Flowers & Belly Bands

For a friend's baby shower I made these yellow coffee filter roses. I am not a coffee drinker, and it took me awhile to find them in the dollar store (not used to looking for them). $1 for 150 filters=150 flowers. I cannot re-find the original coffee filter tutorial that I learned from to make these rosebuds...There is a good link through M(artha) S(tewart) to a mom who sells them if you google the subject. Or, if you come by my house, I will show you how I did it. Not hard. ANY color possible! Two of my sisters-by-marriage are currently gestating. Luanna and I brainstormed for good, affordable gifts, and she said the thing she loved the most were the hacked belly bands I made her during her last pregnancy. These did not exist 10 years ago when I was having my 6th baby. Rather than starting from stretchy-fabric-scratch, I found some super stretchy t-shirts, and hacked them.

Literally.

Cut the shirt right below the armpits, both layers. Zig-zag stitch around the opening, leave the already-hemmed bottom as the edge that shows, and you have a stretchy tube-belt. Good support, good coverage for that peek-a-boo tummy.

$1.25 for t-shirt from thrift store vs. $30+ range for the original.

Almost embarrassing to admit, but I really, really like these. Now. For me. And my NOT-pregnant-just-chunky, shirts-not-quite-long-enough-for-my-current body.

VERY convenient. Does wonders for modesty so you can stretch without showing skin. Nice with pants, skirts. See the above photo, that darker, under shirt, that was once a t-shirt. Biggest advantage is how low you can wear it, without the layers and heat of a tank top.

Find the stretchiest, smallest tshirt that will fit around your waist. Cut. Try it on. Most of the t-shirt knits do not need to be zig-zagged if they do not unravel, so you can wear it as is.