In case you missed my post over at Sewing in No Mans Land. I made this skirt for Kelly’s 12 Skirts of Christmas series. I am now 30 1/2 weeks! Wow…this pregnancy couldn’t be going any faster, I tell ya.
________________________________________Hi there! I’m Delia from Delia Creates. I like to dabble in a lot of mediums but today I’m grateful for an excuse to bring out my sewing machine.I am expecting our third child this next March and am progressively running out of things to wear that fit.
________________________________________Hi there! I’m Delia from Delia Creates. I like to dabble in a lot of mediums but today I’m grateful for an excuse to bring out my sewing machine.I am expecting our third child this next March and am progressively running out of things to wear that fit.
So on the fifth day, you get a skirt for a nice round, jolly belly. 😉 Seems appropriately festive.
I have a older Liz Lange black jersey stretchy pencil skirt from Target that is quite flattering and easy to wear. This is just a copy of it but with a wider, more comfortable waistband.
The measurements I share are for a size medium maternity skirt. I am normally a size 4-6 pant size and am 6 months pregnant. The skirt looks best when you are 5 months along or more…or further along if it’s your first. This is my third pregnancy, so I’m already big enough that people are asking “Any day now, huh?” Gotta love the awkward look on their face when I respond with, “Actually I still have three months left. ” 🙂 ha ha..
I also kind of waddle already because I have a bad back. Doesn’t help my case too much.
Okay…so onto making the skirt.
You will need:
About 1- 1 1/4 yard of knit/stretchy/jersey fabric. I found this cotton knit at Hobby Lobby for about $4 or so – total {with a coupon}.
I used my black skirt as a template and just extended the length a bit.
The front panel to the skirt is about 21 inches wide and 27 inches long at the tallest part. You want it to rise in the middle of the waist about 2 1/2 inches to accommodate a pregnant belly.
You will also notice a slight rise out at the hips and taper at the bottom. I don’t think this has to be super exact since you are working with knit and it all stretches anyway.
The back panel of the skirt is about 18 inches wide and 25 inches long. As you can see I cut everything on a fold to make it even.
Instead of an elastic waistband I added a knit one for more comfort. I measured around my lower ribcage where I wanted the top of the skirt to sit which was about 30 inches.
So, this band is 30 inches by 6 1/2 inches {which will be folded in half long ways in just a second.} You don’t want to add extra for seam allowance because you want it to be nice and snug. Actually, I wish I had taken another half inch out to make it an even better fit.
Pin your front and back panel together, right sides facing. I used lots of pins because the knit fabric stretches easily and can get uneven while you’re sewing.
 I sewed up the sides with a straight stitch with 1/4 seam allowance, then laid that seam allowance to one side and sewed a parallel line to the seam. This makes it a little neater looking and reinforces the seam.
 I turned the skirt right side out and marked the middle of the front and back of the skirt with two pins.
I then folded the waistband over and marked the middle and sides of the waistband with green pins. The pink pins are solely for keeping the waistband evenly folded while I sew.
Slide the waistband down over the skirt. Match the green pins to the pins on the skirt and the side seams. The waistband is smaller than the skirt so there should be slack fabric between the pins.
 Pull the waist band taut to fit the skirt as you sew from pin to pin.
 Which should give you a gather at the waist.
The front will be more gathered than the back.
Hem the bottom. I recommend a double needle stitch so that it will stretch with you as you walk.
I finished this off with a quick press from a hot iron and that’s it!
Easy enough.
And so comfy.
If you’re wondering about this yellow cardigan {that I probably wear a bit too often}go here.
 And excuse the picture of my butt, but I wanted to show you the side and the back.
It does like to cling because of the nature of the fabric.
I recommend wearing a slip underneath if you’re wearing tights or leggings
Or…if you can find a slicker polyester type knit, it might work a little nicer. My black one is made out of a material more like that, but finding it by the bolt around town is not always possible.
Thanks for having me over Kelly!
I definitely have this on my to-do list. And I totally feel you, when I was pregnant with Olivia I was volunteering at a plant stand and a little old lady was like, “Oh, any day now hey?” and I was like “Haha… well, actually I’m only four months pregnant.” but she was quick with the “Oh, this must not be your first then.” so that was good of her 😉 Now on number three I was congratulated by a random man in the middle of the mens section of a store with nothing in my cart to indicate pregnant… at 9 weeks. Yay…? no, no not really. LOL!
I won’t be needing this skirt, but it is great! Anyone that can make her own maternity clothes is my hero. Great job.
Oh, Laura, I know what you mean! I’m expecting my third, and I told my doctor I look 20 weeks pregnant. He said, no, you look 16 weeks pregnant. (I am 13 weeks pregnant.) I will need to be getting my core muscles in better shape after this.
This is interesting! Do you mean you only took the photos or you make clothes too? If yes then good for you!
Visit my blog anytime darling.
I thought this was so creative! I absolutely love your blog and it even inspired me to make my own. No one reads it or anything, but I quite enjoy writing on it. So thank you Delia! & I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well 🙂
hi, just found your tuorial and made the skirt: http://kopjesthee.blogspot.co.uk/ my story is in Dutch, but the pictures speak for themselves (I styled it just like yours (as I would have anyway btw! I love yellow and grey!!). I added a split at the back for maximum freedom of movement, by simply cutting two back panels (slightly wider to allow for seams) and sewing them together before