Oh man, I'm such a dunce! Will this still work?

[happeeevraftr]

You know, I never used the word dunce until I started sewing diapers. Now that's the best adjective I can come up with to describe myself and all the dumb mistakes I make!

I am in the process of making a diaper--#4 (#3 was the total screwup that almost made me quit completly. Luckily I'm a bit bipolar and I'm already back to thinking I can do anything again!)

I was taking so much extra care to make this diaper PERFECT, as I think I have made the pattern just how I want it and everything. I don't own a serger, but I wanted this one to last, so after I straight stiched the 2 pieces together, I went back through and zigzagged it. THEN I turned it rightside out AND...

I realized I sewed the PUL on BACKWARDS!! Shiny side out! How did I not realize that this whole time I've been sewing it? (Maybe because I sewed PUL side down this time, when I've been doing suedecloth down before?) Ugh, I am so upset. If I hadn't zigzagged it, I would just take the stitching out and redo it. But I've spent SO much time on this--it takes me FOREVER because (I'm blaming my machine here...) my machine is so pathetic, something goes wrong with it about every 2 inches of sewing! I really need a new machine.

But enough venting... Will this diaper work still? I mean, I know it will look silly being all shiny on the outside, but will it still be waterproof? Please help--I need to know if it's worth it to keep going and just have a shiny diaper, or if I need to take all that stitching out!

TIA all you wonderful diaper making ladies!

[massaginmommy]

I don't know if it will still be waterproof. But, and maybe it's just me. I would rip the stitching out. Because it isn't a sewing project if you haven't had to use the ripper in my house.

[happeeevraftr]

LOL. Oh, trust me, my seam ripper is WELL used. I use it often. I didn't rip it out--I just went ahead and made it. I had already done elastic and everything. It looks kind of cool all shiny. I really just wanted to see how the pattern turned out. But I honestly don't think I'm going to be doing many more of these. (I know I know, I said that earlier today too. I'm so fickle!) It just takes so much time and the finished product isn't any where near what a WHAM can do. I think I've really learned to appreciate the work and skill involved in diaper making. Now I won't have such a hard time spending money diapers.

[underthebluerug]

I think it will still be waterproof. This is my humble opinion. From someone who has tried both sides out with Pro-Care.

Don't give up on diaper-making! You're only on #4? You're almost there! Meanwhile, they only need to be functional. And if you've come this far on a bad sewing machine, you should pat yourself on the back.:-))

[happeeevraftr]

Originally Posted by underthebluerug

Don't give up on diaper-making! You're only on #4? You're almost there! Meanwhile, they only need to be functional. And if you've come this far on a bad sewing machine, you should pat yourself on the back.:-))

Thank you! You know, every night after I finish one, I think, "I'm never doing this again" because it was so much work and frustration and the end result wasn't perfect. But by the next day, I'm back to thinking I can do it again! And today I tried on the diaper I made last night, and I love the fit. It even looks kind of cool with the shiny side out. She's wearing it right now, so we'll see how the waterproofness holds up. But man, I REALLY need a better sewing machine if I'm going to keep doing this. I think that's my biggest source of frustration!

[massaginmommy]

If you shop at Walmart (I know some don't) they have one this week for under $100 It's a Singer and it is $97.42 comes witha bonus book called "A Beginners Sewing Guide". Might be worth looking at. There is almost nothing worse than dealing with a bad machine. Well except for the dreaded ripper. :LOL

[underthebluerug]

Originally Posted by happeeevraftr

Thank you! You know, every night after I finish one, I think, "I'm never doing this again" because it was so much work and frustration and the end result wasn't perfect.!

Hoo-yeah... there's nothin' worse for the mood than a long sewing session with a non-satisfying ending!

Originally Posted by happeeevraftr

But by the next day, I'm back to thinking I can do it again! And today I tried on the diaper I made last night, and I love the fit. It even looks kind of cool with the shiny side out. She's wearing it right now, so we'll see how the waterproofness holds up.!

Yayy! I love to see new diaper sewers get hooked. It's ironic, but my favorite diapers among my son's homemade stash are actually the early mutants that I thought I'd messed up irreparably and that look funny in some way or other.

Originally Posted by happeeevraftr

But man, I REALLY need a better sewing machine if I'm going to keep doing this. I think that's my biggest source of frustration!

Life improved a LOT after I got a better machine. Sewing diapers is *very* hard on a lemon (especially if you aspire to WAHM-type dipes), and tends to lead to massive troubleshooting issues.

Not to contradict you, massaginmommy, but I would personally caution anyone who wants to do dipes against spending money on a cheapo machine. You do get what you pay for, IME. It would be so worth your while, if you could afford it, to invest in a well-built, mid-range quality one. Singers are no longer built of quality parts like they used to be. The current makers simply bought the name.

[Mickiswing]

I can sense your frustration

I'm sorry! I've done the same thing, so you're definitely not alone!

As far as it being waterproof, I'd assume that it would be. I'm not an experience cd'er or maker, but I have several cover patterns, and one of them says to put the PUL shiny side out, and then another says to do it shiny side in. It seems like they'd both work. Let us know what you find out.

