Maternity Jeans Hack

Maternity Jeans Hack

Difficulty Level = Beginner 

Make your own maternity jeans with this step-by-step hack. The ‘perfect’ pair of maternity jeans are a life saver! Comfy, can be paired with anything and grow with you during your pregnancy. The problem is, often maternity jeans come in limited styles, colors and sizes. Now you can pick any pair of jeans and convert them into the comfiest maternity jeans that you’ll love and wear throughout your pregnancy.

Our Facebook group is a great place to get help, share your tips and creations! We are a friendly bunch, and we love to help and see what you have made.

Please read the full instructions before getting started.

Wash, dry, and press your fabric before starting your project. A bit of prep now prevents shrinking and means your garment will stay the same size you made it.

Never leave a child or baby unattended or allow to sleep in a garment made from one of our patterns with ties, snaps, buttons, or anything they could remove, choke on, or get caught on. Always use caution if you are unsure. We love our patterns, but we love your bundles of joy more!

Size Range

Womens XXS-5XL

Size Chart

Usually, we work out the size to use by measuring your body. Unusually here, we aren’t going to do this.

Instead, undo the fly and try on the jeans you want to convert in to maternity jeans. Depending on where you are in your pregnancy, you may not be able to do the fly up again. This is fine. We just want to check that excluding the waist area, that the jeans fit ok.

Take the jeans off again and do up the fly again. Then, measure the inside of the waistband to find the jeans’ ‘waist measurement’ (the waist circumference). 

Using the chart below, select the corresponding ‘waist size’. This will be your ‘size’ for this pattern. It may be similar to your normal size you wear in our patterns, or quite different. We are just trying to make sure you select the right size belly band to match your jeans (not your pre or post pregnancy size).

For your Belly Band fabric, you need a knit / stretch fabric such as jersey.  This belly band is not suitable for woven fabrics.

• You can use nearly any stretch fabric, but it needs to stretch in both directions – vertical and horizontal (4-way stretch).
• It can be any weight; however, best results and fit are achieved with a medium weight fabric.
• Your fabric will need to have at least 40% stretch to get the fit as it’s designed. To check how much stretch your fabric has, take a piece of fabric, and pull along its stretch. If it allows you to stretch it at least 40% longer than its original length, then it has at least 40% stretch. I.e. A 2-inch piece of fabric (unstretched) should be able to be stretched to 2.8 inches (or, more).
• The stretch recovery of your fabric is just as important as the stretch percentage. This will ensure your belly band maintains its shape and fit for as long as possible and not become loose over your bump. To test the stretch recovery (elasticity), simply check that when you stretch your piece of fabric, it returns to its original size.

Fabric Requirements 45 inches/115 cm wide (in YARDS)

Fabric Requirements 60 inches/150 cm wide (in YARDS)

NOTE – For sizes XXL-5XL, the belly band will not fit on 45-inch-wide fabric. If your fabric has 40% stretch horizontally, you can choose to turn the pattern pieces and cut it out running along the grain. Or alternatively cut with a seam down the center front.

* If you are using a narrower fabric, a directional print, or a fabric with nap you may need more.
** Make sure to wash, dry, and press all fabrics before cutting out in case they shrink.

You will also need:

• ¼ inch wide elastic (length above) – 1.5 yards will be sufficient for all sizes
• The jeans you want to convert
• Thread to match your fabric

Tools needed are a seam ripper, sewing machine, clips or pins, and scissors. A serger or overlocker is optional. Tailors chalk or a disappearing fabric pen are also optional.

Settings

The pattern is a separate download. Choose either the US letter paper, A4 paper, or A0 paper size based on the printer you wish to use. If you are in the US or Canada then your printer will likely use US letter paper. Other regions normally use A4 paper. Some people prefer to print their patterns at a print shop: A0 is best in this case.

Print at 100%.

On the second page, you will find a 1-inch and a 3-inch square test box. Print this page first, on its own, and measure these squares.

Once you are happy that the test box is accurate, print the rest of the pattern pages.

Please follow this video for information and assistance on assembling this pattern.

Also, please note that some Rebecca Page patterns and projects also come with cut files and a printable design page which you can use to plan your project if you wish. These are provided in a separate section below to avoid any confusion!

Cut the belly band according to the directions on the pattern piece. Seam allowances are all included so just cut it as is. You will need to fold your fabric and align the foldline arrow on the pattern piece with the fold. This means when you unfold your fabric after cutting that the belly band will fold out to be perfectly symmetrical.

