20 minute Maternity Jeans

These are things I'm really wanting to buy right now.

Dansco Clogs

Sofft Black Heels

Simply Vera, Vera Wang earings

However, what I NEED is Maternity Jeans. I have lots of maternity capri pants but
#1 it isn't sandal/flip flop weather any more and I look dorky in sneakers & capris

#2 I am preggo enough that I don't care to shave my legs any more.

But Bubba needs new jeans too--more than I do. So it's the old sewing machine and helpful online tutorials for me. Yay.

This tutorial on Craftster is the best maternity jean tutorial I've seen. It took me 20 minutes from start to finish and that included the time I took to find the jeans, dig out an old t-shirt and thread, and get my sewing machine out of storage--where it has been banished while I'm in DIQ!!

Here is my result! I'm so proud!! Retail therapy is great, but the self-fulfillment that comes from making something useful out of stuff you already had is much more lasting.

1 Tutorial from Craftster. I *heart* Craftster!!

1 pair $7 clearance jeans from Lane Bryant that I was only skinny enough to wear for about a month. Perhaps they shrunk in the wash?

1 old t-shirt generously, albeit unknowingly, donated by my DH.

ha ha just kidding. I used my own shirt. I had one that was really too small that had a good lycra content for stretchy but firm.

1 bit of thread, scissors and my handy dandy Bernina 1008.

I did 2 things differently from the tutorial.
#1 I didn't have to sew the zipper shut because I couldn't zip it even 1/4". I just cut the whole zipper out. I also didn't cut off any of the jeans waist band in the back. They were low rise jeans and I wanted the belt loops. Just because.

**note scissors do not cut through rivets--even if they are gingers. The sewing machine needle will not penetrate rivets either.

#2 I made sure to cut the strip from the bottom of the t-shirt so I didn't have to roll the edge and hem it. Duh! I also cut it wider than 6" because I like the full belly coverage better.

Then after I finished sewing, I went to my friend's house this morning and she loaned me more maternity pants, including a dressy black pair. It's all I ever wished for. Life is good.