Now that I'm 20 weeks pregnant with my third child, I have come to the awful realization that comfortable, good fitting maternity pants are for the affluent and prosperous--those who can afford to spend $75 or so on a new pair. Let's just say I'm about $70 or so shy of that number. The great thing about this tutorial is that you will only have to spend a few dollars on a pair of pants at a thrift store and when you're finished you will have a great fitting, easy-on-the-wallet, easy-on-the-waist, pair of maternity pants that you can brag to your friends about.
In all I would say this project should take at least 20 minutes to complete, possibly a bit more for a novice. Here is what you will need: Pants, knit fabric (that closely matches pants) 8"x45" or 12"x45", felt tipped marker, scissors, straight pins, sewing machine.
Step 1. Find a pair of pants that you won't feel bad about ruining. I bought my pair at Salvation Army for $2. Try them on and be sure they can be pulled up around your waist but NOT buttoned--this is important. At the end of my last pregnancy, to my horrid surprise, I couldn't even pull any of my jeans up to my waist let alone button them, and that was AFTER I had the baby.
Step 2. With a felt tipped marker or disappearing ink marker draw your cutting line around the waist. Start just below the zipper and curve up to the bottom of the belt loops at each side of the waist. In the back continue your line just below the belt loops.
Step 3. Cut along the line. Don't worry about the pockets just cut right through everything. If it makes it easier for you, try placing a few straight pins in the pockets to keep them from coming apart later. Also, try to cut off any metal that could get into the way of the sewing machine. If the cut goes below the line it's really no big deal.
Step 4. Take your knit fabric, cut a 8"x45" piece and fold it in half. Okay, here is something REALLY IMPORTANT--remember to cut the fabric so that the stretch of the knit is width (left to right) and NOT length (up to down), otherwise you won't have any stretch in your band, thus defeating the purpose of maternity pants, right? Here is another good tip--the earlier you are in your pregnancy the skinnier the waist band should be. 0-4 months= 8", 5 and up= 12".
Step 5. Take the folded band and stretch it around your belly. If you are further along you don't have to pull as hard to stretch the fabric, but still make it stretch a little. If you are less than four months along pull the fabric as tight as you can, then cut the fabric leaving about 5/8" for seams.
Step 6. Sew the two ends together.
Step 7. Cut off any extra fabric that doesn't line up at the bottom. The bottom of your band needs to be exactly lined up, otherwise when you sew the band to your pants you could sew one side and miss the other.
Step 8. Pin the band to your pants. This is probably the hardest part of the project because the band will be smaller than the opening of your pants. You'll have to stretch the band a bit. Here is a good way to start--slip the band over the pants so it is on the outside and the bunched up pants are on the inside. Keep the right sides together when doing this and match the cut side of the band to the cut pant. Pin the seam of the band to the back of the pants, then find the opposite side of the band and pin that to the front of the pants. Finally, take the sides and pin them so that you now have four pins in four sides and stretch the band in between the pins to fit the opening of the pants. Remember that when you pin the band to the pants to pin the right sides together.
source: ezinearticles.com
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