Modified Maternity Skirt

I am finding that many of the maternity garments that have slowly been finding their way from my sewing machine into my closet have been on some kind of journey. A few have passed straight from yardage into maternity wear, but most of them have undergone significant alteration since the yardage stage.



This newly-finished and delightfully silky floral skirt is a perfect example -- my mother-in-law passed it on to me in the form of an unfinished dress that she had decided not to complete. This was several months before I was married, actually! It sat in my stash, waiting for the perfect opportunity.



When I came across it recently, inspiration struck -- why not make it into a maternity skirt? I chopped off the bodice, cut a curve for a maternity panel, and then used my cut piece as a pattern to make a stretchy panel from a thrifted camisole. A zig-zag stitch brought the two together.



I salvaged the silky bias trim from the camisole, and found that it made the perfect waistband -- just wide enough for a piece of elastic! Total cost was about 50 cents (free dress, 1/2 of a $0.50 tank top, some 1/8" elastic, and thread).



I've been delighted with just how simple it is to modify existing skirts for maternity. In fact, I have yet to purchase an actual maternity skirt because I've not had the need. Which is a blessing, because long maternity skirts are almost impossible to find -- not to mention *horribly* expensive.



Frugal and fun maternity sewing -- it just doesn't get any better!