In case you missed it, Mama Claire released earlier this week! It is such a quick and fun sew that is perfect for date nights, but can be worn everyday as well. Whenever a new pattern is released, one of the questions that is always asked is how it can be modified for maternity. So today I’m going to show you how to easily modify the Mama Claire for maternity!

You can purchase the pattern here. It is still on sale through Sunday 1/15/17 at midnight CST. Or grab the Mama Claire and Claire Bundle while it’s available. This is only available during the release sale!

Step 1: Print and assemble your pattern. Take your measurements and choose your bodice size based on your upper bust and full bust measurements. Don’t forget to take your height into account. If you need a petite or tall adjustment, be sure to do so before your maternity mod. Choose your waistband size based on your current hip measurement.

Step 2: Tape a strip of paper (freezer paper, printer paper, tracing paper, etc.) to the bottom of both bodice pieces. You will want it to be slightly wider than the size you are making to accommodate the modification.

Adding this strip of paper to the bottom of the pieces means you won’t have to cut a new pattern postpartum – just remove the taped portion! You could also make the modification directly to the pattern piece if you would like to.

Step 3: Decide how much length you want to add. For early pregnancy, the pattern won’t require much, if any, length. Further into pregnancy, the amount you need will depend on how you carry and how far along you are. I found adding 2″ was plenty to accommodate a 36+ week bump. Remember, you can always take away some of that length if needed, so I always lean toward adding too much at first. For the sake of this post, I’m just going to refer to it as 2″.

Now  you will make your modification. Measure 2″ down from the bottom of each pattern piece. You will want to continue the angle of the side seams rather than drawing a straight line down.

Notice that the bodice pieces have a slight curve along the bottom edge. You will want to measure and mark 2″ down in several places along this curve to stay true to the pattern piece.

Once you’ve added your 2″ marks across both pieces, they should look something like this:

Step 4: Connect all of your lengthening points. Your pieces should look similar to this:

Now you can cut out your modified pattern pieces and get started on your new top!

Everything is constructed the same way as the original pattern, so you can jump in with Step 1 of the tutorial! Once you’re done, be sure to post a picture in the Facebook group. I can’t wait to see all of the beautiful Mama Claire baby bumps! Here are a few examples to inspire you:

Brittany loves sewing and anything else crafty, the mountains, a strong cup of coffee, and anything vintage.