My cute boys

As Leo always points out, why do we even ever buy beds?!

Past Patterns Gestational Stays 705 and Simplicity 2890

I was kind of hesitant to post these on my blog--so risqué!  But ah well, I was annoyed when trying to find reviews of the stays that I couldn't find any reviews with pictures of pregnant women actually wearing them, which would have helped me know how to fit them better myself.  So for anyone looking to make these, this is for you.

As far as Simplicity 2890--I really liked this chemise pattern.  I considered just drafting my own using Elizabeth Stewart Clark's The Dressmaker's Guide instructions, it would have been more historically accurate for the 1840's, but honestly I wanted something a little fancier.  So this is more of 1850's-60's chemise pattern.  I read a comment from Kay Gnagey, the designer of this pattern for Simplicity that the actual chemise  pattern was based on extant garment from 1863 (I think--my memory isn't so exact, but it was early 1860's anyway.)  I didn't think it through very well though, because the chemise is off the shoulders, and I didn't want mine off so much.  So while I made size 22 in body of the chemise and in the sleeves, I made the yoke a size 16 (my normal Simplicity top size).  The yoke ended up huge.  And so after pinning and comparing, I made a size 12 yoke top.  This fit exactly perfect like the picture on the pattern envelope.  But then I widened the shoulders, and took in a couple of tucks, so that the chemise wouldn't sit off my shoulders.  All in all, I really love how it turned out.  I thought the underarm facings were great, especially since I used a very light-weight cotton lawn.  And I had no problem with the instructions.

The gestational stays were an entirely different story though.  I hate how the bust turned out.  Too flattened in the bottom and too loose in the top.  I messed with those gussets forever trying to get them to fit right, and I'm still not happy with it.  The rest of it is surprisingly comfortable and supportive though kind of like a pregnancy belt/cradle.  I posted on a Facebook group I belong to early in the process of making it, and Ms Elizabeth Stewart Clark herself answered and suggested I add steel boning to the back.  Can't really refuse good advice from an expert, so I added six flat steel boning pieces to the back.  However I had no idea how to measure for the length of boning--I had my husband measure but then I still went a little shorter than that.  I think it actually turned out a good length. I cut off an extra 4.5 inches or more on the back though--just tapered it up from the front.  It was way too long.  And then I added cording under the armpits and on the sides and on the nursing flaps.  You can't really see it in my pictures though.  And then with the nursing flaps, it needs another button on the bottom because it's not supportive otherwise and makes your bust all weird looking.  

I wish I could just wear it around everywhere honestly (like I said it's comfortable and supportive) but you couldn't really wear it with modern clothes.  Even wearing a hoodie over it, it looked weird.  But The pattern I would recommend with the knowledge that you're going to have to make a lot of modifications

A few short happenings.

After Christmas we went to Utah and stayed at my Mom's for about a week.  I didn't take any pictures but we had lots and lots of fun playing Rook with Andrea one night when her family came out to Mom's house. And then playing Rook and Dominion with Megan and Amy at Megan's house on Saturday. Leo took the kids sledding both days, and another day as well.  At Megan's he pulled the kids around on the sled with her 4-wheeler.  The kids of course loved that, and so did Leo.  We had our traditional family Christmas party with lots of yummy soups and sang at the nursing home we've been going to for a couple of years.  Ana got to go skiing with her cousins.  I made a photo album for my mom and we went through 3,700+ photos on her computer and organized them.  Only 3,400+ left to go the next time I visit.  :)  And I did some other computer stuff for her too.  Then on Tuesday, Andrea was kind enough to let us leave our kids at her house, despite our kids getting her kids sick, and we went to Salt Lake City to the U of U hospital where I had a version.  It was the easiest version I've ever experienced.  Not at all like my other two. (The third unsuccessful one I had with Isabel was different simply because I had an epidural that time.)  But with Elena and Sebas, the doctors both tried for an half an hour to turn those rascals, and it was extremely painful.  This time, little baby boy, (definitely a boy, the ultrasound gave a very clear shot of that before the version) turned on the second try, and while I wouldn't say it was pleasant, I wasn't crying like the other times, and it was fast.  All in all, not bad at all.  Yay!   This is mine and Leo's selfie afterwards--Leo only took the photo under protest.  Too bad for him. Then we came home to WY the next day.










I think I've been nesting a bit.  I fixed the legs on our kids' train table one Saturday--I was out sawing in the garage when it was in the -degrees. That wasn't planned, I just saw it and immediately had the urge to fix it.  Then I made Leo take apart our piano a different Saturday so I could reattach the white parts of the keys (we bought it with a few off and have had it that way for over a year).  He's amazing and figured it all out.  I just glued and clamped them.  And then another Saturday I pulled out all the baby boy stuff and washed everything and set up our room with the bassinet and changing table, and mailed all the cute baby boy summer clothes to my sister Lindsay--she's due in the middle of summer in Miami.  So I'm all set now.  Yay!  Also good, my OB that I've seen this whole pregnancy suddenly left at the end of December with no warning whatsoever.  So I was nervous the new OB that the hospital hired wouldn't do VBAC's and there's only one OB in town, and so then I would be left going to Laramie or SLC to deliver (hazardous in winter).  Anyway, I met him and like him TONS more than my old OB.  She was okay, but probably one of my least liked doctors I've had--actually the only one below her was Isabel's doctor who I actively disliked but had no other options since I was on Medicaid at the time. Anyway, I talked to a friend who's a nurse anesthetist and he said there's a lot of happy people at the hospital with the new doctor, and not many people were sad to see the other OB go.



Our cats (later both had managed to squeeze themselves in)  found another use for the, at the time, empty heated watering bowl.





And I tried to take a nap one day and woke up to cries of "Help, Mom, help!!!"  Jubal had somehow managed to get in the pot, but was unable to get out.  The four other kids watching tv in the next room, of course, ignored him.

Isabel participated in the school spelling bee.  Beforehand, I told her, "Hey, remember this is just for fun, so don't be nervous."
Her response, "Actually, I think it's just to test your spelling."
Umm, yeah.

Lando prays for baby boy by name--Efraim.  Yeah, if you didn't know, that's the name planned.  Anyway, it's adorable to hear him pray for him.  Also, the other day he was seriously discussing with me the fact that Efraim would not like the pink butterfly baby swing, because he's a boy.  But he would like the blue bear.  Got it.

Frodo is a good watch dog.  I actually really like that.  But it was funny the other night, a dog was barking on the show Leo and I were watching and Frodo started going crazy.  Then someone knocked on the door in the show and Frodo ran to our front door barking again like crazy.  Hee. Hee.  Leo's and my new favorite show is Longmire, by the way.  I highly recommend it.