Lady Skater Dress…Hacked for Nursing!

Nursing mamas of the world, rejoice! I have successfully hacked the Lady Skater Dress to accommodate breastfeeding. I cannot tell you how excited I am to finally be able to wear a DRESS! Seriously, this is the first time in three years I think I’ve worn one.

All I have to say about this pattern is… ALL THE GOOD THINGS. First, the style is just adorable. Comfy, too. Second, the sizing is spot-on. My measurements were .5″ above the high bust and high waist for the size 4, but I went with it anyway. I am still working on that bit of weight hanging around my belly, but otherwise, it’s a PERFECT fit. (And no, I didn’t make a muslin. But the world continues to turn!)

The fabric. Oh, the fabric. I don’t normally buy a lot of prints. And I certainly don’t buy florals. But I am loving this one! I got it for a steal at Nuttal’s Bernina (Ivy Place location). The total fabric cost for this dress was less than $18. They have a ton of wonderful knits - so if you are local, GO NOW! Like, seriously!

I printed/taped/traced/cut this pattern one evening while Scott was at the gym, and I sewed the entire thing the next day during nap time! Okay, I didn’t TOTALLY finish it during nap time. But I only needed about 15 more minutes. Harper sat in my lap and watched me hem the thing.

So, the nursing bit. YES! This worked so great. I used the general idea that the Jalie Nursing Top pattern uses, and I just modified this pattern to work the same way. There’s a singlet underneath the top front panel that pulls over to the side to expose the breast. The panel is virtually undetectable when not breastfeeding.

Here’s a shot of the inside to hopefully explain what I did a little better…

And this one is just to show I don’t go around looking like a woodland fairy all the time!

KEEPING IT REAL, folks. KEEPING IT REAL.

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