Friday, April 26, 2013

DIY The Easy Bralette Nursing Top


How to rafashion an maternity tank into a nursing top

 This is an easy top to make out of a few items you probably have laying around. Because of the shape of this nursing top I think it is a perfect one to make with one of your old maternity tops. With this you can turn a maternity tank into a nursing tank that will cover your belly right after delivery.  If I could go back in time I would make this nursing tank in my last month so I would have it as soon as I got home from the hospital.
The best part about this top is that you can nures with it from two different positions  You can easily pull the  top down reveling the holes in the bralette, for baby. Or you can lift from the bottom of the tank section reveling the bralette to nurse, shown in the  photo below. Either way your breast will be covered while nursing. (I am wearing a burgundy undershirt to keep this page PG)

This is a diagram of how you lift the top portion to nurse

Or Pull down to nurse


The thing I used to make this top. You also need basic sewing supplies. 






















Step 1

I cut two holes in the bralette located at the nipple. The best way to find the best location is to try the bra on and use chalk to make a small mark, then cut the location that you marked. This fabric did not need to be hemmed to prevent fraying.


















Step 2

Cut the large top above the arm holes, leaving room for a hem if you want. I just cut at the arm holes.
Step 3

Attach the original hem of the large t-shirt to the bralette. Pin and stitch using a zig-zag stitch. Bunch the T-shirt so that it will fit and this will create pleating on the shirt.

After the two pieces are attached the top should look like the photo below.
 *Note I still have the bottom pinned in this photo; I had planned on hemming it. Then I changed my mind and decided to create a different hem line as well as not hemming the shirt.
Step 4
I cut the t-shirt at an angle to create a high-low hem.
Step 6
Next start working on the tank top. Cut the top part off, this will become the part that covers the bust. The length of this will be different for everyone. The best way to determine the length is to try the tank top on and mark with chalk the location to cut. Keep the top portion for this project and save the bottom for another day.
Step 7
Pin and stitch the strip of fabric along the bottom of the tank top. Only attach it 1/2 to 3/4 way around the tank. This leaves the strip unattached at the back. *NOTE you can see a better picture below of how this should look when the fabric strip is attached.
I told you I would have a better picture. The tank top should look somthing like this after you sew the strip of fabric on.
So at this point in the project you will have two parts. One part will go under the other. The gray tank will go on top of the bralette, covering the nursing holes. 

When layered they will look like this 

NOTE; you can attach the gray tank to the bralette, but for this post I left them unattached. I think this makes washing easier.

Then you are all done. Now you have a fabulous nursing top. This is how it looks on! I hope you like it.




28 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Great idea! My babies are teens now but this post (linked up at COM) got my attention because I attempted to make my own nursing tops that were kind of strange. This turned out well!!

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  3. Thank you so much Diana, I am so glad you liked it. Maybe you can make in in 15 years when your a grandparent. I can't imagine how scary it is to have teenagers! My baby is still so young.

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  4. Wow! Amazing job! As a nursing momma, I love this!!!! So much cuter than a blanket :)

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    1. Thank you so much, I think it is so nice to be able to go out and be comfortable and nurse any time with out feeling that I might show to much. Or like you said, have to cove the baby with a blanket, they always hate that.

      Thank you again, I will be posting a nursing dress soon that is VERY easy to make and I hope you will check it out.

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  5. Wow! Great idea and tutorial! Wish I would have thought of or seen this when I was a nursing mom:) Thanks for visiting The Happy Housie earlier too, glad to "meet" you!!
    Krista @thehappyhousie

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  6. Great tutorial! I definitely need to make a couple, I don't have very many nursing friendly shirts. Thanks. coming over from Give me the good link party
    Alex
    alexharalson.com

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  7. Visiting from Monday Funday. I'd like to invite you to my Friday Flash Blog, where you can share your best blog entry of the week! The party goes on ALL weekend at thejennyevolution.com. And who knows, you may just get featured next week.

    Jennifer
    thejennyevolution.com

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  8. Very clever. They look so comfortable too! Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino
    The Chicken Chick
    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

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  9. Wow! Nice Blog. I read your blog carefully. Firstly, I would like to thanks for sharing this informatics blog post. Nursing Bralette

    ReplyDelete