How are we all coming along on our cloth diaper stashes?

[~Stephanie~]

Are you all set? What do you still need?

I finally started on baby girl's stash over the weekend and made the first dozen fitteds.

They are a variety of materials as I just pulled everything from my stash...suedecloth, velour, cotton terry, stretchy knits for the inners, warm and natural, microfiber, cotton terry, for the internal and external soakers, cotton knits and a few wovens for the outers. I used my serger for the edges, and sewn in external soakers for quick drying. They are all size small with crossover snaps and blind elastic. 8) The body has two internal layers and the soakers have a top, two middle soaker layers and a bottom layer.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ae88/dipe1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ae88/dipe2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ae88/dipe3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ae88/dipe4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ae88/dipe5.jpg

I need to buy 1-2 dozen unbleached indian infant prefolds, make 6 wool covers and buy some BSWW in size small. I would also like to make about a dozen more size small fitteds as well... not sure if I will get it all done. :

[audsma]

Stephanie, you are quite an inspiration. Those are lovely.

I need it all! I still haven't decided which route I want to go, and need to visit my girlfriend and her Bum Genius kids to see if that'll be my route too. I can't get the making diapers idea out of my head, but perhaps if I started making purchases, I might change my mind.

How realistic is it to expect that my baby showers will get me the cloth diapers I want? I would love to tell my hostesses that I'd prefer a green baby shower: Reused items and then $ for cloth diapers.

[dis]

I've been working on mine for about two months now. I've got 2 dozen infant prefolds, and I got a deal on those that included 2 free newborn covers. I've made some PUL newborn covers and fleece newborn covers, although I lent them to someone so I'm actually not sure how many there are! I think 6 PUL and 4 fleece, although I might need to make more depending on what kind of condition they come back to me in...

So right now I have done:

18 newborn fitteds
18 small fitteds (the fitteds are a wide variety of materials - flannel, old t-shirts, whatever I could dig up)
6 small pockets (fleece)
2 small PUL covers
4 small fleece covers
about 4 dozen flannel wipes in various sizes (and shapes - I hate to waste a single scrap of flannel!)

I need a few more small sized covers, and a couple of AIOs in each size for my husband to use (and I like AIOs for when we're out for the day). I also have to make some wetbags. Ideally I'd like to get a medium stash done as well, but I have a bunch of other stuff already cut out and ready to sew that I should get done first (changing pads, burp cloths, nursing pillow covers, mei tai...). So I don't know if the mediums will get started any time soon.

I use the Darling Diaper Unlimited pattern for most of my diapers.

[JBaxter]

I dont sew but i do knit
Here is the nb/sm drawer
http://s119.photobucket.com/albums/o...cksroom001.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...apers002-1.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...s/May08068.jpg
http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o...rch08065-1.jpg

[Mamja]

Wow, Stephanie, those are gorgeous! Audsma's right, you are inspirational. I would love to be able to sew my own diapers, but I never finish projects I start. I've got a stack of mending and some household projects to finish before I can THINK about starting on diapers.

So how hard is it to make your own? And is it possible to make them look nice without a serger?

As for my stash, I am just getting started, and have:

1 doz prefolds
5 small contours
1 newborn fitted
1 doz flannel wipes
1 doz terry wipes
1 newborn PUL cover

plus maybe 6-10 wool soakers my mom has been knitting. She still has them, so I have no idea what they're like! I'm new to cloth diapering (and, well, mothering!) so I'm trying to get a variety of pieces to figure out what I like best.

[Baby_Cakes]

Well, I didn't MAKE any of my stash (you guys are definitely an inspiration) but I did order my whole stash. I still have to wash everything. I only did nb sizes for now, and will order smalls when I need to.

I bought :
24 unbleached chinese prefolds
2 snappis
6 kissaluvs fitteds
5 xs Thirsties covers
1 BG egyptian cotton fitted
1 BSWW
1 BG 2.0 AIO

[birthdancedoula]

I was actually planning on organizing some of my stash today. Most of my dipes are all mixed up so sorting is job #1.

I do have for the babe...
1 doz fitted dipes I made when ds1 was born
6 or so size 0 kissaluvs
6 sm BSWW
2 thirsties covers
12 sm chinese prefolds

I have to see what other nb dipes I have and then I'll fill in my stash from there. After diapering 4 kiddos over the last 9 years, I'm sure some of it needs to be replaced.

