Getting better! *More pictures*

[happeeevraftr]

All pictures and details here: http://happilyevraftr.blogspot.com/2...aper-post.html

Well, with all of your help, I have finally made a diaper I like.

I was really afraid of the blindstitch method of sewing in the elastic, but I didn't like it only sewn to one layer--I guess because of my need for things to be even and to look the same on both sides, so I overcame my fear of trying something hard and practiced it. It was really tricky, but I figured out a good stitch length and width (my machine doesn't have an actual 3 step zigzag, so I have to adjust something called a running stitch), and set my machine at half speed, and it actually turned out pretty well. One side might be a little less tight than the other, but it's not as bad as it looks in the pictures.

I still had problems with the soaker pad. I sewed it just to the top and to the inner layer only, but I did back the the inner layer with some woven fabric, to hopefully prevent holes in the sherpa. I don't know why it ended up lopsided. I guess I'm just sloppy, no matter how much I measure. I also had a hard time figuring out where to put it. I didn’t want it to interfere with the back elastic, but putting it much lower makes it hang over the front edge. I don’t think it will be a problem when it’s on though.
Maybe I should just make lay in soakers. I just don’t want to have to worry about finding so many pieces, and I’m afraid someone might put the diaper on without the soaker and end up with a very wet lap! But then I wouldn’t have to worry about placement, or holes, or attaching a stabilizing fabric first. It would save a lot of time. Hmm.. it’s becoming a more attractive option.

Here it is without the crossover tab closed. I think it is so cute and girly with the baby pink stitching.

So I need to make 30 of these. This would be so much faster if I had a serger!

If you click on the link at the top, it links to the post on my blog that has all these pictures, and some more of the trial diaper I made from knit fabric. I also posted some pictures of the wool soakers I crocheted awhile ago for my toddler. (If you click the top link, you'll be able to see all the pictures at once, and there are more than I linked to here.)

Thank you all SOOO Much for your time and patience with me! I couldn't have done this without your help. I'm so excited now. I really enjoy sewing diapers. Now I just have to work out a plan to get 24 of these done--take all the materials over to my mom's house and use her big long table to cut everything; Bring them back here and sew on all elastic and touchtape; then hopefully go to my friend's house and borrow her serger to serge it all together. I think I am going to go with a lay in soaker pad. Then I don't have to worry about having them serged before they're sewn in, so I can do it all at once. And I can use them as doublers in bigger diapers. I really kind of enjoy putting diapers together out of the laundry, and I think if I do that, it won't be too difficult for husband and grandparents to figure it out.

[happeeevraftr]

I forgot to mention, if anyone has suggestions for improvement of either the pattern or the way I'm doing something, or anything, please let me know before I start cutting out 2 dozen of these! I traced a VB diaper and then did quite a bit of work to get everything even--man, it so would have been worth it to just buy the pattern! (And I might just buy it to do the other sizes). But I'm totally open to suggestions and advice!

[discojoy]

I agree that the blind stitching method looks prettier. I never thought of trying that until you mentioned it the other day. Then I ran in my sewing room and tried it. It was tricky at first, but after a few tries, it wasn't that hard at all, and it REALLY speeds up the process because I don't have to pin the diaper at all.
So thanks for mentioning it, you've changed my life!

[boscopup]

Looks great! And they're so teeny tiny!!!!!!

Btw, when the diaper is laying out flat, the soaker will overhang the front of the diaper, but when you put it on the baby, it all works out, since the leg area stretches. I do placement of the soaker before sewing the elastic in, and that makes it easier to figure out where it goes.

This picture shows a VB fitted diaper with the soaker sticking out. And this picture shows the same diaper actually on my son. I don't like the tall tabs, but otherwise, it's a great pattern. I prefer the VB AIO pattern though (you can make fitteds from it too, of course). Just fits my son better.

