What recycled materials do you/have you used?

[Shaunam]

Hi! This is my first post on this board!

DS has outgrown all of our aio's and pockets (we still have prefolds but he is sooo wiggly ) and we are extremely strapped for cash, so I need to learn to make diapers. My mom is coming to visit for christmas and she is going to help with the technical sewing stuff since I don't have a lot of experience.

I bought some stuff from diapershop-a yard of pul, a yard of microfleece, and some aplix and elastic.

But I'm going to need a lot more than that to make a decent amount of diapers, so I'm rummaging through the house looking for stuff to use. I found a nice fleece pullover that will serve better as a couple of pockets or aio's. I have some old towels that I don't feel guilty cutting up and using as soaker pads (and I'm thankful now that I've never justified spending money for fabric softener). I found some more elastic and some velcro (name-brand) but not sure how well it will work. I have a couple of t-shirts I can use.

I'm also going to go to goodwill after christmas and look for coats made with pul.

What else could I be looking for?

[beepsmnms]

Use your old towels to make diaps too, not just to make soakers. Also, when looking for coats with pul FYI the pul on coats is a heavier weight than the PUL you order online. I didn't know this until I actually received my PUL from OSDS. Both have worked well but I only have used the coats as covers and not AIO's. I found some old hooded baby towels I'm going to turn into snappiable diapers today. You can turn receiving blankets in to flat folds OR prefolds and even turn prefolds into fitteds. Don't forget to get some old wool sweaters to make longies and covers out of too. HTH

[JLav]

I'd look for receiving blankets, towels (the hooded towels are great becasue they are usually knit), t-shirts (sometimes Goodwill/Salvation Army will sell t-shirts by the bag if they are ripped or stained, it's worth asking about), sweatshirts (at least 80% cotton), flannel or jersey sheets, wool sweaters, wool flannel shirts/skirts/pants (use 2 layers to make a cover), bathrobes, pillow cases, heavyweight fleece pullovers and jackets (if you can find them cheap and don't feel too bad about cutting them up). While you're looking at second hand stores for stuff to make into diapers don't forget to look for diapers, I've found quite a few decent diapers and covers at second hand stores especially kids resale stores.
I hope you have fun!

[Shaunam]

Thanks!

I forgot that I had hooded baby towels. I've been using regular sized towels on DS for months and I put those little ones away with the clothes he outgrew.

I already cut up all my receiveing blankets to turn into newborn/infant diapers for a baby that doesn't even exist yet. I think I'm going to practice on those before I get started on the *real* stuff.

I looked at some new coats while we were out shopping last night and it did seem like pretty thick pul. Was it more difficult/tricky to sew?

[3bees~1flower]

definitely hit Goodwill/Salvation Army. the other day i found a HUGE heavy duty white flannel sheet for $1.99. i also found a really nice heavy double layer knit blanket that i got two dieapers and some soakers out of. flannel is very easy to find at thrift stores.

oh and for a super easy pattern...i bought and have only ever used a KWIK Sew pattern from any fabric store that carries Kwik Sew patterns. i believe it's pattern #2062.

[beepsmnms]

No it was actually easier to me to sew the heavier weight PUL than the new pul i got, but neither was horribly hard. Be sure to look in the tags of the coats to see that they say polyurethane in it before you buy it.

Ps: I had no clue kwik sew had a cloth diaper pattern.

[tuffykenwell]

Here is a really good link for using recycled materials!

Diapering on the Cheap

Steph

[3bees~1flower]

Originally Posted by beepsmnms

Ps: I had no clue kwik sew had a cloth diaper pattern.

beepsmnms....it's the only patteren i have ever used...very basic and simple, yet very effective.