Sewing Extravaganza: What Happens When the Hubby Gives Me A Day Off

My super sweet Hubby gave me today off. Isn't he the greatest? I sure think so!

He and the Munchkin enjoyed lots of quality time playing, eating "manly" lunches (pepperoni is a food group on the manly food pyramid), watching American Pickers and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, playing outside, and visiting the local archery store. Oh, and they picked up pizza for supper so I didn't even have to worry about that.

Meanwhile, this mama got to shower BEFORE nap time (a luxury to be sure!), spend two hours running errands by myself, and hole-up in the craft room with my sewing machine to work on some projects that have been on the back-burner for a few weeks:

1.) Flannel-backed Burp Cloths
2.) Maternity Pants converted to a Skirt

For the burp cloths, I followed the tutorial here. She does a great job of explaining things so I don't see the point in being redundant. :)

I bought these cloth diapers and then dyed them a light Kelly green. I shopped and shopped and shopped again for some cutesy flannel, but couldn't find anything I liked. Of course, my closest options are Hobby Lobby and Walmart, and neither of them stocks very many flannel fabrics. So I went the budget-friendly route and re-purposed some flannel receiving blankets that were the Munchkin's. We had six, and barely used them, so I sacrificed three of them for this project. I used each blanket to make two burp cloths, and still have some scraps left over.

 These were very simple to sew, especially if you're not super-picky about how straight or neat they turn out. (The burp cloths always end up an odd shape for some reason. Oh well.) The most important thing for me was making them extra-absorbent. The Munchkin managed to soak every single burp cloth that we threw at him, so I'm expecting nothing less from Baby #2.

The skirt was definitely something I made up on the fly. It is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find comfortable, stylish maternity skirts that aren't maxi/jersey skirts. I love maxis, but cannot wear them in the colder WV weather. So I tried my hand at making my own! I had a pair of Gap maternity khakis laying around from when I was pregnant with the Munchkin, and sacrificed them for this project. They were a nice wide-legged trouser so I didn't have to add any fabric to make the skirt wide enough.

I apologize for not having a step-by-step picture tutorial for you guys. That would have required meticulously taking pictures of each step, and as we all know, one-on-one time with your crafts is PRECIOUS. I didn't want to waste it taking pictures, so you'll just have to use your imagination.

First I ripped the interior seams all the way up each leg to the seat of the pants. (Since this was a nice mid-weight fabric it was easier to find the seams and rip them instead of cutting around them, and makes for a neater finish. I've also made a skirt out of denim capris, and had to just cut next to the seam.) Second, I laid it out on the bed and played around with pins to get the front and back seams to lay just right. I left a 12" slit in the back to make it easier to walk in. Lastly, I just started sewing it up.

Voila! Now I have another well-fitting clothing option for church services. Because we all know when you are pregnant, it's all about comfort. If you find your maternity wardrobe lacking when it comes to skirts, don't limit yourself to what you can find in the stores. It only takes a little creativity to make something uniquely your own!

I'm sure there are tutorials out there for converting pants to skirts if you need more specific instructions. Sorry that I'm too pregnant and lazy to take the time to write one up. :)

That's all for today... a big thanks again to the Hubby for letting me get these done! :)

Maternity Wardrobe on a Budget: Tips and Tricks

First off, let's give credit to clothing designers for cute maternity clothes. We've come a long way since the 80's and mid-90's, and giant tent-dresses and thick-paneled maternity pants are a thing of the past. Hooray! Many major clothing chains now have maternity lines, and they are tailoring styles to keep up with the times as well as keep preggo mama's comfort in mind. (Thank you for that!)

Admit it, all we expectant mothers really want is to be comfortable. We're already dealing with morning sickness, heartburn, backaches, headaches, etc. We don't want to be bothered with ill-fitting clothing, too.

It can be tempting to run out and purchase a whole new wardrobe when you are expecting. Keep in mind that you won't be wearing stretch pants forever, and that maternity tops will actually make you look bigger after delivery, so you'll be quickly stashing them in the back of the closet.

So, here are a few things to focus on when selecting maternity apparel.

• Buy items that can be worn in several different seasons (you don't know if you'll be pregnant at the same time of year again).
• Invest in a good pair of maternity jeans. Gap's are pricy ($40+), but they are super comfy, can be dressed up or down, and continue to look nice wash after wash. If you can, buy more than one pair.
• Focus on wardrobe staples that can be made into several different outfits. While cute and trendy colors are fun, it's better to keep things in neutral colors and pull in a "pop" of color with your accessories.
• If it's not comfortable or doesn't look good, you won't want to wear it. So if possible, try things on first, or buy them from an online retailer that offers free returns/exchanges.
• Check local thrift stores! Maternity clothes don't get a lot of wear, and people like to get rid of them when they are done having kids. You might score a bargain, you never know!

It's also important to keep in mind that even though you are expecting, you don't have to exclusively wear maternity clothing:

• Sometimes going "up" a size or two will work just as well. (Especially for tank tops or t-shirts, and even things like fold-over yoga pants)
• Pregnancy bands are also great ways to adapt your old clothing to your new body. You can find them at Target, and also online. They can cost $15 and up, though. 
• Using an elastic hair band to "extend" the waistline of your jeans or skirts is a budget-friendly way to wear your pre-pregnancy clothing longer. (Just make sure your shirt is long enough to cover the zipper!) 

Hopefully these things help you save some money and stay comfy during your pregnancy! Spend the mulah on something more fun, like cutesy clothes or toys for the new baby. :)