Refashioned t-shirt dress and belly bands

Wow. The weather sure has changed here since last weekend, and we have been experiencing weather in the 80s with loads of SUNSHINE. Which means this preggo mama is H.O.T in this old house....I really need some new dresses and skirts, but the key word is preggo. Im unwilling to buy maternity clothes because 1: This will most likely be our last baby. 2: Theyre expensive and 3: I dont like to buy things I cant wear for awhile. Not to mention, its difficult to find maternity clothes I like enough to spend money on.

Then there is the regular clothes that can be worn during pregnancy....but I have to have the fundage to buy said clothes. With a new baby, a NEED for a new car, and 3 children going to school this year, money wont be there to buy myself some new clothes. Dont get me wrong, Ill most likely slip a store bought dress or two in there somewhere, but I like variety. (I dont tell myself this on laundry day, when I think we could all do with a little less clothing.)

And while I adore dresses, I love jeans too. Whats a girl to do when jeans are over $30 a pair and her waist is expanding? Some would cave and buy a couple pairs of maternity jeans, or forgo jeans altogether...but not me. I have contemplated buying the ingenious belly band, but its $15! I could buy a dress or skirt with that! Or, a few yards of really cute material to make my own dresses and skirts, AND belly bands. And thats exactly what Ive done.


Ive refashioned a t-shirt into the top of a dress (my first EVER!), and made 2 belly bands (maybe I should call them something else?) so far. I spent about 2 hours tuesday night measuring and cutting and sewing (with the original plan to make a couple of skirts!) the t-shirt dress, 2 hours finishing it on wednesday, and made the bands yesterday. Today, I must do housework and laundry....I must, I must, I must.

Even though I want to keep on sewing things....

So after a couple hours of housework, Ill post the tutorials and pics of what Ive done. Keep your eyes open for them!