Making your own cloth diapers and diaper covers (sewing & knitting) - Page 2 « Back to Group Discussions

[gurl8203]

You gals have inspired me! I never thought about knitting my own wool soakers. I am just a beginning knitter though, much more experienced with crochet. Luckily I found a couple of cute crochet patterns on Ravelry to try. I'm so excited!

[zeeohee]

I came across this mama's awesome site where she reviews different newborn patterns as her son grows: http://mamakatdiapers.blogspot.com/

I made one of the diapers that seemed to work well for her for a long time, the Tighty Whitey Hipster...SO ridiculously cute.  I have a couple more patterns printed out that I want to try. It seems a *little* silly to sew newborn diapers that might only be good for a couple months, but they're so tiny and quick to whip up and I'm using old t-shirts so it's a frugal project. Plus it satisfies the baby crafting urge without adding to the future pile of clothes that I know is going to be huge, between hand-me-downs and grandparents...!

Most of my crafty energy these days is going into a blanket I'm knitting, though. Anyone else working on any crafty/diaper projects? 

[wrenmoon]

Well. I have a few things to post pictures of but the cell is too slow today. I spent a lot of time cruising around that blog. Whew! DH is printing out patterns today and I'm looking at snap setting tools online.... Thanks for the inspiration to get that going. I don't have a serger, so that will change the shape of what I make, but I'm going to give it a try with less bulky material.

I've knitted a few diaper covers an am trying to find a free pattern for a no drawstring waistband- still experimenting with writing my own. And a pair of leg warmers that are a little girlie but so quick and satisfying to make that I couldn't resist.
Next I think will be diapers- newborn and smalls and then a bunch of longies for the winter- we live in a yurt and it gets cold at night. And then, and then, and then. So many things to make!
Is anyone a quilter here? I have a slight problem with that too.

[wrenmoon]

Oh, and I found the Fern and Fairie recycled blue jean diaper pattern, I guess they sell on etsy now. It's $15 (!!!) they are cute but. yikes.

[zeeohee]

I don't have a serger, either, but I find that using a walking foot makes sewing knits sooo easy!  I have been turning+topstitching the t-shirt diapers, and haven't had a problem at all.

 I also splurged on a snap-setting tool -- found one on ebay for $20 and could not resist. Those little snaps are so adorable. I never thought I would feel this way about *diapers*, but eeeee!

I am a very beginning quilter (just finished my first large project in August for my brother's wedding), but I've been looking for the pattern that speaks to me for this baby. Nothing is grabbing my fancy, so I just keep knitting away....

I would love to see your projects current and future, wrenmoon! I should get on the ball and take some photos, too.

[zeeohee]

I went and looked at the blue jean diaper, too --  why not just use any diaper pattern and make the outer layer out of blue jeans? Those look like they're bound with fold-over elastic, which I think I would skip, though the look is cute. I have a TON of my partner's old jeans lying around, so I may just try that myself :)

[wrenmoon]

Diaper covers and leg warmers in progress...

[talldarkeyes]

Those look great wrenmoon! I just used the same yarn you are using on your leg warmers to make socks for my mom.

ETA: I am really hesitant to spend the time knitting soakers when the hand knit ones don't work as well. I think I might just buy the disana covers since I only plan on using them at night. Any other baby essentials I should knit?

[heyitskalista]

Oh my goodness! Loving all these pictures!!!! Love, love, love the leg Warmers! I have to finish up a pair of Longies and Easter sweaters for the girls and then I am on to baby stuff! I've started rounding up patterns and looking at wool. I can't wait!

I'm going to do booties and hats. Even though its going to be summer, the air conditioning can get quite cold. A few soakers and shorties, a sweater or two for evenings. And now I have to add leg Warmers to the list! .

I'll sew up a few kimono shirts too.

Im planning on doing quilts for each of the kids on e we figure out room arrangements!

Yikes. I need more time to get it all done!

[harmonious]

Wow these things are all so cute! Question for you moms hand making all these things-when do you have time to do this? Are you working outside the home? I'm not finding any time to finish up some baby quilts that I've started pre pregnancy or my most pressing project of converting some jeans to maternity jeans. But I leave the house at 6:30am and am not home til 7pm on a normal day so it's all I can do to make dinner and pack lunch for me and DH before calling it a day. Would love tips for fitting in more craft time!
Ps - as a ftm I also have NO idea what sort of diaper accessories I might even need! Yikes!

[heyitskalista]

I am a stay at home mom. But we have 3 kids, a dog an we homeschool so there isn't much in the way of free time during the day! Lol

We don't have tv so that's where my free time comes from. I knit in the evenings mostly. I also keep a project in my bag for when we are out or in the car (and hubby is driving). Sewing happens on the weekends usually. When the kids are outside or in the workshop with daddy.

It's hard to find time but I am intentional about making time for crafting because its good for my sanity!

