Any top into maternity top - with these 3 diys

The key to get ahold of an oversized top that fits your belly or can be made to fit...then work at taking in the shoulders, chest, length, and if you need to, the belly too. This is a crucial tutorial for trying to make a top work, especially because these tops will be your go-to everyday kind of tops. You have a few easy options! If the top is pretty well fitted and just needs a little taking in up top, then definitely option 1! If the top has some good length to it (whether it needs to be taken in or not) gather it at the side seams and make yourself a cute ruched fitted top - option 2. Or if it is very oversized, then take everything in with detaching and reattaching the sleeves with option 3. I also included what it will look like if something other than a tee shirt is taken in...whether it is a blouse, a button up or what not!
 All of these tops were bought bigger, the white and plaid top were taken in with option 1. The black one was not tapered and taken up with option 2.   White outfit : cotton-on pants and top // shoes michael kors // hat h&m
Black outfit: pants sevens // shoes Sam Edelman // necklace thai pan
Plaid outfit: h&m top // nasty gal shoes // h&m hat and pants

Supplies:
top you can refashion
sewing machine
thread
pins
scissors
1/4" elastic

Instructions
OPTION 1: Simple take in
**this is when a top fits really well in the belly and shoulders (or close enough) and needs taking in the the chest**

Flip the shirt inside out and mark where you want to take in the sleeves and the the chest. Taper out well from the armpits out, ending near the bottom. You can don't have to taper it to the bottom, you can taper it to where ever you want it to end. Then cut of extra and serge or zig zag stitch the edges. You can take up the bottom or cuff the sleeves if you want.

OPTION 2: Ruched or gathered belly top
**this is when you have a top that is really long and fits fine in the belly. You may need to take it in a little depending on the stretch**

Flip the shirt inside out and mark where you want it taken in. Then taper or not (if not that then you can leave it and it will be more like a batwing) by pinning and marking it when it is on like in option 1. After you have taken it in and serged or zig zagged the edges mark where the top of your belly started. This is where you are going to start the gathering. Take 6" or more of the 1/4" elastic and pin the top of the elastic to where you marked the top of you belly on the side seam. Stretch the elastic to as far as it can stretch and pin it in place onto your top. This should be at least at the bottom of your belly or shirt. Then stretch the elastic as you sew it into place into the side seam of your shirt. (video on this to come this week)

OPTION 3: Very oversized take-in (you can make it a taper like option 1 or ruched from option 2)
**this is when you have a very oversized top and you need to take in the shoulders as well as the sides**

Cut off the sleeves along the seams. Then try on the top inside out and pin it to your liking. You can keep make it taper or gather it too like options 1 or 2. Sew up the side seams and shoulder seams if you need to take in the neckline. Then take in the sleeves and reattach the sleeves to the shirt. Do this by folding them right side out and sticking them into the top that is inside out. But the right sides of the sleeves and main shirt will be touching. Sew the sleeves to the opening.

BLOUSE EXAMPLE:

As you can see...you can do this to other tops that aren't just tees!