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New Ideas are Brewing...(maternity)

Tracey4610

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Tracey4610 Collaborator

Tracey4610

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Alright, mamas! I'm working on designing a maternity collection

:wooand I'm wondering about what y'all would like or would have liked when you were expecting. I'm not talking about a lot of things for babies, but for the mamas, like maternity clothes and accessories. The only thing I added to my list for mama and baby was a sling, so I figured that would count to help out mama.

 

This is my brainstorming list so far, and if you have any ideas I haven't yet thought of, PLEASE add to it! I'd really appreciate it! Note: I myself am expecting and I'm really disappointed with the costs of maternity clothes, as well as the lack thereof maternity patterns. I'd like to rectify part of this dreadful situation by offering patterns for free, as well as for sale. Please tell me what you think!

 

Custom-fit Wrap Sweaters--these look good on EVERYONE! It would be custom-fit, so you wouldn't have to worry about it being too big or too small.

 

Hospital Personals Organizer--this would help keep things in order for the hospital stay, such as toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo/conditioner bottles, razors, etc.

 

Belly Band--this is a bit of a spin-off of the Bella Band that is being offered on those expensive maternity sites. The design i have in mind is adjustable, and you can make whatever color/stitch pattern you like in order to match your ENTIRE wardrobe! This nifty device helps extend the life of your pants, skirts, and shirts (meaning, you can wear them longer without worrying about flashing your belly!), and they look like an undershirt when you wear them.

 

Head band--to keep your hair off your face and neck while in labor. I wish I'd had one when I was trying to deliver my first dd (rectifying that with dd2 in December! ;))

 

Sports Teams Bellies--Locally, I'd have a Buckeye Belly. Can you just imagine how cute/bizarre that might be? :lol

 

Shrug--Man, I can never find sweaters that fit me during the 3rd trimester! If they did fit around my belly, they didn't fit anywhere else...I always felt like a blimp, so a shrug might be just the thing.

 

Mommy blankie--hey, we need comfort too, eh? It would be nice to have a completely matching "ensemble", don't you think?

 

Slippers--though the hospital gave me some to use while staying there, I had to return them upon being discharged. *sigh* It would be nice to have some to keep this time.

 

Head scarf--same reasoning as the headband, but for after the delivery when there are visitors and you haven't yet "refreshed" yourself and you are experiencing a "bad hair day". Been there, done that. wish i had the scarf.:eek

 

Water bottle cozy--to help keep the bottled water cold, that is, if they let you have it. It's also nice in the rooms, too.

 

Nursing shawl--need I say more?

 

Face cloth--It just feels nice. Something personal to wipe your face or wash with in the days during the hospital stay.

 

Towel--to go with the face cloth

 

Shower scrubbie--:blush

 

sling--to help carry baby once you need to. very handy.

 

 

Any more ideas?

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strebekah Rookie

strebekah

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Oh yeah nursing pads would be great.

 

I am expecting number 8 (due in April).

 

I totally agree about the headband. I have waist length hair and by the end of labor it is terrible. What about a kind of head-scarf/bandana that could be worn while in the hospital so you don't scare visitors??? LOL

 

I actually sew my slings. I need to make a few new ones since mine are somewhat ragged out.

 

You know what else would be nice?? A little caddy type thing (I always use a pretty basket) but I stick in it: a few diapers, pack of wet wipes, change of clothes for baby, alcohol for cord, snot sucker, nursing pads, pads of me. This is what I carry with me from room to room those first few weeks. I keep it next to the couch so that everything is right there when I need it.

 

I also love your idesa for a toiletry organizer!!

 

If I think of anything, will post. But I think you did great with your list.

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giaana Apprentice

giaana

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Sounds like you have many great ideas! I love the caddy idea Rebecca suggested! If I think if anything else, I'll post. keep us up to date with your patterns and please post pics!! What a great idea...funny I was just thinking of maternity patterns today and am glad someone who can develop patterns is working on it!! I would have loved this when I was pregnant!

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Craftymomma Contributor

Craftymomma

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I like your list. We will be trying again next summer so hopefully I'll be able to make some of your creations. I would like to see a nursing shrug, and maybe a mesh tunic to cover the belly that you could wear a turtlenect or something under?

Good luck with your designing! I like the sports team idea. Maybe a tunic with a bullseye over the belly would be funny.

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alchemyfyr Collaborator

alchemyfyr

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I am expecting baby number two and I have started making some maternity shirts...not sweaters...with Avery I was always way too hot even in the dead of winter. Some of the patterns I have I changed from straight fitted shirts to empire or flared out waists by adding quite a bit more stitches at the bottom and then decreasing as I went up. I would then match the correct number of stitches the pattern called for by the time I got to the bust area. This way I'll have room for my big belly. I'm about 1/2 done with one but it's gotten put to the side as I had other special projects to work on. I look forward to seeing what you come up with. Good luck!

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Mrs. Principal Collaborator

Mrs. Principal

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Just had my first baby 6 weeks ago and I love this idea- what a great way to spoil mom too!

 

Here are a few suggestions for patterns:

 

A cover for a boppy

 

A stuffed cover to velcro around the car seat handle, that would really help the sore bruise I have on my forearm!

