A maternity belly band will allow you to wear your regular non-maternity shirts well into your pregnancy because it hides the ugly maternity panel in preggo jeans. You want to pick a fabric that is stretchy, but recovers well. Jersey or something with spandex in it is best.
The first thing you want to do is fold your fabric with the stretchy part going along your ruler, then with a rotary cutter even up the edge so you will eventually have an even tube. The more you move the fabric around the more likely it is to become unevenly cut, so if possible place it on your self healing mat where you won’t have to move it for the next cut…
Then measure up 12 – 14″ (depending on how tall you want your band to be) and make another cut, the short piece is what will become the maternity belly band, push the long piece out of your way for now….
Measure around the biggest part of your stomach…
Spread out the piece of fabric you just cut, subtract 2 – 4″ off the previous measurement (depending on how tight you want your band to fit), and make a straight cut along the short end…
If you’ve cut your fabric right it will stretch along the length, if not you’ll have to start over because it will not be able to stretch around your stomach.
Serge or zig-zag over the edge of both long ends…
Serge or sew the short ends together to form a tube…
Hem one of the long endsend with a zig-zag stitch, this will allow it to stretch around your stomach without breaking the threads…
Turn it right side out and wear with the hemmed end down…
And if you make it extra long, you can use as a nursing belly/back cover up, incase you ever need to lift your shirt to nurse.
They are great for nursing too, and I’ve made them for my daughters to wear for a layered look without the extra warmth.
I bought a couple of these when I had my daughter. When I was breastfeeding, I used them for sleeping bras.
OH MAN! I wish I’d seen this tutorial before I went and paid $20 for one! Oh well, at least now my belly band(s) can coordinate… Crazy- I’d never seen these with my first pregnancy- and I had no idea that they’d have been this easy to make.
Thanks for a wonderful tutorial… I made one today in 15 min!!!! You’re awesome!!!
Great tutorial! I have seen these somewhere before (catalog probably), much more cost effective to make it yourself. I’ve actually considered making one for me to wear when I have a shorter shirt on, you know the layered look.
Thank you for posting this tutorial! I’m 4 months pregnant with my 2nd, so maternity stuff is all so big but my regular clothes are all so short. This is a perfect solution!
Thanks so much! I gave my belly band away after I had my son, so I thought I’d have to go buy one. Now I can just make a bunch in all kinds of pretty colors! Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. I already bought the fabric and was going to try and figure it out on my own but now I don’t need to.
ok you are the best I have been looking for this everywhere! You are remarkable!!!
Lovely family too.
Great idea! Blogged on Craft Gossip Sewing Blog:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/sew-a-maternity-belly-band/2009/02/03/
Fantastic… I’ve been searching ebay for the cheapest belly bands but they are such boring colours. I want to look funky not frumpy!! This should do the trick…many many many thanks! you rock!!
I can not thank you enough for posting this!!! You have also inspired me to use my serger. You do ROCK!!!
I think these are great for anyone. I am a plus size woman and find that I like my shirts longer than most stores sell. I am thinking of making these for everyday use. Believe me I am past the baby stage. Thanks for this page.
Thank you so much. I am just starting on my 3rd pregnancy and I got rid of most of my maternity cloths so I wanted a few of these bands so I didn’t have to buy more cloths but didn’t want to pay a fortune. I Love this idea and thanx for this cheap and easy way to make these for us crafty people. You Rock!!!!!!
wow cool thanks my husband wont let me buy one as this is baby number 6 , am going to set out this afternoon and make a couple thank you very much for easy to follow instructions your a gem
I cannot tell you how excited I got when I found this tutorial! Thank you so much for this. Now, like the others, I will be able to have more than one (say 2 or 3, as I plan on using them as a cover up to use when I nurse, makes for more “nursing tops” too), and most likely for the price it would cost me to buy just one already made. YAY!!
Thank you so much for sharing these tutorials, they are awesome. I’ve been searching all over for organic plus size maternity and nursing wear. Now I can make my own. Do you mind if I use your instructions to make them for my business? My husband and I hand dye and batik clothing and I love making maternity and nursing wear but it is hard to find in plus sizes wholesale. I can custome dye belly bands to go with our shirts and then they can double as maternity and nursing wear and make them in organic jersey. Yippee.
Thanks again!
Hey I know you! That is so funny!
I want to thank you too. My last baby is 7 months old and I am not having another but I am trying to lose the baby weight and I find that I am in between sizes, the smaller sizes makes an indent around my waist and the bigger size leaves that nasty gap in the back. I am making a bunch so I can wear them to cover the indent and so that when I sit or bend down I don’t scare the heck outta someone. Thanks again.
Im new to sewing. what does cut your fabric right it will stretch along the length mean?
You want the fabric to stretch around your waist not up and down your torso.
My serging along the long end came undone when I stretched the fabric to put the band on. Basically, the edges, where I serged, are no longer stretchy. hmmmmm…