How much does it really cost?

[LoveLife]

So I am reletively new to sewing and looking at making cloth diapers for our upcoming little one.

But I'm wondering, how much does it really cost to make your own? Is it cheaper than buying them directly from companies & WAHM's?

I'd love to make them, but if it isn't going to be cost effective, we will probably end up ordering them.

I know a lot of people on here use old t-shirts, their current stash, etc- but I don't have a stash since I'm so new to sewing...

I'm just clueless about how much this should realistically cost.

Thanks so much for you help ladies!

[thixle]

Do you have a thrift store nearby? At my local one, I can get flat queen sized sheets for $2.50, king for $3. Easy to build up a big stash of 100% cotton at that price. Old towels, bathrobes with holes, once again anything 100% cotton makes incredible soakers (or buy a pack of microfiber shoptowels for about $10)... Wool sweaters, especially ones that have already shrunk! are free to dirt cheap at my thrift store as well. Buttsweaters are easy to make and don't even require elastic.

Realistically, it all depends on how expensive or cheap you want to go. Velcro is fairly expensive (my local sewing store-$0.25 per inch!), snap presses are even more expensive. However, pins and snappis are super cheap ($3 a pack that will last months, if not years). A few dollars for thread and elastic and you are good to go.

I *might* have spent $50 on all of my dd's diapers, soakers, and training pants that I made. One set of pocket style pinnables (30), one set of pocket style velcro(24), one set of built-in soaker velcros (24), and two styles of training pants (24)... several wool soakers (about 10)

so... that's about $2 each piece. Could have gone a lot cheaper without velcro. Could have gone even cheaper if I'd have made a one-size pinnable set...

Oh, and I bought a serger. But it is my friend now, I use it all the time, so I don't lump it into the diaper-making. Even though that's what I bought it for. I got it used from same local sewing shop for $200. A freaking steal! You can do dipes without a serger, it just takes an extra step.

[lifeguard]

So far my prefolds have cost me $2 each.

[kaylasclothkits]

If you do your homework (or ask good questions around here) and have lots (2-3 months) of time in advance, you can get your materials and notions and make some really nice diapers for $5-6 each.

For me it's really the time that it takes. Most ladies take 45-1 hour to make a single diaper. It all depends on how much your time is worth to you and whether or not you really enjoy sewing

[earthknitter]

Using just flannel, I am making them for less than $3 a diaper. I am using a pattern that does'nt use snaps or velcro unless you want to, so I just have to buy some pins for a few dollars. I am knitting my own soakers and longies for $3 to $7 dollars a piece, depending on the size, yarn brand, etc. IMO it is cheaper, but you really can make it cost as little or as much as you want to! It is a lot of fun too!

[earthknitter]

oh and I would have to say old receiving blankets make the most comfy looking diapers. a cousin gave me about 10 of those, so there are 10 diapers I can make for free. I bet a friend who has some laying around would give them to you, or you could go to yard sales.

[thenaturefreak]

Using recycled material from your house or thrift stores is very cost efective. Especially if you can find some good cotton flannel or jersey sheets for cheap.

I personally shop the different coops on yahoo that have diaper making material and can make a diaper for around 4-6 dollars a piece depending on if I use PUL/Velour/etc... I can do it for even cheaper when I use the $1 a yard flannel that I get from Joann's Black Friday sale.

Like pp said, it is worth it as long as you don't mind investing your time. But if you don't enjoy sewing, it can make it a very unenjoyable thing and you may be better off buying your diapers.

[spanica]

Don't forget Freecycle if there is one in your area. All you have to do is ask. I scored a set of almost new queen size flannel sheets recently. That's a lot of flannel for free!

[deditus]

I spent about $5-6 each using nice fabrics from co-ops like organic cotton sherpa, fleece, hemp, bamboo, velours, etc. And had scraps for mama pads and breast pads. I sewed most of them (nb-med) while I was pregnant.

[meetoo]

Check out yard sales too. I find all kinds of fabrics and notions sooooo cheap that people bought and never used. I know i ordered PUL and good velcro to make pockets for my son and using the Honey boy patterns I was able to make diapers for like 3-4$ (at the most) a diaper. A pocket diaper typically costs anywhere between 15-20 per diaper. I also made some fitteds using this pattern http://handmadebyrita.blogspot.com/ for like under 2$ a diaper.