Converting Contoured Prefolds to Fitteds?

[dutchgal]

Is it worth it? I got given these t-shaped prefolds. I can't remember what term you all use for that but I know there is one, where the top folds over, and some of both sides is cut out, but the donor said they leaked like crazy, and they were pretty much useless. I would love to just throw some elastic on them and put some sort of patterned flannel on the outside, T&T them, and make them into fitteds, but...is it REALLY worth it?

[mommy2abigail]

Are they 100% cotton? If so, then you could totally make them into fitteds, and use the prefold as the center padded area. Just cut out two diaper peices out of flannel and sew the prefold to the center of one before you T & T. Make sense? Yes, I t hink it's worth it. I was given some ratty (and I mean RATTY) prefolds, but hey, they were free. So I did just that, added some cute flannel prints to the outside, elastic at the back and legs, Aplix closures, and I had some new cute fitteds! Just to be sure though, if you use flannel, you probably wont be able to use a snappi, so you'll need to pin or put aplix/touchtape or snaps into the diaper. HTH

[dutchgal]

Thanks!! That's exactly what I was going to do, I just thought the shape was a little odd, but with elastic and aplix it might totally work. They are all cotton, and when I poured water onto one of them, readily absorbed the water. I may be sewing again tonight.

[newlywaaz]

if you want to change the shape, just cut the flannel to the shape you want (probably wider and more rounded in the front). As long as the area you're aplix-ing is reinforced, it won't matter that the edges are only two layers thick, kwim? It'll probably help make the diaper trimmer as an extra bonus! I think it's definitely worth it, especially if you just do one at first to see how you like it. If worse comes to worse, you could just use the center panel from each and add some fleece to make a lay-in doubler.