Monday, June 24, 2013

Baby Doll Diaper bags

Some of my older daughters friends have their second birthdays coming up and I was trying to think of good gifts for them.  Lately my daughter loves her baby dolls and also loves anything to carry other stuff in (e.g. baskets, buckets, tupperware, etc.) so I came up with the idea of making them baby doll diaper bags.  I used the tutorial by Mommy by Day, Crafter by Night.  Overall I thought the tutorial was good and I love how the bags turned out, I can't wait to give them to the girls.  I think I am going to also make them a few diapers and wipes to put in their bag and use on their baby dolls.

Cost:I spent about $27 but I probably got enough for 3-4 bags.  I also used 50% off coupons at Joann's so I estimate I spent about $8-10 on each bag
Time to complete: 2 hours
Difficulty: Intermediate
Notes: Overall the tutorial was good, there are just a few things that I did differently and I have detailed them below.

1. As long as your material is at least 45 inches wide, you need 20 inches of material, so I just got 5/8ths to be safe.  I got the same amount for both the inside and outside.
2. Instead of doing step 2 by sewing all the walls together and then trying to fit the bottom in, I sewed it like I was sewing a cube.  First I sewed all of the walls to the base so that it made a + sign
After getting all of the walls sewn to the base, I then sewed up each side of the wall to connect them (right sides together).
3. Instead of folding and pressing the straps and then top stitching, I sewed them right sides together, turned them inside out and then top stitched along both sides.
4. Instead of sewing the inside and outside material for the flaps together like in step 8, I sewed the flaps to the edge of the bag.
Note that after taking the picture above I realized that I needed to sandwich the straps between the sides and the flaps, so I took a seam ripper and made holes big enough for the straps (I just forgot to take a picture after), so make sure that you add the straps at this step also.

 
* repeat above steps for the liner material
5. Once you have the outside and line materials assembled you can move on to attaching them together.  Leave the outside material inside out and place the liner material with the right side inside the bag (so that right sides are touching).  Then starting on the edge of one of the flaps I sewed the outside to the liner with the right sides together.  I left about the length of one flap open so that I could turn the bag right side out.  After turning right side out I top stitched the opening close and proceeded around the edge of the bag and around the other flap. 
 
Overall I think these turned out really cute and I am very pleased with it.  Using either the original tutorial or my adjustments will get you to the same outcome, I just had some changes based on what made sense to me.



Bird toy

A friend's baby had a bird toy that had a bell in it and was made of bright colors for her to watch in her car seat.  My first thought was that my 3 month old daughter would love the toy and that I certainly could make one.  My friend forwarded me the pattern and I immediately whipped two up :).  Here is the pattern, any my assessment is below.

 
Cost: FREE, I just used a couple of scrap pieces of material, ribbon and some bells I had sitting around
Time to complete: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner
Notes: My friends bird had a little ribbon loop to hang it from the car seat and I loved this addition.  For the next ones I make, instead of cutting with the back along a fold, I will just cut two separate pieces (but sure to allow for the seam allowance) and sew the ribbon into the seam.  I sewed my ribbon loop on the back before assembling but that doesn't look as neat.  Also I put a bell in the breast of the bird so that it would jingle a little bit. Overall this was a great project and my daughter loves looking at the bright colors.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Diaper Reviews

Last month (May 16th post) I did a diaper review for the Kissed by the Moon blog.  I reviewed the diapers that are available  on the KBTM website but I wanted to post the full review here that includes all of the brands I tried. 
 
I started cloth diapering my older daughter when she was 18 months old.  My plan was to test out the diapers on my her and then determine what worked best to use for her as well as my newborn.  I spent about a month researching online and talking to friends that use cloth to determine what brands I wanted to try out.  After deciding on brands, I keep a log of all of my diaper changes so that I could analyze the data later.  Below is what I’ve discovered and hopefully you can benefit from all the hard work J
 
All of the diapers that I tried out were used on my 18 month old daughter who is tall and skinny (19 pounds and 31 inches) during a 2 month period.  I would consider her an “average wetter” and very active.  I did not try use any diapers at night, so all results are based on day time activities and naps.  Please consider that all babies are different so it will take some patience to find the right diaper that works for your baby.  Hopefully my experience can help you decide what diapers are right to try out for your family.

After using disposable diapers for 18 months something that was very important to me and especially my husband was a trim diaper that was still absorbent enough to last at least 2 hours so I have included my husbands “big booty” assessment for each diaper (1 being the trimmest and 5 being the most bulky).  Below is the review of the 13 different diapers across 11 different brands that I tested, in over 150 diaper changes, in order of my favorite to my least favorite.

I have included pictures of my 18 month old in each diaper to give a visual of the fit (Note that pictures are true “action shots” of the diapers, you know what I mean if you have ever tried to photograph an 18 month old!).  As we have transitioned my younger daughter from her newborn diapers to one size diapers, I have also included a picture of her in any one size diapers reviewed here (she is 8 weeks and about 10.5 pounds in the photos).  These are just for comparison as the results below are not based on her usage of the diapers.  I did also add a note to each diaper with any thoughts based on my younger daughters usage.

