Making Diapers

I am back to clothe diapering!  I started going through my stock and realized it would be a good time to start building stock for #4.  I have plenty of newborn disposables, thanks to 2 diaper cakes.  I only have 5 cloth diapers for the 10-22 pound range, I need about 15 to 20.  The diapers I have I got online and cost me about $10 a piece, OUCH!  Although, they were pricey, the diapers recouped their expense within a month.  Well, I need more and I am not willing to invest that much.  So I went blog crawling!  WOW!  There is actually a forum for clothe diaper addicts who sew their own.

I have a couple of spots I have been to and have even downloaded and printed the free patterns, but yesterday I think I found the best sight of all! http://webpages.charter.net/rhamley/diapers/diapertext2.htm

So I set off to make a pair, to see how they would turn out.  For my pattern, I used one I had.  I made a pattern template and cut out a cotton layer and 2 flannel layers and an absorption pad.

Let’s talk cheap, right off the cloth.  The cute lady bugs is some remnant someone gave me, FREE!  The flannel is from a clearance bedding set at walmart, $5. (I will have plenty to make diapers for my household and maybe a few gifts.  The terry cloth is a wore out towel that I had been patching, FREE!  (ohh, I am so happy to find usefulness for these towels, otherwise my husband would hoard them forever.)  Now you will notice the ladybug cotton has a shine.  Well, I found some awesome stuff at JoAnns that is an iron-on vinyl. Whew! I will cloth diaper, but I am not about to deal with pee pee soaking me. 

This is the vinyl iron-on.  It cost $5.99 per yard, I used my 50% coupon and got 3 yards for $2.99/yd.  I am using about 1/3 yd per diaper, so about $1 of vinyl per diaper. Worth it!

Making my pattern was hard at first.  I was trying to get the curves and making myself crazy.  Instead, I measured the length and the widths at each end.  Next, I went to the crouch; measuring the width and where the crouch began from each side.  I used these measurements and drew a straight line to connect the dots.  NO CURVES.  Why?  I figured naturally when I sew, it would turn into a gentle curve, and it did. 

I made the pattern in half, because I couldn’t find enough paper.  I did use my stampin’ up graph paper to make my template.  I also added 1 inch to each measurement for the seam allowance.  Here is what the pattern cut looked like.

So I sandwiched everything like smart mama said to do, but I had a problem.

I was not getting the gathering around the legs.  This could be a big problem, I do not want little poops falling out around the house.  I was thankful, my husband decided to get involved and inspect the example and mine.  I had even attempted to add elastic to the inside with a zig-zag stitch to get more gather, but it seemed as though the elastic could not over power the vinyl strength.  I thought I was doomed for leak control! Then we figured it out and got the seam ripper out!

Instead of zig-zag stitching the entire length of the 1/4 inch elastic at the legs of crouch, I could just stitch the ends and let the middle part be unattached.  So I did and this is what happened!

What a difference!  Me and my husband sat in shock before bed.  It worked!  Now, I know I took the adventure to make something, but sometimes I have no idea if it is going to work.  This is one of those times, I really had no idea.  I still need to add velcro to the front and make the flaps to stick it.  I am going to head to JoAnns today with another 50% coupon to see if they have the softer velcro called Aplix.

Now let me gloat here!  I just love how cute it is!!!!  Look at the other one, pretty plain.  I have a few with cars on them, but nothing very girlie.  I am also excited that I did not have to pay a fortune to buy flannel and because I have so much of it, I plan to use my extra cotton stash to make the outer protective part and give it some cute distinction.  I do believe that the vinyl and this velcro are going to become a staple to my closet.  I am also happy to find a new use for all these little scraps.  Just wait until I make a few pairs of booties!  Ohh, and the flannel inside, is just lovely in texture.

What I am realizing is that I might need to make a few more for the next size up.  #3 is potty training but uses about 5-7 a day and #2 still needs 1 at night.  Well when you have 10 diapers, you are often reverting back to a disposable.  So I think I am going to get on to making the next size up, as soon as they are clean.

Let me know of your experience!  If you are one of my locals and would like to make some, lets get together and I will show you step by step.  I was even imagining race cars and dinosaurs, but I do not have a boy coming.

~trish