Sew Belly Bands
Belly bands, sold under various brand names, including Bella Bands, are stretchy tubes of knit cloth that allow pregnant women to wear their own pants a little longer (allowing them to leave the pants unbuttoned to accommodate a growing belly) or to hide the stretchy fabric panels that make maternity pants roomy, but not so attractive. The belly band fabric looks like the hem of another shirt showing beneath a knit top or sweater. The result is a fashionable layered look. Making your own belly bands is easy and inexpensive enough that you can make them in lots of colors to coordinate with your wardrobe.
Instructions
1. Determine the direction of your fabric that is least stretchy by pulling the fabric to see which way it stretches and which way it doesn't give much. The direction it doesn't stretch is the straight grain of the fabric. Lay out the fabric so that the straight grain is running vertical.
2. Make sure the bottom edge of the fabric is even. If not, cut it to make it even.
3. Measure twelve inches up from the bottom edge of the fabric and mark with a straight pin or dressmaker's chalk. Mark a line with pins or chalk all the way across the fabric. Cut on this line.
4. Measure around the largest part of your belly. Subtract two inches.
5. Cut your fabric so that it's as long as the final figure from the previous step. This will be the width of your belly band. Don't worry if it's still early in your pregnancy because the knit fabric will stretch quite a lot as you expand.
6. Fold the fabric in half with the short edges together, the right side of the fabric facing in. Sew a ½ inch seam to join the short edges.
7. Fold up ½ inch along one long edge of the fabric to form a hem and press. Sew along this edge with a zig-zag stitch, being careful not to stretch the fabric as you sew. When you wear the belly band, the zig-zag stitch will stretch with the fabric and won't break.
8. Turn right side out. You should have a tube of fabric. You can zig-zag stitch along the top, unhemmed edged if you like, but that isn't necessary, since the knit won't fray.
