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dollylima
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| Posted: Jan 07 2008 at 6:53pm | IP Logged
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Hi all.
Im finally out of the woods (I think!) with the nausea from my first trimester, hurray!
Im finding that my clothes stopped fitting WAY sooner with this baby than my first, yet I feel weird wearing big maternity clothes this early. I searched online and found these belly bands that seem to bridge you between just starting to grow and having a full-on baby belly.
The thing is, they cost a fortune!
The do not look like they would be complicated, but because they are stretchy Im hesitant to try to make them without a pattern. If I cant find a pattern, I will just bite the bullet and try on my own, but with my sewing skills being pretty basic, Im trying to avoid the frustration of having to figure out the sizing myself.
So, Im wondering if any of you wonderful ladies have a pattern for these bands and if you would be willing to share.
OR
If you have made them without a pattern and have tips regarding estimating how wide and big to make them.
Thanks in advance!
Heather
Thanks in advance.
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Heather
instantkiwi
Wife to Tim
Mama to Ian 2/27/00
Mama to MaryElise 7/22/08
Step-mom to Abby, Logan and Luke
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Jan 08 2008 at 1:49pm | IP Logged
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Hi Heather,
This isn't exactly what you're looking for (I would love a "pattern" for a Bella Band too, if anyone has any tips!), but I came across this great-looking tutorial through a a post on a craft blog a while back. It looks easy enough to do. I have it bookmarked for the future!
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Blessings,
Celeste
Joyous Lessons
Mommy to six: three boys (8, 4, newborn) and four girls (7, 5, 2, and 1)
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dollylima
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| Posted: Jan 11 2008 at 6:27pm | IP Logged
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Thanks, Celeste...I came across that tutorial too and am contemplating trying it out. Im just not the world's best sewer and Im a little bit afraid to be chopping up my jeans...hopefully I will be using them again in the future!
The day after I posted this, I found a great pair of Old Navy maternity jeans for a few dollars at a thrift store... this was after going online and putting some of the very same jeans in a virtual shopping cart and then abandoning it because I couldnt justify spending the money on them... they have a nice waist that does not sit too high up so they fit me now (sort of...I still have to pull them up sometimes but they dont look like Im wearing clown pants). Then I arrived at my mother's house tonite after shopping at an outlet for jeans and still walking out empty-handed because their idea of a sale was still twenty odd dollars...to find my mother had bought me a similar pair to the ones I got at the thrift store.
So, even if I dont get my belly band, I have a couple of pairs of jeans I can start to wear now.
Just wanted to share cause Im psyched to have two pairs where there were none just a week ago :-).
Im still going to be on the lookout for the belly band pattern. I will post a link if I find one!
Heather
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Heather
instantkiwi
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Step-mom to Abby, Logan and Luke
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DeAnn M
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| Posted: Jan 11 2008 at 8:03pm | IP Logged
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Hi There,
I have a bella band...I bit the bullet because I figured it would save me in the long run with buying new jeans for the early and post-baby stages. Anyway, I just thought I would give you the measurements. It's made of stretchy, sports-bra like material. Mine is a size 2--not a pants size 2 but their size 2 is like a 10 pants size. When flat, it's 14.5 inches wide and 12 inches high.
Hope that helps.
DeAnn
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dollylima
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| Posted: Jan 12 2008 at 5:50pm | IP Logged
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Thank you, DeAnn, that's more than I knew about the bands before :-). I hope yours turns out to be a good investment. How far along are you?
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Heather
instantkiwi
Wife to Tim
Mama to Ian 2/27/00
Mama to MaryElise 7/22/08
Step-mom to Abby, Logan and Luke
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SuzanneG
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| Posted: Jan 12 2008 at 6:41pm | IP Logged
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The thing about the bella band is that the material is AWESOME! It's extremely stretchy (comfortable) while being tight (able to hold in place and keep pants up, etc.) The belly sleeve (or whatever they call it) at Motherhood ($12-16) is not even comparable to the Bella Band ($25). Even to find cheap lycra (swimsuit material) is pretty expensive. And, i don't even know if you could find GREAT nylon-lycra like the bella band is made of.
But, really, if you weren't concerned about it lasting and keeping it's shape. If it were just to cover you for a month or so and then a month or so after the baby, you could use a stretch knit or a swimsuit lycra....but it probably just wouldn't stay in place as well or last as long.
My .02
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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DeAnn M
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| Posted: Jan 12 2008 at 7:10pm | IP Logged
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Hello Again,
I just hit 12 weeks...so I'm starting to outgrow my regular pants. I suppose the benefit of not losing all of the previous baby weight is that you can wear normal clothes a little further into the next pregnancy...right?
I think Suzanne is right about the material. It is really difficult to find such firm lycra at a normal fabric store. And if you are like me at all, you may need to make more than one in order to, "get it right." Another benefit of the bella bands is that they have these cute ones with a little lace at the bottom. It looks cute on the models.
The cheapest I have found online is at amazon.com. They are $26.00--maybe even free shipping with that but I can't remember. The other place is babycenter.com--you can do a search for them, and they even have some colors on clearance for about $18.00.
Hope you find something that will work for you.
Take Care,
DeAnn
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Maternity Belly Band Pattern?
