Getting ready to start my stash...Questions...sorry long

[carp10192]

Hi,

I am due with #2 in Dec. and I want to start my stash now of diapers. I read that I should have about the following amount:

Newborn = 24
Small = 18 - 24
Medium = 24- 30
Large = 24

So I am going to make about that much. I plan on washing probably every 2 days.

My question is on types of diapers. I have never cloth diapered before...I know that everyone has their preferances...

I want something that is easy to do, wears well and dries fairly quickly. I also want to get the majority of my fabric locally (except PUL and FOE which I have on order). I am planning on making pocket AIOs as I thought they would work well for being able to control the thickness of the stuffer, they would dry fairly quickly and be easy (most like disposables...which I used for #1...and my husband would be more apt to change diaper)

My question is...I read that some use prefolds w/cover or fitted w/cover. Should I have some of these on hand too?

If fitteds are recommend...does anyone have recommendations on local fabrics? I was thinking about the following:

Outer - a cotton knit
Hidden - microfiber (use towel from walmart or something)
Inner - microfleece or terry cloth.
Does that sound like a good fitted combo?

For covers...are they just 1 layer of PUL or fleece or wool?

This is probably a stupid question....but prefolds are just a cotton square that you basically fold in 3rds and use a cover with right?

Also, I am planning on using the Chloe Toes pattern...If I make a fitted from that...can I use the same pattern to make a cover. I know she has a free side snap pattern...but I like the idea of the front snaps...
--- or is it better to have front snapping diaper and side snapping cover...so that it not bulky in the front?
--- if its okay to have both front snapping...do you think I need to make any adjustments for the cover to make it a little bit wider to cover completly over the fitted?

Also, can someone recommend or pattern or way to make a wet bag?

Sorry so long...but I am planning on starting to make everything next week and I want to make sure I have everything planned out (Im a planner :-))

Thanks,
Alicia

[Jasmine123]

Hi I cant help much since I am working on a stash for my 1st right now.
What I've done is make a variety in newborns and smalls. Once I have a babe and figure out what I like I will stick to that for mediums and larges.

For fitteds I think a lot of people use flannel for the outer and inner layers, with a variety of differents stuffers. I get my flannel at Hancocks and WalMart, making sure to choose something nice and thick. (Marcus Brothers is my current favorite. The name is on the end of the bolt in a black box.) I am using microfiber I ordered online for my stuffers. .

Covers can be 1 or 2 layers depending on the fabric, and the thickness. PUL is usually 1 layer but I've seen 2 as well. It's so expensive, I've been sticking with one. Here's a couple of patterns I've saved.
Wool Sweater: http://diaperfabric.wahmart.com/stor...llary.asp?ID=3
Fleece: http://www.sistersofbreastfeeding.co...id=65&Itemid=1
Pul: http://www.geocities.com/mytafadhali/PULCover101.htm

I have a few more as well, you can always just google free diaper cover pattern with whatever fabric you like best.

You can pin prefolds on with snappis or you can use like you said with a cover.

I dont know anything about Chloes Toes so I cant help there. Usually you can just make a slightly larger version for a cover though.

And here is a pattern for a drawstring wetbag: http://www.janellespuls.homestead.co...tructions.html

Hope that Helps! Good Luck with your stash.

[carp10192]

Thank you

Hi,

Thank you for the patterns for the cover and bag. They will all be really useful.

I think I will do the same, make a combination of pf, fitted (with covers) and pocket AIOs. I have a lot of left over anti-pill fleece from Joann's and the one fleece pattern uses that...so that should work out well.

I was thinking cotton knit or polyester knit for the fitted outer, because flannel always ends up looking so warn after a couple washes and was thinking that they might look better with the knit....do you think it will be okay for fitted to use a knit on the outside?

Thanks so much for your comments.

Alicia

[nettehead]

Don't Know if this will help

I have been making my nephew diapers for a few weeks now. I make fitted for right now. For the diapers that don't really matter if they are super cute or not.. like the ones you use at home.. I make the outer layer flannel I got from thrift stores from recieving blankets. For the soakers I use a bunch of layers of old t shirts laying around or at thrit stores. I also use old sweatshirts. I have used fleece for the nice fitted diapers.. but for everyday use I use sweatshirt materials for the inside or leftover flannel from the blankets. They turn out cute.. I am trying to post them.... and I have made some for around 30 cents a diaper.

[Kari_mom]

I think it is smart of you to make a variety of diaper styles. It is hard to tell what is going to work best for your family and your baby. I have a bit of everything in my stash because I like being able to chose the best diaper for the situation. Choice is one of the many advantages of cloth in my opinion.

I was thinking cotton knit or polyester knit for the fitted outer, because flannel always ends up looking so warn after a couple washes and was thinking that they might look better with the knit....do you think it will be okay for fitted to use a knit on the outside?