[happeeevraftr]

Wow, the AIO does fit your son well. And those tabs are really tall on the fitted. But I've seen pictures of other babies where they didn't look too tall. Guess it just depends on the baby, which of course, is useless for me since mine's in utero and not really available as a mannequin right now! It looks good even on your son in every other way though.. So maybe if it does that on my baby I could just chop off the bottom of the wing and taper it down to meet the elastic. I bet that wouldn't be too hard to do, even after it's sewn.

I actually had the AIO pattern at one point, when I first attempted sewing diapers for Sariah. But I just used it as a jumping off point, mainly for size, and changed it so much, I felt like I shouldn't have spent the money on the pattern. So I traded it, since I didn't really use it. You can see some of the diapers I attempted to make almost a year ago on my blog here and here. I wasn't making a traditional AIO--I was doing the DaisyDoodle/BeccaBottoms style where it's just a layer of PUL and suedecloth in the body, and all the absorbency is in the soaker pad. But I've since done a total turn around with fabrics. I really don't like microfiber (especially if it's not completely hidden in the diaper), and I don't really want to use suedecloth or microfleece so much either.

Anyway, because I changed the pattern so much and didn't really use it, I didn't want to go through that again. But I'd heard so many good things about the VB fitted for newborns--the fit is great, and they can often wear them for up to 12 lbs or more. And since I don't have a newborn to try them on, I don't really have any way to know how I would want the pattern adjusted.

But it was sooo much work to trace a diaper made from the pattern, then try to match that up with the measurements I had, and try to get everything straight and even, including elastic placement and touch tape... and that was only one size! I am very tempted to buy the pattern to do the other sizes. But maybe I should see if I like the way it fits on my baby before I do the other sizes. Although I guess I might want to do smalls at least, in case I don't feel like sewing right after birth. Or in case I have a really big baby who never fits these newborns! That would be tragic considering all the work I'm doing on them. But Sariah was only 6'9, and she was still only 9'6 at 2 months. I can't remember after that, but I don't think she hit 12 lbs until 4 or 5 months. So hopefully this baby will wear these newborns for at least 3 months. But maybe I'm being optimistic...and unrealistic!

Discojoy, I have found it is much easier to do the blind method now than when I first started. I think getting the stitch length and width right really helped. And slowing down. But maybe it just takes a couple times to get the hang of it. I think it actually turned out better on the practice diaper I did before the sherpa one. Maybe that was because of the different fabric though. Anyway, I really do like it sewn to both sides better.

Boy, I am longwinded. Sorry!

[Kari_mom]

Your test diapers look great!

But Sariah was only 6'9, and she was still only 9'6 at 2 months. I can't remember after that, but I don't think she hit 12 lbs until 4 or 5 months. So hopefully this baby will wear these newborns for at least 3 months. But maybe I'm being optimistic...and unrealistic!

I'll share my experience with babies. My daughter, my first baby, weighed 6lbs,3oz at birth. I expected my next baby to be a little bigger - he was 9lbs, 3oz. That is almost 50% more baby! The next two were also over 9 lbs at birth. My last baby is the only one I CDed from birth, he was in mediums at 3 months and larges at 12 months, and is back in mediums from around 13 months.

[happeeevraftr]

I'll share my experience with babies. My daughter, my first baby, weighed 6lbs,3oz at birth. I expected my next baby to be a little bigger - he was 9lbs, 3oz. That is almost 50% more baby! The next two were also over 9 lbs at birth. My last baby is the only one I CDed from birth, he was in mediums at 3 months and larges at 12 months, and is back in mediums from around 13 months.

Oh great! Thanks for knocking me out of my fantasy world of thinking I can predict everything. I needed a reality shock.

[Jayneysews]

Originally Posted by happeeevraftr

Oh great! Thanks for knocking me out of my fantasy world of thinking I can predict everything. I needed a reality shock.

Well ,all my three so far have been 9lb at birth an carried on packing on the weight!
So I am not bothering with teeny ones............