Clothing expansion

When women talk about expanding their wardrobe, we are usually talking about the exciting prospect of adding the latest and greatest new fashions to our closet.

I am expanding my clothes. But not as described above. Dustin and I are expecting a baby girl in February (yay!) and I am literally expanding my clothes. I've altered several pants already (super easy with all the tutorials out there) and after a crazy drop in temperature in mid September, I set out to alter my fall rain jacket.

Last Christmas, my brothers cleaned out my wishlist from the workroom. One of the items was a meter of nani iro oilcloth. I'm so glad I asked them for it. The workroom no longer has it in stock, and I had it all saved up for a perfect project like this. (I recently used the rest of it on a beautiful Anna Maria bag, but that's another post!)

I cut out a section much wider than I needed and then sewed pleats into it to allow for additional expansion (especially in the midsection.) I lined it with some leftover fabric from my paisley sampler quilt and then finished the neckline with some fuzzy hounds-tooth fabric: gotta have something fuzzy by your chin.

To get a compatible zipper, I went to the Leather and Sewing Supply Depot on Queen West (amazing store for zippers) and asked the lady to find the perfect match.

The best part about this alteration is that I can undo the expansion and eventually use the jacket in its original size again (Oh how I long to be a size small again...)

The downside? The jacket hides the baby bump quite well, and I have noticed a significant reduction in seat-offerings on the subway...