I am a novice sewer, is it difficult to make diapers?

[ILoveMyBabyBird]

So i got my mom's old sewing machine and I am in the process of getting some parts for it, and I am wondering how difficult is it to make diapers yourself? I haven't used a machine for many years, but I can sew a little by hand. I want to try to make my own, since dh is not happy about all my spending on diapers, and that way I can custom fit them to ds. Actually dh knows how to sew, so I plan on him giving me some lessons, who knows I may end up having him sew the diapers.

[kochanyk]

Pockets take some practice (sewing on PUL) but fitteds shouldn't be so bad. Sewing prefolds is simple, but it's about the same cost to buy them.

[lexbeach]

Moving this to the Diaper Making forum.

Good luck!

Lex

[sdcourtney]

For me the hardest part has been coming up with a pattern that works well for my chubby little girl. Making the dipes isn't too difficult, it's just a little frustrating to make one that doesn't fit your baby very well. I went through four testers before I got one that I really like. Start on cheap fabric would be my advice, until you get one that fits.....

Stephanie

[alexysmommy]

I would start with recycled fabrics...(t shirts, sheets, etc) that way you wont feel so bad if you mess up a few dipes. I started that way, and still use recycled material for most of my dipes...it just saves me a TON of money that way, and i get the cutest fabrics from old clothes/sheets/etc. I had never made anything except a pr of curtains when i first started making diapers. Like someone else said, the hardest part is finding a pattern that works for you.

[Erinok]

really easy, first thing I really began sewing... I guess it's kinda how I learned. because it's so repetitive you get good at it real fast. I would definitely suggest buying a pattern insted of using a free one. free ones are frustrating and can turn you off from the diaper sewing process. there are some good patterns available on ebay. also, starting with recycled materials is a great idea, like an old set of flannel sheets. flanel and or fleece are the easiest and most forgiving fabrics to work with.

[mchalehm]

The main thing I keep telling myself (I'm a novice, too, and have made a bunch of my daughter's diapers!) is that they'll still work fine even if they don't look perfect! A little wonky stitching or uneven velcro wouldn't cut it if I were, say, selling them for top dollar as boutique items....but my daughter definitely doesn't care! So be forgiving as long as they work.

[kbstanley3]

I really don't find it difficult at all to sew diaper - actually, I find it rewarding. Also, just because you BUY a pattern doesn't mean it will neccesarily work for your child either; try making a few w/ free patterns when you're practicing with scrap fabric. I've made fitteds and pockets using the free Wee Weka patterns, just tweaking it a little (basically just widening the crotch slightly) and they work great for my baby! I mean, when you're practicing anyways, you may as well TRY a free one - if anything, it will teach you what DOESN'T work for your child, kwim? Then if you don't like them you can always buy a pattern! Just my two cents, though.

[terese17]

I'm kind of in the same boat as the original poster, I own a sewing machine, but I really have no idea how to use it. I have made pillows and curtains before, and I've patched things, but thats about it. I found a website that helps with instructions on how-to, but I don't know what serging is or how to do it. Any help?

[kbstanley3]

terese17 - to serge something, you have to own a serger, which is a different machine than a sewing machine. To make diapers with you're sewing machine, you need to do the turned and topstitched method. The difference is, when you serge a diaper it looks like this:
http://www.lucyshopechest.com/store/...s/PULdipes.jpg
and when you turn and topstich it looks like this:
http://www.fuzzibunz.com/site_images/fb-zoo-100.jpg.
Or you can just turn and not topstitch which looks like this:
http://www.snootybootydiapers.com/st...Knit_tools.jpg.
Turn and topstich is when you sew the diaper inside out, leaving a little gape to have room to turn it right side out, then turn it right side out and topstich over the whole thing, including closing the gape. Turning is basically the same thing except instead of topstitching the whole thing, you just topstitch the gape. HTH!!

[kittykorat]

I love sewing my son's diapers, but I will warn you, it is addictive!
I started a little over a year ago. I didn't know ANYTHING about CDs, when a friend from LLL showed me the diapes she made, and said they were easy to sew.
I started with the very baby patterns. They are pretty easy to follow.
PUL is a little harder to sew.
Flannel is the easiest to practice on.
I prefer using knits for fitteds, old T-shirts work great. I make pocket fitteds and stuff them w/ an infant PF.
Wool longies are really easy to make from old sweaters too, and work great with fitteds under them.