My first attempt was a disaster!

[Shaunam]

I'm just laughing my butt off right now. I'm so embarrassed I can't even post a pic. I attempted to make a fitted diaper with almost no sewing experience. I made the pattern myself and let's just say it didn't quite turn out the way I was hoping.

There is not even close to enough material in the booty area. The rise is way too big, mostly because I didn't pull the elastic tight enough. This caused the leg openings to be HUGE. My DS has 13 inch thighs. These legs are at least 16 inches on the smallest setting.

The sewing isn't too bad. If I just tweak the pattern it will probably be alright. I'm just glad I started on t-shirt material and not the pul I bought.

[shalena]

My first try was terrible too. I saved it and look at it every now and then and laugh.
I'm a lot better now, the first one was a good learning experience, I figured out alot about elastic, the way the material moves/fits, etc.

Good luck on your next!

[boscopup]

Oh, my first diaper had the same booty!!! Also from a pattern I drafted. I think it's because I used those pattern drafting instructions, but with measurements that had a wider waist and shorter rise, so just making a random, symmetric curve was not a good idea in this case! I had to really make the booty alot wider. It took me about 3 revisions to get it to where I really wanted it, but only the first one just isn't useable. When you measure rise on your child, make sure you measure with NO diaper on - that might have been your problem there?

For elastic, there are two problems you can run into. One is not stretching it enough. If you're using polybraid, stretch it as FAR as you can. You won't break it. The only elastic you can't do that with is Lastin (the clear stuff). Also, if you're doing a casing, make sure you do NOT catch the elastic when topstitching through that area. That will cause it to not retract in the places you caught.

I recommend taking some scraps of the materials you plan to use, and practice putting in elastic. It can be short pieces (like 3 inches unstretched). I have a few of these running around... fleece and flannel with elastic, PUL and cotton print with elastic, etc, etc. By using scraps, I was able to figure out elastic. One time it just suddenly clicked and I did it right! Although, when I do a casing, I do NOT put the elastic in first and then sew the casing around the elastic. I sew the casing first, leaving the ends open, then thread my elastic through with a safety pin and tack it down on both ends. MUCH easier to get it right every time.

[Shaunam]

Ok, now I'm even more embarrassed! I was looking at my pattern to see what I could change to fix it and the rise is 21 inches! It's supposed to be 19. I must have been tired/distracted when I drew the pattern. I don't know what I was thinking.

So, if the rise HAD been 19 and I pulled the elastic a little tighter, this would have been a perfectly good diaper (as a pee-catcher, but not so much a poo-catcher).

I'm definitely keeping it so I can look at it now and again to see my progress.

[beepsmnms]

Weren't you told? You HAVE to show us all your first diaper, its and MDC rule. That way we can give you our maybe not so wanted in put. LOL.. Just kidding. I thinke everyones first diapers were a disaster, and in my case, my first second third... and even now i screw some up royally.

[StrawHatBrat]

You've gotta show us!