I've made soooo many mistakes so far, but they've all been learning mistakes, and I'm finally to the point where I can actually make a diaper without ripping something out. (Knock on wood :LOL )

[happeeevraftr]

Well, she wore it today for 2.5 hours or more without a problem! I'll post pictures when I get a chance. I'm really up in the air right now about continuing to make diapers. If I don't, I have to buy a bunch, since Sariah grew out of all her mediums (each of which she wore maybe 4-5 times, if that!) But if I do, I really do need a better machine. And I'd like to get a snap press too, but that's really unlikely right now. I'm looking into machines now. I don't want to buy another cheap walmart one--that's what I have now and I hate it. But I really can't afford very much. I surely won't be saving any money by making diapers if I have to buy all this stuff. I mean, I guess I would in the long run (more kids) but with my daughter being 21 months and intersted in the potty--it won't even be worth it financially to buy a new stash of cd's. Sposies would actually be cheaper, but I don't really want to go that route. I can justify it by the fact that I want to have several kids and they can wear the dipes too.

So...that was a long way to say nothing! : I guess I just need to decide what to do. Diaper making takes so much time and frustration--but I think with more experience and a better machine, both of those problems will be lessened.

[stampingmom]

Sorry you are having so many problems, especially fighting with the machine but I don't think you should give up. I do know how you feel though. I haven't tried sewing actual diapers yet but I have tried doing elastic in prefolds and that was a joke!
I was just trying to stretch the elastic and sew each end down instead of sewing the whole elastic.... you don't know how many times I popped myself with the elastic, or how many times I was stretching the elastic having one end tacked down, just about to do the other side when I'd loose it. I must have stretched that elastic 100 times, when I finally managed to do it. Then one side came out better than the other side, since I somehow managed to get the elastic tighter on one side.

I definitely came to appreciate WAHMs and realized why diapers cost what they do.
But I'm not going to give up, I'm going to try to do my own diapers and this time sew the whole elastic.

Besides its just too much fun to dream about making diapers, what fabric to use, how to tweak the pattern, etc. to even think about stopping, right?

[underthebluerug]

Originally Posted by stampingmom

I was just trying to stretch the elastic and sew each end down instead of sewing the whole elastic.... you don't know how many times I popped myself with the elastic, or how many times I was stretching the elastic having one end tacked down, just about to do the other side when I'd loose it. I must have stretched that elastic 100 times, when I finally managed to do it. Then one side came out better than the other side, since I somehow managed to get the elastic tighter on one side.

(Thinking of my own learning curve in the beginning... Did you have to make us sound so.. so slapstick? :LOL )

Originally Posted by stampingmom

But I'm not going to give up, I'm going to try to do my own diapers and this time sew the whole elastic.

Go Kelli! Go Micki! Go Happeeevraftr! (Someone convince me to go back to my machine and stop procrastinating on finishing this frustrating pattern draft I'm working on... )

Originally Posted by stampingmom

Besides its just too much fun to dream about making diapers, what fabric to use, how to tweak the pattern, etc. to even think about stopping, right?

Yeah! Like, it ceases to be about saving money and the environment after a while! (I did *not* just admit that... )

Happeeevraftr, I understand your dilemma. Do you think you might get into sewing enough to use a new machine for things other than diapers? I make a lot of my kids' clothing, plus my own mama pads, nursing pads, and curtains, and some of my Christmas gifts for people.

And I got my second (*much* better) machine second-hand. I could never have afforded a new one, but a woman was willing to let me have hers for the price of repairs/servicing knowing it would go to a good home and be well used. Could you do some searching for a decent workhorse machine being sold second-hand? (*Hint*--People who are upgrading usually hang on to their old machines as back-ups or to keep in the family. Good machines are frequently put up for sale by those who never really got into using them. The bonus is that then they don't have much wear and tear on them!)

My disclaimer: Disregard my encouragement if you are a potential fabricoholic.

[happeeevraftr]

I really would like to sew more than just diapers. I've already made very simple valances for our living room, and a baby blanket. I'd like to do more of that. I don't know about clothes--it sounds great, but I'm afraid I'd never be able to make something worthy of wearing! I attempted a skirt a couple years ago and the thing is sitting in a drawer half done because I got so frustrated with it. I realize now that much of my problem was my machine--I was using sheer fabric and it just did not work.

I am going to really research machines. I don't know a lot about them, but it seems there are many cool features that would make my problems disappear. I really can't afford a nice one new, but maybe I can find a used one. I was reading a Consumer Reports article about them, and now I *really* like the idea of an electronic one that automatically adjusts tension and tells you which stitches to use! But I could never afford one. I guess I'll have to look around for something used.

The problem is, what do I do for right now? I hate to spend a bunch of money on a new stash of diapers when she's just going to potty train soon, and if I'm going to buy a sewing machine.

Aaak. And then there's convincing the purchasing department (read: husband). He's not too stingy but we are tight on money.