see...

And here are some guts: french seams and pretty bias tape.  I made it myself =)  It's so cheerful I love it!

All in all I'm happy with it, especially since the front closes.  I could probably make some improvements if I were to make another one, but I don't know how likely that is since I'm due any time now =)