Abstract: A self-closing bag is disclosed as having front and rear sidewalls which are interconnected at their side edges and top and bottom. A spring strip holder in the form of a longitudinal slot extends from near a top edge to near a bottom edge of the bag on at least one of the front and rear sidewalls. The holder is designed to accept a self-rolling spring strip which has a concave top surface and convex bottom surface. The spring strip has the property of remaining straight when unrolled but self-rolling when it is slightly bent from its straight condition. The spring strip when provided in the bag serves to roll the top of the bag down to seal the bag once it is opened. When the bag is reopened, the user may straighten the spring strip again to thereby hold the bag in its opened condition.

Abstract: A maternity garment is disclosed, which comprises an expandable waistband portion of elastically shirred material which completely encircles the garment and a body portion depending from the expandable portion. The expandable portion has a narrower vertical extent at the rear portion of the garment, and a wider vertical extent which swoops down at the front portion of the garment to form a pouch which supports the lower portion of a woman's stomach. The expandable portion is constructed to be width-wise expandable and contractable, but not vertically expandable. The degree of width-wise expansion is controlled by the type of stitching and elastic shirring employed so as not to be too tight or too loose, at any stage of pregnancy. The stitching of the elastically shirred waistband portion is arranged to prevent fold-over or ruffling of the upper edge of the garment.