[Kim919]

Stephanie - yours are so CUTE!! I love all the patterns! I'll try to update this post w/ pictures once I get a few more done. (they're solid colors though so yours are much prettier)

I decided I wanted to use the bum genius 3.0, Then I realized that they cost $20 a piece and that it would cost me $720 just to get 36 of them, and I really wanted closer to 60 so I could leave good sized stashes at my mom's and the babysitter's, which would have cost $1200, and I probably could have swung the cost, but it just seemed like SO MUCH. So instead I bought one and took it all apart and decided I could make them myself.

I bought enough materials to make 60. (at a cost of $350 including a brand new cast iron snap press - which comes up to a cost of $5.84ea.) Wasted a full yard (6 diapers worth) figuring out my pattern (it looked easier then it was,) and have currently have exactly 1 diaper fully completed. I'm using a $60 wal-mart sewing machine that I have used for years that is obviously not a serger. The one I finished looks IDENTICAL to the store bought one - maybe even a little bit better quality.

So I only have 53 left to go!!

It's not as bad as it sounds though, I decided it would be faster to do it assembly line style, so I do have everything cut for all 53 diapers, I just need to attach the snaps & sew all the pieces together. I'm very optimistic that I'll finish within a few weeks. (I work full time so this is an evening/weekend mission)

The outer layer is 2MIL PUL, the inner layer is microfleece (the real stuff, not non-pill fleece) the soakers are microfiber, the snaps are poly-resin, and I splurged for the really good heavy duty sew on hooks/loops, 3/8" elastic and 100% polyester coat weight thread.

I changed the way the inside was sewn *slightly* from the original design so that if the elastic ever looses its spring, needs less spring, or was to break, it would be very very simple to replace the elastic. If anyone else is copying the bum genius style I think that is a nice tweek to their design.

[Astrid1024]

Holy Cats - you guys are so ahead of me!

I've arranged to purchase 2 dozen small prefolds and 5 small dappi diaper covers from craigslists for $40 but that is it.

We're doing prefolds because they fit the budget.

I need help! How many prefolds do I need - I want one more dozen of the small to have 36 on hand. Is that good? How many diaper covers do I need to have?

I'm going to go rock back and forth in a corner now.

[ledzepplon]

Wow, you mamas are way ahead of me. So far I've knit up one curly purly wool soaker, but that's it! I still have lots of BumGenius 2.0 one-sizes dipes from ds, but I need some newborn goodies.

[triple07]

I still have... nothing. Although DH made a comment about buying them so I am off to look for deals

I am planning on exclusively using Fuzzi Bunz because it is easiest for both me and DH and anyone else who changes diapers to use... So what I plan on having is:

12 - 18 size Medium for DS

18 - 24 size Small for DS2 when he comes home from the hospital

[lifeguard]

Wow!

I have 9 chinese prefolds I bought at a consignment shop (brand new!). I have made 12 chinese prefolds. I want to make another 12 so I'll have a total of 33.

I still need to make/buy a few covers - I'm hoping my MIL will give me a hand with those.

[thefragile7393]

I still need quite a few to make my goal of 36......and I will likely need more since some may not work out very well.

[myrmom]

I will basically be using the the same boring white fitteds I used for both my boys and that both my nieces used...they use them for such a short period that they are all still in pretty decent shape.

[Amber Lion]

Originally Posted by JBaxter

I dont sew but i do knit
Here is the nb/sm drawer

Those are so cute!! Did you make the pattern yourself or, if not, what pattern did you use? I'm just starting to learn how to knit and am half-way through making my first soaker. (I'm surprised how easy it is!) My Mom has already made one (she's been knitting for 50 yrs we figured out!) and it's super cute, she used a pattern that she used back when I was in diapers so can't remember where she got it from. I really like your longies though... I want to knit some so if you have a link to the pattern you used I'd really appreciate it if you'd share!!!

Other than that, I've bought one of each of a few different diaper brands to see how I like them before I start really buying. So far I'm really liking the Growing Green One Size fitteds -they are SO soft! I know I'm going to do fitteds with some prefolds thrown in and I'm going to try to do wool as exclusively as I can for covers. I want to knit my own mostly, but I did buy one Aristocrat to see what it was like and I'd like to check out Loveybums as well. Also thinking of having some pockets on hand for outings though.

