- 1). Place one end of one of your 6-inch strips of elastic 1/2 an inch from the bottom edge of the shirt along one of the side seams. Pin that end of the elastic in place.
- 2). Stretch the piece of elastic to a length of 9 inches. Pin the other end of the elastic where it falls along the side seam. The elastic will cause the side seam of the shirt to bunch when you let go; this is okay.
- 3). Sew the elastic along the side seam of the shirt with a narrow zig-zag stitch. Pull the elastic as you sew to straighten the side seam of the shirt. Remove the pins as you go.
- 4). Repeat the entire process along the other side seam of the shirt. You will have a maternity shirt with gathered side seams when you are done.
- 1). Put on a men's button down shirt that fits your belly comfortably. Tuck the shirt under your breasts, right where the bottom of your bra rests, using your hands. Make sure you have enough room in the top portion of your shirt for it to not be pulled too tightly over your chest. Mark the spot on the shirt where it rests under your breasts with a few straight pins.
- 2). Measure around your chest right under your breasts with a tape measure. Cut a length of elastic that is an inch smaller than that measurement.
- 3). Pin one end of the elastic at one edge of where the shirt buttons up the middle at the height you marked with the straight pins in the shirt. Pin the other end at the other edge of where the shirt buttons. The elastic is going to wrap around the shirt, just under your breast, starting in the front, around the back and back to the front. The elastic goes on the inside of the shirt.
- 4). Sew the elastic in place, at the same height all the way around the inside of the shirt, with a zig-zag stitch. Stretch the elastic as you sew to straighten the shirt. Remove the pins at either end of the elastic before they come under the needle of your machine. Now you have a button down shirt with an empire waist and plenty of room for your expanding belly.
previous post