Cut around the ‘Cut Out Template’ pattern piece so it is ready to use. Put this aside.

Cutting Charts – All pattern pieces are included, however if you prefer to cut using a cutting chart, the dimensions for the rectangular pieces (in INCHES) are below:

Cutting Checklist:

• Belly Band – fabric cut 1 on fold 

NOTE – To cut fabric on the fold, fold your fabric over parallel to the selvage edges. Align the pattern piece so it is on the fold of the fabric. Cut around the edges, leaving the fold. If you have folded your fabric correctly the fold will be parallel to the two edges of the fabric that are finished. The raw edges (e.g. the ones you could pick at and threads would come off) will be at a right angle to your fold.

Tips for Sewing with Knit Fabrics

Using a serger is not a necessity to sew with knit fabrics! Here are a few tips to get the best results on a regular sewing machine:

• Use a ball point needle of a size appropriate to your fabric when working with knits – The ball point needle has a slightly rounded tip and will prevent from damaging the fibre. Use ball point pins or clips and, if you can’t, use regular pins into the seam allowance and you should be just fine.
• Use a stretch stitch – You can use either a short and narrow zigzag or a stretch stitch (lightning bolt stitch) for construction. Test on a scrap of fabric to find which stitch and tension settings work best for you. You don’t want the fabric to pucker under your stitches.
• Your machine might have many fancy stretch stitches and you are welcome to play with them, but often the basic zigzag or stretch stitch are just right.
• Use a walking foot – Using a walking-foot is not a necessity but it is highly recommended when working on a stretchy knit. The walking-foot helps to prevent one layer of fabric from stretching out while sewing. Both layers of fabrics are fed at the same time under your needle.
• Reduce your presser foot tension – Some machines will allow you to change your presser foot tension. Check your manual to see how to reduce your presser foot tension. Reducing tension will prevent your fabric from stretching while it goes through the machine.
• Use a ball point twin-needle (double needle) for top stitching – Using a twin-needle will give you a regular double line of straight stitches on the right side and a short and stretchy zigzag on the wrong side. Alternately, if you don’t own a twin needle, you can use a medium size zigzag stitch for hemming and topstitching. I like to lengthen my stitch a little when top stitching with the twin needle. Test on a scrap of fabric to find what works best for you.
• Finishing the seams – Because knits don’t fray, it isn’t strictly necessary to finish your seams. That being said, you will achieve a more polished and durable look if you do an overcasting or zigzag stitch on your raw edges. 

Here is an example of some of the stitches you could use.

From left to right: Ballpoint twin-needle, narrow zigzag, stretch stitch (lightning bolt), overcasting.

⅜ inch seam allowance included – Basting ¼ inch

Sewing –

1. ELASTIC – Mark center of elastic and Belly Band.  Pin ends of elastic to edges of Belly Band.  Match center marks and pin.  With a zig-zag stitch, attach your elastic to your band.  
2. BELLY BAND – Fold Band right sides together, aligning back raw edges.  Stitch or serge back edge.  Add extra stitching for additional security if necessary.  Fold Band at elastic with wrong sides together.  Align raw edges all the way around, marking quarter points.  
3. PREPARE JEANS – Every pair of jeans will be different, so adapt as necessary for your jeans.  Remove stitches from bottom of belt loops.  Snip belt loops close to waistband.  Insert scissors and cut around waistband to remove it.  Leave the waistband above the fly.  Secure pocket bags as you pass them.  Undo button and zipper, then cut carefully across fly. Unpick and remove zip. Do not remove any topstitching, if possible.  Straighten the top edge of your jeans. Align template over your jeans, with center front aligned with the curve and the edges at your side seams.  Pin in place and trim front only of jeans. Pin fly and stitch closed permanently. Baste pockets to top of jeans.  
4. ASSEMBLY – Match quarter points of Band and top of jeans, right sides together.  Stitch or serge Band to jeans.  Add extra stitching, if necessary.  Pull out basting stitches and press seam up.

Congratulations, your DIY Maternity Jeans Hack is done. Enjoy! 

We would love to hear how you got on and see photos of your finished project!

Join us at our Facebook Group, tag us on Instagram, or use the hashtag #rpdiymatrernityjeanshack.

Thank you for using a Rebecca Page pattern.

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