It’s easy enough to go to a maternity clothing store and pick up a pair of jeans, but you’re limited to the brands they offer and you’ll end up paying the higher price. With basic sewing skills, a favorite pair of jeans and a stretch camisole, you can create your own maternity jeans for a fraction of the cost.
You will need a sewing machine, a pair of jeans, scissors and a camisole you don’t mind ruining. Pick a pair of jeans that fit when the fly is open. Remember that your hips might spread a little bit during your pregnancy, so give yourself some room to grow. You can use an old pair that you already own or you can pick up a pair at your local thrift shop for a few dollars.
Remove the zipper and sew the fly shut. Cut the top of the waist off so the jeans fit comfortably below your baby bump. You must cut the jeans low enough so that you can pull them on because there is no longer a zipper opening. You may have to cut slightly into the back pockets, depending on the style of the jeans. Low rise jeans will work the best for this project. If you’re not sure where to cut, put the jeans on and mark where you’d like the hem to be with pins or a special fabric marker. You may want to have a friend assist you.
Choose a camisole that fits snugly around your belly and is very elastic. Cut the top off, just below the bust. Leaving the jeans right side out, turn the camisole inside out and pull it over the jeans, lining up the freshly cut edges. (The camisole should look like a skirt layered over the jeans.) Using a tight zig zag stitch on your sewing machine, sew the camisole to the jeans about a quarter inch from the edge. The zig zag will allow for the natural stretch of the material and will help prevent the seam from ripping once you put stress on it. You may have to pin it in place first if a little stretching is required to fit the width of the jeans.
After you stitch the two pieces together, you should be able to flip the camisole back up and see the right side facing out. The original bottom hem is now the top of your panel. You can fold it back down over the waist or wear it pulled all the way up depending on your preference. The stretch panel will help hide your belly button and will keep your jeans from falling down without pinching your waist. This style of maternity panel is similar to the Secret Fit Belly, which is offered by A Pea In The Pod.
For a tighter fit, fold the panel down a few more times in smaller increments. If you plan on wearing it folded down, you can use a camisole with lace trim on the bottom so it will look like your shirts are just layered if it peeks through. If you do this, do not turn the camisole inside out to sew it. That way, when you fold it down, the right side of the lace will show. If you’re really crafty, you could always sew lace to your plain camisole.
You can use this method to transform any pair of jeans, slacks, skirts or shorts. You can use a variety of colors and patterns for the stretch panel, though I would recommend using something that matches most of your wardrobe in case it shows.