 

I like your blanket idea, what about a wrap around towel that velcro's on top?

 

Love the breast pad ideas (you'd have to watch that you don't get a yarn where the color may bleed through if it got wet! YIKES)

 

A neck pillow (like the kind for traveling) may help mom rest her neck comfortable as she rocks/ feeds baby.

 

What about a caddy for the side arm of a rocking chair. A few pockets to keep the essentials handy (nipple cream, breast pads, a good book, a crochet WIP?)

Just a few thoughts! Good luck with the patterns.

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Tracey4610 Collaborator

Tracey4610

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Oh, wow, ladies! These are all wonderful ideas! I've posted this on my mommy forum and none of their ideas were anything like this! (They all had great ideas though! ;))

 

As far as the nursing pads, they can be made in white or ecru, maybe with a little bit of 100% cotton batting in the middle...I was thinking of using thread for these because I was always embarrassed using some of the thicker store-bought ones, since you could see the outline through even my thicker sweaters! :eek It was ghastly!

 

And why haven't I thought of crocheting my own Boppy cover? Out of everything I used last time, my Boppy was the best thing ever!! And I didn't have a separate cover for it, so this just might work! :)

 

Hmm...a bullseye belly? Great for football practice, eh? :lol

 

Alchemy: That's kind of what I was thinking, too, as far as maternity shirts were concerned. My dd was my little "space heater", but I also worked for a preschool at the time and I would have hot flashes and cold spells according to their heating system. We also took the kids outside, as well, in the 20-degree weather so they could get fresh air, and I needed a little something to cover up with. Not only that, but she was due in the beginning of December, and after she was born, I still had to wear maternity clothes for a few weeks.

 

Mrs. Principal: I don't know if I can help with the car seat handle thing...Our carrier isn't one you can carry over your forearm too well. That, and dh would carry her for me so I wouldn't have to :P. When I did carry it, it ended up by my elbow, where I was able to give it more support. I'll have to play around and see what I can do...What brand carrier do you have? If it's a Graco, I might be able to be of assistance. If it's an Evenflo with one of those wonky handles, I don't know if I can help. ;)

 

The caddies are a great idea, though I don't know how much I'll be able to do there. I know you'd want something sturdy, and perhaps customizable, so let me toy around with some ideas. I just purchased a really small diaper bag last time and carried everything around that I needed. hmmmm...perhaps one could be made along the same line as the hospital personals organizer? and everything could fit in one handy tote or something like that...this way, one need only to make the pockets and pouches needed, instead of having one large thing with lots of unnecessary compartments as so many bags do (oftentimes, these compartments are just never the right size, thereby deeming them "unnecessary"). Tubes of creams are various sizes, as I know that my lanolin was different from a lotion jar, and the diaper creams were all different sizes/types of containers. Let me explore a bit, and I'll get back to it for you.

 

As far as the towel wrap...I have one made in terry, but it seems they stretch a bit much for the velcro to be not as effective, and it ended up not fitting too well. However, could other types of fasteners work? I was wondering about hidden buttons--you know, the ones that button from the inside--and the stitch pattern could be as such that the button could fit right through, thereby making the garment adjustable? This way, it would fit all types of figures, especially in the days right after delivery when your size on top changes drastically (I know mine did, and it wasn't pleasant to look for something to wear).

 

A nursing shrug? Intriguing idea...Let me brainstorm on it some more...

 

The main thing I'm working on right now is stitch patterns that are versatile enough, practical, easy, pretty, yet unusual (meaning, not overdone) that could work for most of these things. The goal I have in mind is to find about 5-6 stitch patterns that fit most of these categories, and provide instructions for them. There will also be a list of the patterns in the line they'd be suitable for so that each crocheter/crochetier could pick and choose and customize as they like. If I end up putting together an online booklet (say, on lulu.com [thanks Drew and Kim] or etsy), or submit to a publisher, this will be easy enough to do. Of course, I'll also have a few of these ideas available on my site for free. Hmmm...time to go brainstorm some more!! :D

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Tracey4610 Collaborator

Tracey4610

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I have another idea. How about a crocheted/beaded bracelet or necklace that contains the baby's birthstone?

 

That's a good idea! Not only that, but it could be useful in nursing, too, to remind momma of where they left off. ;) Thanks for the idea!

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Titus2woman Community Regular

Titus2woman

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I love the idea for nursing pads and a nursing cover. I have found LANA wool pads (which are REALLY BIG!) are really great for those of us with recurring mastitis~maybe a woolly big one in crochet? (That sounds pretty weird~LOL!) I love all of your ideas! (((((HUGS))))) sandi

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charitas32 Apprentice

charitas32

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I amstruggling with maternity clothes myself at the moment, i can just still get into my jeans, but not for much longer.I am planning on making the swing tank in crochet today as it looks very forgiving! Am trying to work out a maternity skirt, thourght i would make it from the hips down as rows of motifs. maybe increasing hook size near the hem and then attach a waist segment that overlaps with itself. ie pick up stitches from front and back loops and put ties at the waist, so it would just overlap a little less each week. Plus post birth you could redo the waist section when and if your waist reappears

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