I love knits for fitteds, I use knits for the whole diaper. For the body layers and the soaker of a fitted, I would stick with fabrics that are at least 80% cotton, a bit of poly is ok. I like knits because the diaper is stretchy, it fits longer and moves better IMO, and works better with snaps. I use cotton fleece, but hemp fleece or french terry is popular as well.

Lots of people do like flannel as well, the variety of cute prints is hard to match in knits. They usually use a knit like hemp fleece for the soaker.

Check out the Wee Weka diaper site listed under Diaper Resources at the top of the forum. I really like these patterns right now, they fit well, they have lots of variety, and they are free!

[carp10192]

Hi

Hi,

Thanks for the information on the knits and Ill check out the other diaper pattern. I am going tomorrow to see if I can find some at Joann's. Will any knit that is at least 80% cotton due? I was just at G street fabric...which is huge local fabric store and picked up some velour (which is stretchy) and some stretch terry knit. (They even had MM 200, 300 and windpro, but they were expensive there). I was thinking of using that for the inner and microfiber toweling or flannel or terry for the soakers. I bought some really cute flannel that I was thinking I would use for some of the fitteds and PF and the rest I wanted to use a knit, because I think it will wear better (at least I think so).

The flannel isnt stretchy...so do you think that is okay? I read some posts that say stretchy with stretchy outer...but I am using FOE to finish the edges so I am hoping that is not an issue.

Also, any tips on keeping track of what diaper contains what fabrics? I planning on using different fabrics in the diapers so that I can figure out what works best for us....but most of my outer fabric will be the same print...so I am not quite sure how I will identify the diaper so that I can figure out if I like it or not...Anyone have any ideas?

Alicia

[nettehead]

maybe you could use different thread colors for sorting what type of diaper is what.

[Kari_mom]

I made a bunch of mama pads for a friend a while ago, all different shapes and materials. I wrote a small number on each pad, then recorded what I used to make that pad in a notebook. After she tried everything out, she told me the numbers for the pads that worked best for her. It was easy-peasy then to make up a bunch of her favorites.

Maybe you could try a similar system?

Flannel and pilling - which flannels pill seems to be hit or miss. Super nice quilter flannels seem to pill less than the $2/yard stuff at JoAnns, but sometimes the reverse is true. The pills do wear off most flannels eventually, and in the meantime the diapers function just fine even if they don't look as nice as they could. I think that flannel layers get a little weird, but that is my personal preference.

FOE will work with either flannel or knits. What does your pattern say? Does she recommend knits or just wovens? Adding a woven layer will help the knits act more like a woven, if you find you need that for stability.

[Kari_mom]

I wanted to add that I am hugely jealous that you are near G Street Fabrics! How lucky are you!

[carp10192]

Hi

Thanks for the tip about the threads and the marker...do you just use a sharpie? Will that stay through the wash?

For the flannel...I bought the snuggle flannel it was the 4.99 stuff..in the childrens isle at Joanns so hopefully it doesnt look to bad. The pattern lists about 6 or 7 fabric types for each layer...so she gives lots of different options. I guess I just need to figure out what works best for us.

She also gives a free cover pattern that I am going to use for my smalls...but I was just thinking about this last night....this is crazy I am dreaming about diapers :-) But anyway...I am not sure if the cover goes bellow the belly button. I guess I could put an extra snap in the middle to snap it down....does anyone know of a cover that goes bellow the belly button?

One of the reasons I really liked the ChloeToes pattern is all the diapes go below the belly button. My first had a huge little belly so I am hoping that it will make them fit longer :-)

G Street was huge...lots of fabrics and I was glad that the velour and stretch terry was on sale. I need to get on their mailing list so the MM fleece is more in my price range if I use a coupon :-) Much more selection than Joann's...

Alicia

[Kari_mom]

Sharpie will last through the wash. Or if you have the capability to embroider numbers, that might look nicer. I was also thinking last night, that you could use short lengths of folded ribbon in different colors as tags that could code the materials used in each diaper. Or different color snaps.

I like front snap diapers but side snap covers. SS covers look more 'finished' to me when the babe is wearing just a diaper and a t-shirt. Since the Chloe Toes site offers a free side snap, you could try it just to see or use it as a guide to alter the front rise on a front fastening cover. I haven't used the cover pattern myself, but I am assuming that it also has a lower rise in front. I'm going to have to check it out again.

[carp10192]

hi

Hi,

Thanks for the ideas, I do have an embroidery machine...but wasn't sure about wicking etc...was thinking if I got creative eventually I would put sizes on the ribbon.

I just went and picked up a whole bunch of fabric for my fitted and pocket diapes. They had some really cute twill prints on sale for 1.99 yd so I hope that will work okay for outer on the fitted diapers..I could pass up 1.99 or the prints.

