This is hard!!

[Summertime Mommy]

I started trying to sew my first diaper today, and it is hard!! I didn't expect it to be easy, but wow. The stupid thing is so thick that I keep bending the needles, and I just realized I sewed a straight pin into the corner of it. I also can't figure out how to get the elastic sewn in right, it doesn't bunch bac up properly, it bunches a little, but not much. Can anyone please give me some advice? I am going to go out and buy stronger needles tonight or tomorrow.

[summerdgo]

I totally hear where you're coming from! I am a very experienced sewer, and I am stumbling through diaper making.

Are you using a pattern? If so, which one?

If your elastic is not bunching up enough, it may be too long of a piece, or possibly old or poor quality that doesn't hold its shape. Maybe try a different method? I hate casings and prefer to sew in my elastic with a running zig-zag.

When you buy stronger needles, be careful - too large of a needle can leave holes in your fabric that can tear. Bent needles can also be caused by tugging on the fabric. If it is too thick and doesn't feed easily (so that you have to tug it) see if you can adjust your foot pressure or feed dog height.

If you're still worrying about that pin, push the point through the fabric onto the outside as far as you can and use wire cutters to cut it off. Pulling the head through will probably make a hole, and if you can cut it short enough, the head of the pin trapped inside shouldn't be a problem.

And can I share with you what one of my brilliant children said to me? "It'll covered up by his clothes-who cares what it looks like?"

[reeseccup]

How are you at present applying the elastic, what kind ect..

how many layers of what kind of fabric?

are you turning and topstitching or serging/faux serging?

what kind of machine do you have? name brand/model?

details are needed for trouble shoothing

as the pp said, the bent/broken needles sound like you are tugging/pulling on the fabric, are you able to adjust your feed dogs or the hight of your pressure foot?

are you able to adjust your tension as well?

if you can't adjust anymore, your best bet is to make your diapers with less layers with the machine you have.

[Summertime Mommy]

Thanks for the advice. I figured out I can't raise the foot at all, which is crappy, but I have decide to start over on the diaper anyway. DH is helping me (he can sew better than I can) make a new one. I also figured out the problem with my needle was that it wasn't positioned right. Anyways thanks for the advice.

[kathryn5kids]

You know what was a laughter when I first started to sew my diapers. I thought my diaper was too thick to put under the foot. But my machine with the foot already raised just a tiny bit higher when I pushed the foot bar up. Does that make since? It raises just enough for the fabric to go under the foot and the it drops back down to it's normal raised position. The lady at Hancock showed me this: I was laughing so hard saying well I guess you can tell I'm a newbie. She was like no problem I'll see you soon! HA, HA1
You know I also remember this advise from a lady who professional made diapers, she told me it's not the thickness that counts, it's the most absorbent fabrics to put with the diaper. She was saying if the diaper was too thick the baby looks like a big butt (hard to fit in clothes or looks weird) and may be uncomfortable due to the thickness, You can always add liners for more absorbency.
Hope I helped! Kathryn