Layer Me Up Nursing Hack

I love wearing my Layer Me Up tanks under cardigans during the fall and long sleeve option during the winter.  I can pull down the neckline to nurse, but I love to have something up and down for nursing in public.  So, this hack was born!

It is quick and easy too, which is a plus if you’re nursing and taking care of baby!

I cut out one layer me up exactly as the pattern calls for.  I added one piece using the front piece.  I measured from my armpit to below my bust and transferred that to the pattern piece.  This will become my lift up piece hidden under my normal pieces.

Since the layer me up is a tight fit shirt that requires a 50% stretch spandex blend fabric, you don’t necessarily need to add any elastic to keep it from stretching out with wear/pulling throughout the day.  But, you might want to add it to the bottom raw edge of the hidden lift up piece just to add a little weight and to keep it from shifting around at all during wear.  I serged it on, then hemmed under.

 

I wanted the under piece hidden, so I trimmed about 1/2″ from the neckline.  You could hem it under if you wanted it to be pretty :).

Pin your under layer to the wrong side of the front piece and sew up your shirt normal–the only other modification is at the neckline.  You will attach the neckband only to the main shirt and leave your hidden piece loose.  This way it is free to come up when nursing.

 

Now you have a shirt that looks perfectly “normal” and can pull down the neckline and hidden piece up to nurse!  You can wear it after just as is, or cut out your hidden piece and wear :).

 

I grabbed a lovely colored ribbed knit without thinking (remember I have a tiny newborn 😉 ) and it had HORRIBLE recovery.  No spandex— it grew and grew and grew! So, I will be trying this hack again in the correct material!