Alicia

[lizabird]

A few more thoughts:

During newborn days, we went through about 15 diapers/day, so this time around I am going to be sure I have at LEAST 30 newborn/small sized diapers on hand.

We preferred fitteds until maybe 1.5-2 years old, and then we started using some AIO's that we loved and rarely used the fitteds any more at all between 2 and 2.5 years old, just used the AIO's. I know different people have different preferences at different times, and this is just what worked well for us.

For covers, I had a few nice 1-layer WindPro covers and a few nice 2-layer wool covers, both of which I loved for different reasons.

For diapers, I like just 100% cotton flannel, and also did a little with hemp/cotton blends. I did some diapers with sherpa linings (I think my fabric was 80% cotton, 20 % poly) and that was nice and soft and held up well too. I do not like microfleece in the diapers, as I know some people do. Again, personal preferences.

Have fun experimenting, that's the best part about diaper-making IMO!

[carp10192]

Hi

Hi,
Thank you for your comments..I think I will make more than 24. I have a variety of fabrics and ClothDiaperExpress is having a huge fire sale...that ends today if anyones interested. I just got 50 size tags for 1, hemp for 6.50, plus they had a good deal on snaps and PUL....if anyone is interested.

So I should be completly stocked up for a while and lots to do. Once everything gets here I will wash then start cutting away :-)

Alicia

[monkeys4mama]

How did the diapers come out?

Alicia,
Just came across this thread today and I'm wondering how your diapers came out? I absolutely love the look of this pattern and I have had it on my wish list for a long time. I'm hoping to hear good reviews of it to further justify my spending $17 on a diaper pattern. lol! I have made all the free ones and none of them is really right on my kids and they're all pretty similar and look very ordinary too. I have budda belly kids too and this looks like the perfect solution.

May I ask also where you got the pattern? Did you buy from the site? I was going to buy from her site but then I read somewhere on the boards here that there was a coop for them. I missed that coop though b/c it closed before I ever knew about it. If anyone knows of any other coops going on anywhere I would appreciate the info. I searched online and saw that Angel Luvz now also carries the pattern and she is selling the diapers on Ebay. I am trying to decide if I should buy a diaper to try first or just go ahead and get the pattern. I was kinda hoping to bid on one of the Angel Luvz Chloe Toes diapers and hope the auction goes for less than retail. Or maybe I'll just buy the pattern. Don't know why its taking me so long to make up my mind...

[carp10192]

Hi,

I bought the pattern from her site, as I missed the coops too. I really like it and it is so easy to sew. I finished about 18 nb fitted diapers. They went super quick. I am putting on the snaps right now, that seems to take longer than sewing the actual diaper :-) Once Im finished Ill take some pictures so everyone can see how they turned out. I read several people didn't like the FOE, but I had no problem working with it. I just followed Catherine's tutorial and took her advice about working slow. I would do a couple inches...then re-adjust then sew more. I did buy a nb fitted diaper from her, just so I could see how it was constructed..there was one on sale for 9.99...so I got that one.

Next I am going to make 3 of her free covers (I have it cut out just haven't sewn them) and VB wrap covers. Then I am going to do the pocket nb's. I think I will like thoes the best though..as there are so many layers with a fitted. I found putting the snaps in harder (as there were more layers).

Hope that helps

[khkelsey]

Any pictures yet Alicia? Also- my two cents about fabric... I like knits (I use old t-shirts), but I like to have a few denim outer/flannel inner in each size too because they dry MUCH faster than the knits.

[carp10192]

Hi,

I just posted a new thread with links for pictures and what I did for my layers :-)

Alicia

[monkeys4mama]

[QUOTE=carp10192]Hi,

I bought the pattern from her site, as I missed the coops too. I really like it and it is so easy to sew. I finished about 18 nb fitted diapers. They went super quick. I am putting on the snaps right now, that seems to take longer than sewing the actual diaper :-) Once I'm finished Ill take some pictures so everyone can see how they turned out.



OK. Great. Thanks for the reply. This is just what I was hoping to hear. I've been thinking of getting this for more than a month but have hesitated b/c I've been sewing freebie patterns and I didn't want to spend $16.99 and not like it, but they look so cute and I really like the idea of the underbelly front b/c my kids all had round tummies and every diaper, no matter how nice it starts out, ends up sliding down under their belly. I saw this review on the nursing mother's sewing list ( http://rowena.typepad.com/rostitchery/ ) and it sounded great but the lady who wrote it is a professional seamstress so I wanted to make sure that regular sewing mommas could also sew them ykwim. I need something fast and easy b/c with four kiddos I don't have a lot of sewing time.

Did you happen to take the pictures yet? I would love to see pix of the ones you made. Can we post pix here at MDC or do we have to have a separate site and link to it?