Upcycled Belly Bands

Miss Animal rights has a friend that is pregnant with her second child. When another friend was pregnant she was talking about seeing if she could talk her hubby into letting her spend $30 on a belly band.  I asked what is a belly band and where were they twenty years ago? So I see this piece of material that covers the belly so women can wear their jeans longer or their favorite shirt without showing off the baby bump. Smiley just folded her super low rise jeans down and wore Soldier's shirts.  I wore the daddy's jeans for months. 

Wow $30 for a piece of material? Is there gold strands?  Is it helping to feed starving women and children somewhere? They look at me and told me it was special material that is super stretchy.  I thought;  yea so is exercise wear.  Lycra and even t-shirts. hummmm

Then it hit me that I could find something on line that would tell me how to make a belly band. First I googled belly band and got both maternity and doggy belly bands. Need to check out the How to sites .. then I find the   EHow how to do instructions.

You get a t-shirt that has some stretch or Lycra content. Cut off right under the arms. Measure right above your baby bump. You may have to sew a little more on the seams to help keep it up.  But the instructions have you fold it into a double thickness.... I am not sure I will do that for Miss Animal Rights friend it's been so hot here lately and she is having morning sickness even after 3 months..... SO you can fold over and sew together. And you have a belly band.... If you use t-shirt material with lycra you might not even have to sew the top  cause that type of material doesn't fray.  That is if it isn't to big for the top of the baby bump.

You know you could use that old camisole top with the built in bra shelf; one that the elastic gave out and have a stretchy belly band with little sewing....  Specially the really sweet ones with lace on the bottom.   

I even saw on TV a show that had the fashion wants for a busty band. It is wore under low cut tops for the office.  I thought a tube top or a smaller belly band type sewing project!!  Not going to spend $30 a a tube top for the office!!!!  That's what I wear camisole tops for.
That and I can take my shirt off in the hot car and still have a "top" that doesn't get me arrested for indecent exposure.  But I do get looks when I am taking it off,  I have disappointed many men in the parking lot....... nope not a peak show guys....