This pattern has been my go-to slip pattern for years. It's so simple. The darts and princess side seams keep it fitted but there's enough ease that it can pull over my head even with a cotton fabric that doesn't stretch much. 

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It's a great basic pattern. I changed it up a bit a few years ago and made a longer, fancier slip to go with this dress – a favorite that sadly no longer fits me, so I am toying with the idea of taking out the seams and recutting it smaller…

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My standard procedure is to skip the facings and just encase the neck and arms with bias tape. While I enjoy dainty underthings, so far I haven't made any – my slip-making is usually as quick and simple as possible so it can be worn right away.

However, the ones I've made previously won't work for nursing, so I had to come up with a different option.

Which was the simple one of lengthening the shoulder straps to allow for some overlap, and then cutting through them where it starts to flare wider.

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Again, this time because I needed it and I had a short timeframe (i.e. the baby napping), I did things super simple. I sewed the seams and darts and then serged the whole way around the neck and arms to finish the edge, rounding the corners for the straps.

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I also didn't have enough of the fabric (a thrift store sheet) to cut both sides on the fold, so I had to seam the front. Should have been the back of course, but I didn't realize until too late that I'd already cut the back on the fold and didn't have enough fold left!

And yes, it badly needed pressing. ;-) 

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For the hem, I wanted to sew some lace along the bottom so that if the slip peeks out at any time, it looks a little nicer than just a top stitched plain hem. I didn't have any suitable lace however, so I tried my sewing machine's fancy stitch for the first time. It worked great and added a bit of embroidery that makes the hem look a little more upscale.

I do need to add a tuck to shorten it, I discovered, however. It's a late 1940s pattern which means it has a lot more length to it than some of the other styles before and after, which I frequently wear.

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Then all that was left was to sew the snaps by hand. I put two on each side, and so far they have not been a problem to open and shut with one hand.

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One benefit to doing it this way is that I can step in and out of the slip instead of pulling it over my head – so nice! And it works well to nurse in, which was the point, while it isn't obvious so I can wear it at other times as well. I made it in just a few hours, so despite how utilitarian it is, I think it's a success.

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One response to “Vintage Slip with Nursing Alterations”

  1. Gina White Avatar

    Brilliantly done my dear! And it’s so pretty with the lovely stitching!
    Blessings!
    g

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