fleece pockets - success/tips ??

[engineer_mom]

Hi there! I am very new to sewing and diaper making.

My first is due in May and I am very excited to start making dipes for him. I found some 300 wt fleece on ebay that I couldn't resist, so I purchased that and some microfleece. I would ideally want to use flannel or something similar (any ideas??) as the inner just because it would breathe better.

I have been searching through this forum left and right, and figured it would be easier to just ask my question (hopefully it comes out appropriately!).

How much success have people had making fleece pocket dipes, using MM 300 wt? Do you have any tips?

Has anyone used flannel as the inner? Would this not be recommended?

Can you recommend a specific pattern for making fleece pockets that works well?

TIA!

[RasJane]

I have made pockets with fleece that have worked great. I used the heavier fleece as the outside and microfleece as the inside and just used old prefolds for a stuffer. I just used the New Conceptions diaper covers deluxe for a basic shape.
I also made an AIO with a fleece outer and flannel inner. I used the flannel b/c ds is getting old enough to start potty training and I want him to feel good and wet!
Both diapers are great and easy and work fabulously with no leaks. The great thing about making your own diapers is you can play, design, learn and go back and tweak your design. Good luck!

[newlywaaz]

I did just exactly that this weekend (fleece outer, flannel inner) and it worked out great. I actually think my diapers could be reversable so that if I was using them as nighttime diapers I'd put the fleece toward baby to keep him dry, and make sure to use a wool cover.

All I did was stretch my favorite cover (BSWW) out flat and trace that for a pattern (figuring any diaper I made with that as a pattern was bound to be just a bit smaller and would fit inside that cover perfectly as a result). I used the pattern and cut one layer of fleece (not 300 wt, just some cheap fleece from the thrift store) and two layers of flannel. I sewed the elastic through both layers of the flannel. Then I put the flannel right side together with the fleece and sewed around the edges making sure not to catch the elastic. clip the curves, turn inside out, and topstitch, curving in at the legs and back so that the stitching makes a casing for the elastic and helps form gussets. Leave the front open (turn the edges over a bit and hem to prevent fraying of the flannel) and there you have it. I have used both snappis and pins on mine, and they work great so far.

tips:
*prewash all your fabric on hot before you cut.
*make sure your elastic is tacked on well, and stretched really tight so that it fits the legs without gapping.

as for a tutorial, this is the one I used:
http://pics.livejournal.com/mayna/gallery/0000g0c4it's not for a pocket diaper, but I just skipped the soaker and left the front open.
and this is a similar tutorial, different way to do the elastic.
fernandfaerie has a very basic pattern on it that you can enlarge and print off if you want.

good luck!

[engineer_mom]

Thank you!