Maternity Wrap T-shirt Tutorial

Maternity clothes are just too expensive. Last week I found this Isabella Oliver top online, but I just can't bring myself to spend $125 plus tax and shipping on a shirt that is meant for me to wear for only a few more months. So I decided that I would take a few yards of jersey material I had laying around and see if I could make something myself. 

 I think I did pretty good compared to the original.

See how to make your own after the jump.

The main complaint I saw on comment boards for these shirts was that every time you moved around or went to the restroom you would end up with belly showing and have to completely re-wrap the top. After seeing a video for how to wrap a non-maternity version, I adapted and combined the maternity and non-maternity tops so that I won't have to worry about showing any belly as I move around throughout the day.

You will need:

• 2 1/2 to 3 yards stretchy jersey material. 4 way stretch is best
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine
• Paper (freezer, parchment, butcher, or printer) to make pattern
• pen
• Pins
• Scissors or rotary cutter
• Measuring tape

If you've never sewn with stretchy material before, I highly recommend checking out this blog post from Prudent Baby, as well as reading through the instruction book for your sewing machine.


1) First, take a shirt that you already know fits you. Fold it in half and place it on a piece of freezer, parchment, or butcher paper. You could also even just take some printer paper and tape it together. Outline the shirt, giving yourself 1/4" seam allowance.

 Make sure you trace where the seams will be for the sleeves

 I knew that I wanted my new shirt longer so I measured out and extended my pattern at the bottom.

Label this piece and fold and trace the front of the shirt the same way. 

2) Cut out your pattern pieces. I always label mine as "back" or "front" as well as where the fold is. Otherwise even in my non-pregnancy brain state I might cut out my fabric wrong.

 3) Make your pattern piece for the sleeve as well. I also wanted my sleeves to be a bit longer, so I extended this piece too.

The bottom line of the piece you see here will be placed on the fold of your material to make the full sleeve.

 4) Once you have all of your pattern pieces cut out, line the fold part of your pattern up with the fold of your fabric and pin them onto your material. Make sure you know which way your fabric stretches first so you know you're laying it out right. Since I'm doing this as a maternity shirt, I wanted to make sure that the stretch of the material went width-wise for how I was cutting out the shirt to allow for a growing belly.

 5) You'll also need two long strips of jersey, cut with the stretch. Mine are 8" by 95". If like me you have a fabric with only 2 way stretch, you may need to piece together your strips from more than one cut.

 6) If you've had to piece together your wrap strips, sew your pieces together using a stretch stitch on your sewing machine.
7) Measure from your armpit to just below your bust. This is where the strips will start. Mine are 4 1/2 inches from the armpit.

 8) Pin your shirt pieces together across the shoulders and down the sides, right sides together. As you're pinning down the side, measure from the armpit to where your strips will start and pin them between your front and back pieces. Make sure that the length of the fabric is on the inside of the shirt at this point so that after you sew it and flip it right side out, your strips will be on the outside.

9) Sew the shoulder and side seams using a stretch stitch.

10) Sew up the seams of the sleeves and attach them to the shirt.

Basic wrap t-shirt

 You now have the basic shape of your shirt! Try it on at this point to make sure you like how long it is, how long the sleeves are, and the neckline. Make any adjustments you feel you need to.

11) If you like how your shirt fits, cut a strip of your jersey 1 1/2 to 2" wide and iron it in half to use as binding/bias tape for your neckline and sew it on just like you would bias tape.

 12) Fold under your sleeves and pin in place to create a finished edge. If you have a double needle, this is a great time to use it to give your top a finished look.

I left the bottom of the top unfinished so that as I wrapped it would blend in with the wrap strips better. Play around with how you like it wrapped, and try different necklines for the look you want.