Raise your hands...

[Abbyloos Mommy]

If you have a normal sewing machine and no serger.

Now, raise your hands if you've ever tried a faux serge on a diaper with your normal sewing machine, have you done the zig zag as tight as it can go, and how did it turn out after washing? Any stray threads sticking out? I've experimented with this on my external soakers and boosters, and when I have the zig zag as tight as possible it seems to turn out ok after washing. But a diaper and a booster are very different!

[happeeevraftr]

Good question. I just did it for post partum mamma pads, which I've been using as diaper doublers in the mean time, and haven't had any problems. I don't see why it'd be different on a diaper. My pads are 4-6 layers.

[brogansmomma]

I'm not sure I'd have the patience to do an incredibly tight zigzag. Wouldn't that take ages and tons of thread?? I don't have a serger (and haven't even sewn my first diaper yet!) but am soooo talking myself out of buying one. a) I can't afford one, even the cheapest one, b) I don't NEED one, and c) I don't NEED one. But it would be SO handy. I am hoping/planning to make/modify more of our clothes (modify for me and make for Brogan) so it's not like it would be a waste of money to get one...

No! Must resist!! Think of the house fund!

[boscopup]

While I do have a serger now, I made a faux-serged diaper with my sewing machine before I got the serger. There are pictures up here. I've also made mama pads and soakers this way. Everything has held up nicely. It's not pretty like a real serged edge, but it works and keeps the fabric from unraveling.

I didn't use a really tight zig-zag. I think it was set to a length of maybe 2 or 2.5? You can see space between the zig-zags in the pictures. Real serged diapers aren't really tight between the loops either, so that's why I did it that way.

You'll notice there is some curling of the fabric because I was using stretchy knits. A walking foot might have helped, but I don't have one.

Just make sure you have an extra bobbin wound and ready to go.

[amberthesugarcat]

I have done that and I have some wipes that I am still using 1 year later and they still look fine! The first wash or two you get threads, but I just trim them off and after that they look perfect. I actually prefer the look of that kind of serging over real serged diapers. I just hate the look of serged anything in fact! But I do the zigzag on some of my wipes.

[beepsmnms]

I've done this with several of my diapers. Like amber said, you get a few threads but thats it. It does'nt take that much longer IME.

[JunebugsMom]

I don't have a serger either. I zig zag (not super-tight) around the outside of my soakers and doublers and it works fine. I always turn and topstitch my actual diapers, though. I like the look of it.

[Sali]

I don't have a serger and have just made 2 or 3 diapers this way---I washed them once jsut for a trial and they held up OK, the loose threads weren't terrible, but I imagine if they got washed with some aplix hook that came apart from the laundry tabs they'd be in shreds so I went back to T&T to save myself postpartum hair pulling. They also looked a little scraggly...

[SabDoulaMommy]

I do have a serger, but it needs to be fixed, as it often skips loops. In these places, I run over it w/ a zig zag (anywhere from 1 - 2 stitch length) from my reg. machine. If you use same color thread, you can barely tell the difference unless you're looking for it.

(slightly ot: I WANTED my serger - WANTED it. My dh bought it for me for my bday 3 1/2 yrs ago. Since he picked it out, he got the 2nd most expensive one, w/ dials & lights, etc. . .Now there is no fix it shop in the town I live in that is experienced in the brand of serger I own, so over half of all the fancy stuff it's supposed to do doesn't work. If I had to do it again, I'd go for a simple one. I love my serger, but I realize that I don't NEED it!)

[Abbyloos Mommy]

thanks mamas i want a serger, but i would only use it for diapers! i would LOVE to get to a point that i'm good enough to open my own buz but no start up money, don't know if i'll ever be in a place that i will -- so i can't really justify buying one.

the only reason i REALLY REALLY want one, is cause i want to do woven aio's with hidden pul, so they wouldn't wick/leak

[Jes'sBeth]

I have access to a serger but only own a sewing machine. It's a fairly basic sewing machine though has some nice 'extra' stitches thrown in there that I find handy.

I LOVE my sewing machine. I like my neighbour's serger and find it really useful for the occasional project but I really don't need to own one. I wouldn't use it enough to justify buying one. I don't want to start my own business. I like the look of T&T diapers. I don't trust wovens over PUL. It's really nice to use one to convert all my prefolds but I really much prefer just to use one machine. Plus, I know my machine pretty well now and know how to whack it out of it's tempermental moods (I had to rethread 3 times last night!!! ) I don't have space for a serger either. When I had both machines, it was most useful to have them set up beside one another. Who has that much space?!? As it is I'm set up in the basement!

I did go through a phase where I really wanted a serger though so I'm really glad I could use my neighbours for a couple of weeks and really see what it's good for and what it's better to use my machine for.

[Sheena23]

I have a really old singer sewing machine that I use to fake serge as well. Although I used it for my AIO's so that I could have a hidden water proof layer. It seems to work okay for me. I do get a very small damp spot in the legs, but it rarely ever wicks to his clothes. Unless dh is watching him then he goes too long in it and wicks everywhere, happened twice yesterday!!! But it is a good diaper for 1 or 2 pees. I put my zigzag on 2.5.