fabrics?

[EastonsMom]

What fabrics can you get where OFF LINE? Does Joanne or Hobby Lobby or Michaels have any good diaper making fabrics? I need help in knowing what to look for. It is hard to talk to someone in the store because Easton is so restless and needy! Thanks you soo much!

[raeanneb]

People in the store aren't terribly helpful for diaper-making fabrics, anyway.
Joann's has good flannel, a lot of times on sale for great prices. I get the plain white "cozy flannel", which I use for the insides of my diapers, and then they always have a lot of cute prints, which I use for the outer layers.
I also use their anti-pill fleece for covers (I usually use 1 layer of anti-pill and 1 layer of their regular "alpine" fleece b/c I'm paranoid about compression leaking).
Sometimes you can find suedecloth, you should maybe be able to get some on clearance b/c of the change in seasons (I'll never understand why spring starts in January in stores!). I was able to get a bunch of white after Halloween, b/c they consider it a "costume" fabric, so it was only $2.99/yd (regularly $9.99/yd).
Otherwise my new favorite soaker material is just plain old microfiber towels from the automotive dept at Walmart, $9.95 for a pack of 25.
Hobby Lobby tends to be more expensive than Joann's, and I haven't been to Michaels.
If you're not on the mailing list for Joann's, you should sign up. I get coupons in the mail and via email, and I'm able to watch for the things I buy most often to go on sale, so I buy a lot when they're at the really good prices.

[amberthesugarcat]

For outers I love fleece. You can use the tighter weaved "minkee" fleece they have at all of the fabric stores. Try blowing through it, if you get a bit of resistance it should work as an outer (but will not be waterproof like PUL). I also love the print/solid fleeces as long as they are not terribly thin.

You can also get 80% cotton velour and that makes great inners/outers/soakers. 100% cotton terry velour is great as an inner or soaker. Flannel works as outers/inners/soakers but it will get a bit pilly, stained, and will fade. Cotton wovens are great outers if you don't mind having no stretch. Cotton interlock is great as outers/inners/soakers and has some stretch to it. It can have some poly.

Old towels make great soakers, as do microfiber auto towels. You can get cotton terry and use that as inners or soakers.

So there are tons of fabrics out there that you can make diapers out of!

[EastonsMom]

WOW thanks for the info! I guess I get overwhelmed by all the fleece options I don't want to get it and make it and not have it be water proof

raeanneb- Is it pretty waterprof with those two layers? I think I will try that! Thanks for the advice! How many layers to you put in the middle? Not a big pocket fan, yet.

[raeanneb]

It works pretty well, especially if you have a nice, absorbent diaper underneath If you're really concerned, you can also get some CampDri (spray stuff in the shoe dept at Walmart) for $5 and spray the fleece. I usually will make my cuts of the 2 fleeces, and spray the "bad" sides of them (the sides that will be hidden when it's finished) before I sew them together. If you're going to use the spray though, make sure you do it outside, b/c it's pretty smelly!
I haven't tried to make an AIO with those fleeces as the outer, yet. I love pockets, b/c they dry so much faster, and I make my AIO's w/ PUL outers (I have a business so I have to order PUL anyway).
Another thing I totally forgot was recycled wool! You can get sweaters at thrift stores and cut them into longies and make soakers or wrap-style covers from them, too. It's another really affordable option See, you don't have to buy fabrics online at all!
Make sure you're using poly thread, too. I actually buy the big serger cones, b/c they're so much cheaper, and I use them on my regular sewing machine by sticking an empty Gutterman's spool up inside, it fits perfectly.

[EastonsMom]

Originally Posted by raeanneb

Another thing I totally forgot was recycled wool! You can get sweaters at thrift stores and cut them into longies and make soakers or wrap-style covers from them, too.

I have been doing this for a while, I think I have an addiction to be honest with you!!!!

Thanks for all the info!!!!!