My 3rd dipe is a disaster and I'm in need of advice:

[SugrMagMama]

Okay.. my 1st dipe turned out a-okay.. just needed some tweaking... my 2nd dipe isn't even worth mentioning : .. my 3rd dipe is officially a disaster . It all has to do with sewing in the elastic and then sewing on the outer layer of the diaper.

The elastic just doesn't seem to stay "stretchy" after I sew on the outer layer and when sewing the outer layer it becomes lopsided and either too long on one side and too short on the other..

THIS ELASTIC STEP IS A KILLER....

can someone please : please : please : give me some advice as to how to deal with my 2 probs?

Many thanks!

[peverroad]

I don't know if it will help but i will tell you what i do. I take the inside layer and sew the soaker on and the i the inside and outside layers sew them together with the pritty sides in. Then i sew my elastic in about 1/4 in from my seams. Then i flip and sew the hole. If i top stick i do it everywhere but where the elastic is you can also sew in closer you don't sew the elastic
Hope that helps

[JunebugsMom]

How are you sewing on the elastic?

There are several ways you can do it, but here's what I do (with polybraid or cotton swimsuit elastic)--
I tack the elastic down at the first spot, then attach it with a 3-step zig zag (stretching it as much as I can as I go along) and then tack it down again at the second spot. I make sure not to sew through the elastic when I stitch all pieces together or when topstitching.
HTH!

[boscopup]

What style of diaper are you trying to do? If it's turned and topstitched, you should try sewing the body pieces together, leaving a small hole (big enough to turn the diaper rightside out again). Apply your elastic to the seam allowance - stretch it as FAR as you possibly can while sewing it. Then turn the diaper rightside out again and topstitch the areas you want to. Do NOT topstitch through the elastic. You can go around the elastic, but be careful not to catch the elastic.

The only time I sew elastic before sewing body pieces together is when I'm doing a serged diaper, and for that, I just have to stretch my fabric out while I'm serging it all closed.