He is here – and my life will never be the same again.
He’s the light of my life, and already has both me and daddy firmly on the hook 😉
I’m a ninja-warrior-baby…Â
Thanks for all kind words 🙂
Love
/ Ã…sa & Charlie
Month: June 2016
My (everyday) pregnancy style
As we all know, being pregnant do some things to your body (and mind).
Things that makes your morning routine take some extra time, and I’m not talking about morning sickness or the constant trips to the toilet – I’m talking of the head scratching process of dressing.
In the beginning (at least for me, I know everyone have it differently) you just feel bloated, unattractive and with a greenish tint to your complexion. Though wearing your normal clothes still works, if only a bit snug, some people prefer to wear cute little dresses with a bow tied on top. This was not an option for me, since we decided to wait quite some time before announcing to anyone that I was expecting.
So usual clothes it was –Â Even though I didn’t choose the most figure hugging tops in my wardrobe, (and thanks to Swedish autumn and winter just around the corner I could easily hide in bulky knits and cosy sweatshirts.
I was lucky enough to be able to wear my winter jacket the whole winter (it was a close one though, had spring hesitated a week more I would have been forced to get another one).
When spring arrived and my belly started to show for real, I bought a pair of pregnancy pants from a known two lettered fashion store, and kept wearing my usual tops and shirts. Everything with enough stretch in them would work. I also frequently used a pair of soft lose pants tied under the bump.
After a while I needed to add a long tank-top beneath my regular tops as my expanding belly made them look shorter and shorter.
Comfortable loose pants, slim dress worn as a top and white belt.
pregnant in: week 39*
There is no way that sweater will close…
week 37
In May my belly was really growing fast and I could literally see the changes each morning. I got myself a new pair of maternity jeans (the old pair was quite worn out by this time), and even splurged on a pair of denim shorts. 
Summer style – also, notice the sensible walking shoes
week 36
I did attend a few parties during the spring, and in the beginning had some trouble finding a nice dress to wear.
I bought a lavender blue pregnancy dress in January for these occasions, but when time come to put it on, it never felt right. In stead I raided my own closet, and found several dresses that would work.
The maternity dress I never liked. Â
I did wear it though – for my birthday celebration in week 39 – the day before delivery.
week 30
A printed A-line dress I wore to several parties and occasions both during and before pregnancy.
week 39
A green form fitting jersey dress, I’ve never had the courage to wear before, but with a bump this big I figured no one would notice my other “bumps” and “humps”…
week 39 (two days before delivery)
Although not as much as I initially planed, I did work out some during my pregnancy. And when it came to clothes for bicycling, power walks and weight lifting I just used my regular fitness clothes – Pants worn beneath the belly, long stretch tops and jackets/west worn open.
week 27
week 38
In the end my favorite clothes during my pregnancy was a slim black dress, a long tank top and a printed kimono/caftan, all worn with a narrow belt beneath the bust – non of which was new or made for a pregnant body.
Slim black dress accessorized with belt, huge jewelry and gold bag.
week 30
At my “goodby-party” at work, wearing flowery kimono, tank top and shorts.
week 38
week 37
*In Sweden we count pregnancy in 40 weeks (with 40 full weeks as the calculated day of birth, and full term at 38-42 weeks).
I had my baby at 39 weeks and 2 days.
Regency Round Gown Photoshoot
Right after the dance recital me and my sister did a quick photoshoot of my new Round gown.
I’m wearing the dress (obviously), my new petticoat, chemise, stockings, American Duchess 18th century shoes, a white fichu, mittens, and a turban made from a shawl decorated with feathers.
Photo: Elin Evaldsdotter
18th century/Regency Dance recital
In the end of April my dance team attended a the local event called “dance week”, where teams and dancers from all genres in dance.
The theme was 18th century/regency and we all dressed in our favorite costumes. I wore my new regency Round Gown (which I only just finished that same morning…)
We had a short recital and then invited the on-lockers to participate for a few dances.
The whole event was pretty low key, with only a few on-lockers, but it felt good to once more dress up and move my ever growing body.
(Sorry for the poor photos)
Together with some of the interested public.
The whole team gathered.
Regency Round Gown – Construction
Long time no seen.
I´ve been living in my bubble for the past couple of months, but I have been creating some small tings while taking a break from blogging.
In the beginning of April, I got into my head that maybe I should join the dance team for one last performance before my time was due.
The recital was a 18th century/Regency themed one, set to April 24 (two weeks from then) – and I had nothing to wear.
You would think I’d be able to use one of my regency dresses (with lots of space for my growing belly), but unfortunately some other parts of me had grown as well (yes I´m talking to you, boobs), and there was no way I could close any of my old dresses.
So, a new one it is…
I’ve long been planing to make a regency/transitional round gown, and this was my chance.
Not only would it be perfect for accommodating my growing belly, but later it would also work as an “easy to access” nursing gown. Perfect!
I used the pattern from “Cut of Womens clothes” as a guide for the draping and seam placement, and the “Laughing Moon” wrap front spencer pattern for the front bodice foundation.
.
As usual I drafted the pattern and made a mock-up.
Due to my growing belly, I could not use my regency stays, but trusted a modern sports bra to do the work – after all for this project comfort was a priority.
Once happy with the fit, I when’t through my stash and soon found exactly hat I was after – a beautiful flower viscose in different shades of blue. And the almost 2 m of it would be exactly enough to make the dress.
I cut the lining in a lavender blue satin (also from stash) and began the assembly.
All the seams in the back melts together from the print, but I do like the structure it gives to the bodice non the les.
Once the back pieces was ready, it was time to get working on the front.
Draping the front pattern
Using two gathering treads, I collected and arranged the fabric at the shoulder and under bust seam
Before and after gathering the width.
Once the basic shape was done I tweaked it a bit by raising the under bust seam and removing a few cm from the neckline.
I stitched the lining using darts for bust shaping, 
and basted the lining to the outer fabric.
Then I added the sleeves and skirt.
 The first look at how it might look once done (skirt just basted at this point).
I tried the dress on, and it fitted like a (very soft and unbelievable comfortable) glove.
Tiny belly showing…
All that remained was to add ties and buttonhole for clouser and to hem the dress.
But before I could take the dress out for a spin (literally) I needed to make myself a skirt to match, to prevent any mishaps in the “underwear showing through the front opening” category.
Said and done.
I cut two widths of the same lavender fabric and stitched them together.
I pleated the top to a waistband, added shoulder straps, clouser and finished it by hemming.
The finished skirt/petticoat:
The finished dress:
Back shoulder
Ties in the back
Sneak a peak from the photoshoot;
Fashion Through Herstory 