Something for me

I took a little time yesterday to whip up a quick and super useful item for me to have post-pregnancy; nursing tank tops.  Not the most glamorous item, but something that would allow me to wear any of my normal tops, still nurse, and not have to expose my belly to the world.  I first got the idea from a friend, who sent me an online tutorial as a guide.  Basically, one just buys super cheap regular camisoles from anywhere that sells them (in my case, I got three in a buy one, get two free sale at Ann Taylor Loft) and sew the straps in a certain kind of way to make them hook over the straps in a nursing bra.  Then, one just has to take down both the bra and the tank straps to nurse, allowing you to push up your regular shirt.  So easy!  I have three photos below and a little tutorial of my own for anyone that is interested:

I started by clipping the little plastic ring that makes the straps adjustable, which allowed me to cut the strap without leaving a little itchy tab in the back to drive me crazy.

The only part left in the back is a little loop that came on the shirt, no itch at all!

Then I made a little loop big enough to slip over the nursing bra clip with the long part of the strap in the front of the shirt.  I measured it by wearing the top over my nursing bra and just pinning it where it felt comfortable.  I then cut most of the strap off, leaving just the loop and a teensy bit extra to attach to the shirt.  I then just used a needle and thread to sew the loop to the shirt, since it was too small a job for my sewing machine.

Basically it ends up looking like a strapless tank with two tiny loops on top

Then, to save time in making the other tops, I just used the part of the strap I cut from the other tank to measure on the next one, and repeated the process.  You can see in the picture below how much I cut, which was about 75% of the whole strap.

Anywhere I can save time/effort, I do!

So that was it.  I think I spent a total of a half hour on all three.  The most time consuming part was the actual sewing, since the rest was just a series of cuts.  I'm excited to try them out, since right now they definitely don't fit over the tum.  If they work, I just may have to whip out a few more!