My works for me Wednesday post is pregnancy related this week. I also thought this would make a great post for Frugal Friday's at Biblical Womanhood.
I am nearing the end of my pregnancy so it is what is consuming me at the moment. It is also the stage where you are constantly uncomfortable, and nothing fits. Yes, my body is uncomfortable this time, but I can say that my clothes are not.
I have always had to switch sizes at the end or wear the one pair of gouchos that still fit. It is not fun to have to wash and wear the same thing everyday. This time around though, I found a great tip online early on that I thought I would try.
What I did was use an old t-shirt to make my waistbands for my maternity clothes. I guess it would be something like the Bella Band that they sell, except a bit more frugal. Now of course, to make this work you do have to know how to at least operate a sewing machine, or know someone who does, but you do not have to be an expert at it.
I have actually made myself a few biased cut A-line skirts this time and used old t-shirts for the waistbands. You can find the tutorial to make the skirt here. This tutorial is not exactly maternity, but it works well as a maternity skirt.
The great thing that I found out through trial and error is that I could use just the waistband to reconstruct some of my regular wardrobe. I just cut off the bottom of an old t-shirt and stitched it over the normal waistband. I can just remove it after i'm back to my normal size.
For example, I have a demin skirt that I love to wear that no longer fits. It has a side zipper that I left down. I then took the t-shirt I had cut and pulled it to where the zipper ends and stitched it all the way around right over the top of it. There is no need to make the stitches super small. Now the skirt stays up and I can use it all the way through my pregnancy. Which is hopefully only another week or so! :-)
The great thing about the t-shirt waistband is how comfy it is. It is about as comfortable as the waistband in the gouchos I have. Another great thing is that it grows with you all the way through. No more having to buy more than one size. It has been a lifesaver here. It is easy and frugal too!
Friday, May 30, 2008
Frugal maternity clothes!
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9 comments:
Great idea! I'm 16 weeks, and just starting to outgrow my clothes...I'm now wearing my hubby's jeans :) I'll have to try the waistband trick--it sounds doable.
Thanks for the tip! I'm pregnant with #5 and maternity clothes are a source of misery for me. I'll try this one out, especially as I have a few shirts I'd like to get rid of.
That's a great tip, I'll have to keep it in mind!
This is great. I saw the link to that skirt pattern on MOMYS and told my mom. She is going to bring her sewing machine over for me to start learning how to sew. This is going to be my first project. They look so comfy and I am glad to know that it works as a maternity skirt, since I am hoping to be expecting soon. :)
D-it is such a great skirt! You can make it as long or as short as you want since there is no real pattern to follow. If you need help making it, let me know. I plan on doing a few more after I have the baby.
I'm so thankful to have found your blog! As a mother of 7 children on a limited budget, new ideas intrigue and motivate me even more. Please stop by my blog "Mary, Martha, & Me" (marymarthame.blogspot.com)sometime. I share recipes and other ideas for those who enjoy the challenge of saving money.
Blessings to your family.
You really need to make a video. Some of us are visual. But nice idea.
Hope everything goes well.
barbara, I wish I was technically advanced enough to figure out how to do videos and then get them up here, but i'm not. :-)
Maybe, just maybe I can manage to get a few pictures up.
I'd love to see a picture of some of your creations! OK, remembering that end-of-pregnancy misery, you don't have to do pictures of them ON your belly in all its glory, just put them on the floor or something. :>) Thanks for the tip!
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