So I still need to get my stash!!! But at least I'm making decisions, which is better than I was a month ago feeling really overwhelmed with the choices.

[JBaxter]

Originally Posted by Amber Lion

Those are so cute!! Did you make the pattern yourself or, if not, what pattern did you use? I'm just starting to learn how to knit and am half-way through making my first soaker. (I'm surprised how easy it is!) My Mom has already made one (she's been knitting for 50 yrs we figured out!) and it's super cute, she used a pattern that she used back when I was in diapers so can't remember where she got it from. I really like your longies though... I want to knit some so if you have a link to the pattern you used I'd really appreciate it if you'd share!!!

Other than that, I've bought one of each of a few different diaper brands to see how I like them before I start really buying. So far I'm really liking the Growing Green One Size fitteds -they are SO soft! I know I'm going to do fitteds with some prefolds thrown in and I'm going to try to do wool as exclusively as I can for covers. I want to knit my own mostly, but I did buy one Aristocrat to see what it was like and I'd like to check out Loveybums as well. Also thinking of having some pockets on hand for outings though.

So I still need to get my stash!!! But at least I'm making decisions, which is better than I was a month ago feeling really overwhelmed with the choices.

I taught my self to knit in march. I use this patter w/ some of my own variations
http://www.ottobredesign.com/en/prin...r_cover_en.pdf

Instead of the garter stitch on the body of the soaker I found knit 1 row purl 1 row works better and the newborn size ( grey varigated in my pics) is just reduced again
cast on 38
K1P1 ribbing 13 rows
20 rows total of K1 row P1row
decrease 8 rows 2x each side
etc... just follow the rest of the pattern decreasing the same amounts.

[Bayleesan]

Wow!! I sew, but I am just now teaching myself. The lines of my DD's dresses I make for her are so funky I am too intimidated by making diapers, especailly the sewing down eleastic part.

But many diapers have been gifted, frecycled to me, I am so overwhelemd with gratitude. I was really begining to worry if I could afford to get a good stash, with all the costs of homebirth. Plus my dd is still in trainers/diapers. And then holy cow, my step dad bought me 18 dipes, and 2 covers. Then just today one of the mom's at playgroup gave me a HUGE tote full of NB things, including a whole PILE of size 0 Kissluvs, and all kinds of covers, and some Honey Boys, an some unknown fitteds. I only kept 6 KL's and I am passing them onto another October Mom in our group. I was just so overwhelmed with gratitude! I feel so bad for even taking the KL's but I really want to snag the Honeyboy's too!! However I THINK I can restrain myself. So now I have:

6 New KL0's
6 Used KL0's
12 BG egyptian cotton fitteds
20 Infant prefolds
2 Bummis super bright covers
1 Imsevimse cover


I think I am going to _try_ and make some fleece covers, anyone know any good patterns??

[dis]

Wow!! I sew, but I am just now teaching myself. The lines of my DD's dresses I make for her are so funky I am too intimidated by making diapers, especailly the sewing down eleastic part.

Diapers are GREAT for teaching yourself to sew - make the first few out of something cheap, like old t-shirts or flannel sheets, and I bet you'll be surprised just how easy it is, even the elastic! And if you use something cheap you won't feel bad if you mess it up. I actually think diapers are waaaaaaaaaaay easier to sew than things like dresses. And since I started sewing diapers I think I've actually become a much better seamstress.

Good patterns - what kind of size do you want? Free or not? Darling Diapers has a free newborn pattern, but I think the full Darling Diapers pattern is totally worth paying for - really detailed instructions, 4 different sizes, from newborn to large, and pretty much every possible option you can imagine (side closing, front closing, snaps, touchtape, covers, pockets, fitteds, whatever you want).

[Amber Lion]

Thanks Jeana!!!

One more question, when you say the K1 row, P1 row "works better" do you mean it prevents leaks better than the garter? My Mom and I were debating which one we thought would be the most absorbent, but she couldn't remember (it's been 27 years!), and the pattern had garter so we've gone with that. My sister voted for the K1 row, P1 row though... she'd be happy to know she was right if it is more absorbent!

[Changed]

That pattern looks easy for a flat knit but I much much much prefer knitting in the round and there are lots of free patterns you can use. If you're just learning and happen to have straight needles I'd give that pattern a shot but be warned, seaming is an art that some people take a long time with and the seams may be kinda wonky. At least if it were me, they would be.