We are quickly entering into wedding and outdoor season. For you mothers reading this, I know events during spring and summer can be a little stressful when your +1 is a nursing babe. Even after four children, I am a little timid when it comes to nursing in public and it can be really difficult to find a flattering, full coverage dress that can also be easily and discretely nursed in. So today I am sharing with you a nursing hack for the Made for Mermaids Mama Lea tunic and dress pattern. The Mama Lea was already one of my favorite dolman style patterns because of how flattering the fit is, but after this hack was created I am just sad that it took until baby #4 for me to discover it! Follow along as I show you how to create the perfect nursing tunic or dress for yourself.

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Materials Needed for Nursing Hack

(in addition to the original pattern requirements):

• 1/2 yard of coordinating knit fabric for the cami bodice and bindings
• 1.5 yards of clear elastic
• 1 yard of woven drawstring
• 1 x 4 inch piece of lightweight fusible interfacing
• optional: 2 drawstring grommets

*Make sure that you either use the optional back strap to keep the shoulders in place or follow Heather’s blog post on how to add bra strap holders to your top!

I also recommend checking out Courtney’s blog post on adding nursing clasps to the Mama Sommer dress. This can be applied here to this nursing cami hack as well!

·  ·  Choosing Fabric  ·  ·

This pattern can be made with just about any kind of knit fabric. However for this hack I suggest using something with some drape to it in order to give a loose blousey feel. Modal, Rayon spandex, ITY, brushed polyester spandex or a lightweight jersey are some great options. Because we are layering a cami underneath the front bodice be sure not to choose something heavy or thick as the coordinating fabric. All chosen fabrics must have great stretch and recovery as you will be doing some pulling and tugging!

·  ·  Creating the Nursing Cami Pattern  ·  ·

For this I used the original front bodice pattern piece and the Mama Sommer front bodice as a neckline guide. You can use my line drawings below to sketch your own without the Mama Sommer if you choose. This is a very loose fitting piece so its difficult to mess up. It’s a good idea to sketch your cami bodice on the backside of your Mama Lea front bodice pattern piece. Once traced, cut the nursing cami from the Lea pattern piece and cut 1 cami on the fold from your coordinating fabric. Tape the front Lea bodice pattern back together and cut the rest of the chosen Mama Lea pattern pieces from your main fabric.

Now we need to measure the strap lengths.

1. Measure along the “shoulder strap” line and add 1″. Your binding piece should be cut that length x 2″ wide. Cut 2 of these with the greatest stretch going with the length.
2. Measure the “neckline piece and add 1”. Your neckline binding piece will be this length x 2″ wide. Cut 1 of these.
3. Cut your drawstring yard in half. Set aside.
4. Cut clear elastic pieces the same length as your bindings. This will help prevent the cami from permanently stretching out.

·  ·  Assembling the Nursing Cami  ·  ·

Create the bindings by folding in half wrong sides together, and then in half once more. Iron them to make attachment easier. Now you will attach the neckline binding to your cami being sure to sandwich the piece of clear elastic in there. Next, trim off excess from the front neckline binding and then attach the shoulder straps starting at the armpit. Again, if binding attachment is new to you I suggest purchasing the Mama Sommer pattern and following the instructions provided. The Mama Sommer is a super cute dress pattern that you should have in your library anyway!

·  ·  Modifying Mama Lea Front Bodice for Drawstring  ·  ·

Lay your original Mama Lea Front bodice piece out right side down. Fold the bottom hem line up 1″ and iron into place wrong sides together. This will be your drawstrings casing. Iron on your strip of fusible interfacing centered and just above your 1″ hem line.

Then turn it over and mark your drawstring locations 1/4″ from the center on both sides.

Now sew your buttonholes starting on the marks OR attached your grommets. Next you will fold that 1″ casing back under, wrong sides together, and stitch it down. Leave the ends open.

Use your seam ripper to carefully open up the button holes. Use a safety pin to pull the drawstrings through each side, leaving about 1/2″ hanging out the side seam. Trim up the length hanging out of the buttonhole and tie a decorative knot in the end.

·  ·  Assembling All Bodice Pieces  ·  ·

Lay out your original Mama Lea BACK bodice piece right side UP. Lay your Mama Lea FRONT bodice piece right side DOWN on top of it, matching up shoulder seams and side seams. Then lay your cami bodice right side DOWN on top of them. Be sure to line up the side seams and to pin the shoulder straps at a natural distance away from the neckline. Placement doesn’t need to be precise but you need to be sure to leave enough room to hem the neckline without catching the straps. Trim up any part of the cami/straps that may have been stretched out. Pin and stitch together sides and one shoulder seam.

Press and hem the neckline and sleeves as directed by the Mama Lea tutorial, closing the other shoulder seam too. Turn bodice right side out and press again.

 

·  ·  Attaching the Skirt  ·  ·

Sew your skirt pieces right sides together along side seams. Lay your skirt right side out. Turn your bodice wrong sides out and layer it over the skirt, meeting up side seams. Pin together cami bodice to skirt. Make sure the drawstring casing stays out of the way. Use a pin to mark on the side seams exactly where the drawstring casing ends and to prevent the side seams fro shifting. You’re going to attach the skirt to bodice all the way around, using a 1″ inseam, being sure to just skim by the bottom of the drawstring casing at the side seams. Make sure not to catch the drawstring casing or the drawstring in this stitch!

I was sure to use the wrong color thread here so that you could easily see.

Next you are going to follow the pattern instructions for creating the elastic waist casing. The trick and deviation from the instruction here is to sew the casing in two parts. One part being from side seam to side seam along the back of the dress. The second then is to start a new stitch (pulling the drawstring casing out of the way) going from side seam to side seam along the front bodice. Be sure to leave a small opening here to insert the elastic.

Turned right side out, this is what the back now looks like

Here is what the front should look like

Follow the remaining pattern instructions and you’re all finished!

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For more Made for Mermaids pattern hacks, visit the blog here!