To shop the Paloma Top Pattern click here.

To shop the Paloma Dress Expansion, click here.

One of the best things about sewing your own wardrobe is being able to adapt a pattern to suit the season of life you’re in.

If you’re currently breastfeeding, this simple Paloma hack adds invisible zippers into the side seams of the bodice for easier feeding access, while keeping the overall look of the garment soft, feminine, and true to the original design.

This variation is for the sleeveless views of the Paloma dress and top only.

It’s a subtle adjustment, but one that can make Paloma feel even more wearable for right now.

You will need

  • Two invisible zippers
  • Ours are 18cm / 7 inches long
  • You can use slightly longer zippers if preferred
  • Justine is 5ft 2 inches / 157cm tall

Before you begin

Cut and sew your Paloma top/dress by following the original sewing instructions up to step 9.

Step 9 Variation Side seams

For this variation:

  • Stitch the front and back section together at the shoulder seams only
  • Skip stitching the side seams together
  • Finish the raw edges of the side seams
  • Take care not to trim excess fabric as you overlock or serger stitch the edges
  • Leave the side seams open for now

This step is what creates space for the invisible zips to be inserted later.

Step 10 & 11 — Neckline binding

Follow the original instructions for the neckline binding.

Step 12 Variation — Armhole binding

For this variation:

  • Stitch the armhole bindings to the entire edges of the armholes
  • Start and finish at the underarm / side seam corners

Invisible zipper insertion

Once the neckline and armholes have been finished, you can move on to inserting the zippers.

  • Stitch a zipper into each side seam of the bodice
  • Ensure the zipper opening is at the top

For the top view

  • Stitch the remaining side seams closed
  • Continue following the original sewing instructions to complete the hem of the top.

For the dress view

  • Stitch the side seams closed to the marks for side splits
  • Continue following the dress view instructions to complete the side splits and hem

 

A more wearable Paloma, for this season of life

We created this variation as a way to make Paloma work even harder in your wardrobe if you’re dressing for postpartum, breastfeeding, like me!

It’s a small adjustment, but one that can make a big difference in how often you reach for the finished garment.

If you make this breastfeeding friendly version of Paloma, we’d love to see it. Please tag us on Instagram @swimstylepatterns

To shop the Paloma Top Pattern, click here.

To shop the Paloma Dress Expansion, click here.