Issues with snaps on jersey?....Anyone?

[she]

I've roped myself into making a bunch of dipes for a friend...

I was going to go with flannel, but she wants one sized, and I can't imagine flannel would last 2 years. So, now I'm thinking cotton jersey, but she wants snaps...

I would assume that snaps on a knit (w/o a stabilizer) would be a disaster, the hole could loosen, it could cause runs... especially with on a dipe thats being washed a zillion times and manhandled. And there's no way I'm fusing every layer of the dipe... BUT 3 or 4 layers of jersey are pretty stable, they don't stretch as much as 1 or 2, so it might work, but I'm not willing to chance it without a little reassurance.

So does anyone have experience with long term use of a knit diaper w/snaps?

[she]

anyone use snaps on knit fabrics?

[judybean]

Cotton interlock should be just like jersey, right? I'm *so* not 'up' with fabric terminology... I know only what I need to know for diaper-making :

If so (and I'm assuming they're similar since the interlock feels just like a heavyweight t-shirt)... then a couple of layers should hold up well, I would think.

I have one fitted in particular that I'm pretty sure I only used jersey for in the body layers. I have a tendency to make diapers out of whatever I have around and throw layers together willy-nilly, so I can't always recall what's on the inside of the diaper... but.. I'm fairly certain that one orange diaper in particular is made of all interlock. It's a side-snapping diaper and gets used every other day (or basically whenever it's clean). But, I must add that this is a diaper I made for Lucy, so it's been in rotation for less than a month... so take my experience for what it's worth! But it really does look great and I don't have any issues at all around the snaps.

[boscopup]

I haven't used jersey, but when I use hemp french terry and sherpa and velour (all knits), my snaps hold up fine through two layers IF I don't kill the fabric applying them too hard with my overpowered arbor press. Those are all thicker fabrics than jersey, but you could also put a strip of anything along where the snaps are (suedecloth, flannel, more jersey) to help stabilize it. That's what I do when I do hidden snaps, so I still have 2 layers for the snaps to go through. For the jersey, you might want more than 2 layers.

[she]

thanks!

I might end up using cotton fleece, I really can't make up my mind

I made a few already (without any fasteners,yet) of 3 layers of jersey, plus a soaker pad, and they seem pretty stable.... I would hate having to but a layer of woven in there to stabilize and lose was little stretch there's left...

hum... I guess it really depend on how well they'll wear through all the washing...


Judybean, you're right, interlock and jersey are very similar and both are used for making t-shirts etc... They are both knit fabrics, interlock is a bit thicker and has 2 right sides, where jersey is thinner, more stretchy and has a right side and a wrong side.

[amberthesugarcat]

If you use any cotton fabric inside to stabilize the hidden snaps, then you would have to zigzag/serge the edges of the stabilizer, right? I would prefer to use something that does not fray, but I am trying to make all cotton pockets. Is there any cotton fabric out there you don't have to serge?

[boscopup]

I don't usually finish the edges when inside a fitted, but for a pocket, it could possibly fray. Do you have any microfleece or suedecloth? If you just put a small strip in the snap area, they won't fray and won't really be a bulky thing or anything. I usually use a strip of hemp in my fitteds, and you can't tell it's there. Something like suedecloth would be even less noticeable. And it's not like you need the absorbancy of that small strip.

[boingo82]

I put snaps through knits all the time, no problems here. There are always at least 3 layers in the part i'm putting them through though, and if you smash the snaps on hard enough (we are talking plastic snaps not the crappy metal ones right?) they will not allow the fabric to ravel at all.

[she]

a stabilizer could be as easy as a strip of the same jersey cut cross grain, won't fray, but won't stretch either.

I think I'll go for it, on the three layers, as is. I won't be putting on the snaps myself, but I can ask to have them put on tight.

[judybean]

I would think that having at least three layers of jersey would be great You'll have to update us if it doesn't work out (or heck, even if it does!)

[amberthesugarcat]

Originally Posted by she

a stabilizer could be as easy as a strip of the same jersey cut cross grain, won't fray, but won't stretch either.

I think I'll go for it, on the three layers, as is. I won't be putting on the snaps myself, but I can ask to have them put on tight.

If you cut it cross grain it does not fray? I did not know that. I would just put a poly fabric to back them, but I was trying to have only cotton in my diapers. But I don't know if a tiny bit of microfleece in the wings would be that much of a deal, esp. when it is hidden...

[she]

jersey doesn't fray anyway, it runs, but that wouldn't matter on the inside of a diaper. By cutting it crossgrain, your placing the direction of stretch perpendicular to the stretch in the body of the diaper. Because jersey (w/o spandex/lycra) doesn't stretch lengthwise, your preventing the piece from stretching at all.

[JLav]

I haven't had any problem with the snaps on my jersey diapers, and they just have 2 layers in the wings. I made the diapers from old t-shirts and they work great, no runs or rips in the wings!