[zeeohee]

Those legwarmers are awesome, wrenmoon! I am a *very* newbie knitter, but I would love to tackle a more complicated project if it was something so cute and tiny. Is there a pattern you can link us to?

harmonious, I'm a farmer so I'm lucky to have a long, snowy winter in which to make things. If I were having a winter baby I don't know if I could be so ambitious! I certainly doubt I'd be knitting a blanket, but the diaper sewing is pretty quick and fun. But I think I'd make time to craft like kalista, because I just need to for my mental health :)

[harmonious]

heyitskalista - I think no TV probably helps.  My DH likes to unwind by watching tv in the evening, and I like to be around him rather than sewing in another room (I usually only pull out the machine on weekends). I need to keep a knitting project nearby the couch, or my quilts which just need binding, so I can keep my hands busy while watching and it won't be totally mindless!  I'll try that as a goal this week!

[wrenmoon]

I am also a stay at home mom-homeschooling with no tv. But I can knit while watching a movie. I am also one who must make things to stay sane, so some weekend days I go into mass production mode, and after the kids go to bed in the evenings I start working while DH watches a movie. My hands are never, ever empty. I get teased about it quite a bit, little bits of knitting or quilts that need binding are everywhere.

[mamagnome]

You ladies are making me jealous of your knitting prowess!  Alas, my knitting skills so far are limited to nice, flat scraves. ;)  However, I am determined to at least knit a hat for my little one.  There are some good instructions in my seven year old's kids' knitting book. :)

Anyhow, it's nice to hear of others who will be making their own cloth diapers.  I used Fuzzi Bunz and Haute Pockets for my older two, which were pretty good, (and I definitely got my money's worth having used them for two kids), but for this little guy, I'm leaning towards prefolds and covers.

I read somewhere that someone was wondering why not to use flannel on the outside layer:  it's because a Snappy won't hold onto flannel well.  So, I'm planning to use the t-shirt knit on the outer layer.  Supposedly, the Snappy will grab onto that fabric better.

Has anyone actually used their homemade diapers before?  I'm just wondering about the absorbency of the t-shirt knit material and how many layers to use in the middle of the diaper.

Also, I hear a fleece liner works well for night time use as it wicks the dampness away from baby's bottom.  It seemed to work pretty well in the purchased diapers I've used anyway.

If anyone is interested, I have four links that look pretty good for making your own prefolds.  Here they are:

http://fernandfaerie.com/sewing_prefolds.html

http://verybaby.com/sew-a-prefold-diaper-the-real-way/

http://webpages.charter.net/rhamley/diapers/diapertext1.htm

http://diapersewing.wordpress.com/2006/12/08/diy-prefold-diapers/

Are any of you using purchased covers?  I'm looking at theThirsties Duo Wrap Snap ones.  I like snaps better than velcro and these look decent enough.  I figure if I make the prefolds myself than I can justify buying a handful of these.

[zeeohee]

I started out making a couple prefolds out of t-shirts, but now I'm making fitteds based on a lot of recommendations from other folks on what type of diaper they like best for newborns + the fact that I feel like I get a better return on my time investment for fitteds. Plus I think they're cuter all lined up ^__^

The blog I linked ^^ up there has a post talking about absorbency of various materials she used in sewing up her newborn stash. She shoots for 11 oz of absorbency, but that seems like soooo much to me.  Of course, I don't have any personal experience with homemade diapers, but I'm hoping to err on the side of making them too thin and needing doublers in favor of quick-drying diapers. Do you think this is a good way to go, or a recipe for insanity?

I am making some wool covers/soakers, but I'll probably buy a handful of purchased PUL covers...the Thirsties Duo is also the one I have my eye on.

[harmonious]

I've seen a lot of mention if PUL here and actually now know what it is after happening in it at Joann Fabrics this weekend. Now i will re-read the posts with that knowledge. Has anyone sewn with it? What do you think? What do you make? Seems a changing pad would be super easy, and I saw a pattern for a PUL lined diaper bag but is that lining necessary? I have another pattern I wanted to make but it's more of a tote bag (Amy Butler pattern) without a waterproof lining. Is that practical? Maybe just make a PUL bag for dirty diaps to go inside?

Ps- prepped two blanket bindings this weekend, ready for hand sewing during the evenings this week. Thanks for inspiring me! I'll post pics when they are done 😉

[Eilis]

Thanks, Mamagnome, for explaining why not to use flannel on outside of prefolds (because snappis don't like flannel). A mystery solved! :)

As for me, I think I'm going to sew my own prefolds, and then purchase fitteds from Green Mountain Diapers, then just see which I like better. Reason: I don't want to go to the trouble of sewing fitteds. Prefolds seem so much easier to sew, and will be a great use for our huge stash of old tshirts.
 

[heyitskalista]

I've heard PUL can be tricky to sew with but I've never tried it. I believe a friend of mine said a walking foot is a must!

I'm finishing up a knitted soaker for the baby. I should be finishing Easter sweaters but I couldn't resist! Plus it's tiny so it only took a few hours!

[wrenmoon]

From the website with all the cover reviews, baabaababy?
Needs snaps.