Stash Shot:

First two columns: 8 stay dry prefitteds, 5 fitteds, 2 covers
Third column: 3 Softbums, 1 size 1 Thirsties all in one, 2 Alvas
Fourth column: 8 Charlie Bananas
Fifth column: 5 Fuzzibunz, 1 Grovia All in One, 1 Sunbaby
Sixth column: 6 Peachy Greens (3 AIO and 3 AI2), 2 Kawaii
Last column: 3 Medium Simplex 2.0, 3 Medium Bottombumpers
Not shown: 3 Alvas, 1 prefitted, 1 cover, 1Charlie Banana, 1 Sunbaby
 
Peachy Green:

Number times of uses: 12
Number of leaks: 1 (at 3 hours)
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Big Booty factor – All in One: 1
Big Booty factor – All in Two: 1
Best Use: Day time, out and about, tight clothing (e.g. leggings)

Pros:
·         VERY trim, almost looks like a disposable
·         Comes in fun colors and patterns, new colors/patterns released every couple of months keeps it fun and interesting
·         Absorbent natural materials
·         All in Two version – the shell is reusable
Cons:
·         More expensive than other options
·         Soaker can move around and has the potential for leaks
 
Peachy Green diapers are definitely my favorite of the ones that I tried out.  This diaper is the trimmest of the diapers that I tried.  I discovered Peachy Green diapers late in my trial but loved them from the beginning.

The Peachy Green sized diapers are very trim and fit great.  Although snap down one-size type diapers are not my favorite the Peachy Green All in Two is still very trim especially with a sized insert.  I like All in Two diapers, I appreciate that I can reuse the shell and that my laundry loads are smaller. I did find that if my daughter pooped in this diaper that the mess always got on the cover and therefore it could not be reused.  Also although the upfront cost is more, the cost “per change” is very reasonable.

Overall I loved Peachy Green diapers, with a narrow crotch, thin but absorbent insert and thin finished back top of the diaper this diaper is the closest to a disposable in size.  I also like that Peachy Green releases new colors and patterns a few times a year thus keeps the line interesting (this also contributes to sought after colors/prints that resell for more than the original price!).  Although my husband really liked the fit, I think that the all in two systems are not as husband or sitter/daycare friendly and removing the insert might require touching a wet or dirty spot.
 
ETA: I have not used my Peachy Green diapers yet on my younger daughter and will wait for her to get a little bit longer before I do.

Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 (size Medium)

Number of uses: 6
Number of leaks: 0
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Big Booty factor - 1
Best Use - Day time, out and about

Pros:
·         Very trim diaper
·         Insert can be stuffed in pocket or laid in diaper, stuffing keeps insert from bunching
·         Cute prints
Cons:
·         More expensive than other options
·         Existing prints are cute but limited

I had heard a lot about Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0 diapers but I was hesitant to try one out due to the price.  In the end curiosity got the best of me and I ordered 2 of them!  While I have only used them a few times I love the diaper and am very glad that I finally ordered some.  The diaper is super trim and the Medium fits my daughter really well.  I like that it is an all in one that has the soaker only partially sewn in (making for a faster drying time) but that it can be stuffed into a pocket to keep it in place.  Another great feature is that the pocket is open on both ends, so that it agitates out in the wash and you don’t have to pull out a wet soaker prior to putting in in the laundry.  Simplex also come in a one size option that I am anxious to try out next.

ETC: As this is a sized diaper I have not tried it on my younger daughter yet but the more my older daughter wears it the more I love the diaper.  I love how easy the diaper is to use and and trim the fit is.  If they come out with more prints, I definitely will be buying more.
 

Bottombumpers:

 
Number of uses: 7
Number of leaks: 0
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Big Booty factor - 2
Best Use - Day time, out and about

Pros:
·         Trim diaper
·         Insert detaches for washing
·         Great selection of solid colors
Cons:
·         Slightly more bulky at the top in the back than other diapers
·         Soaker has potential to get bunched up
 
Bestbottoms is another diaper that I ordered later in my trial, but I love this diaper and can’t wait to get more.  It is an all in one diaper that has a snap out soaker, this makes for a faster drying time (and I like to line dry my shells and machine dry my soakers and inserts).  It is very trim but doesn’t lay as flat at the top back of the diaper as the Peachy Green or Swaddlebees diapers.  Bottombumpers also makes a one size diaper that I plan on trying soon as the diaper I tried was sized (medium).  Overall this is a great diaper and the price is very reasonable considering that the insides are organic cotton and bamboo velour!

ETC: I have not used this diaper on my younger daughter yet as I only have the sized version.  I have purchased two more Bottombumpers since this review and I love them.  I really think that Bottombumpers has the best solids selection and I love the fit of these diapers.
 
SoftBums:

Omni:

 Echo:
 
Number of uses: 33
Number of leaks: 5
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Big Booty factor - Echo: 2
Big Booty factor – Omni: 4 (pocket and pod)
Best Use - Echo: Day time, out and about
Best Use - Omni: Day time (extended wear) and naps

Pros:
·         Very trim diaper
·         Easiest size adjustment of the diapers I tried
·         Shells are reusable
Cons:
·         More expensive than other options
·         Soaker can move around and has the potential for leaks
 
SoftBums are another of my favorite diapers that I tried out.  These come in two different types the Echo and the Omni.  The Echo is a true all in two that has a snap in insert.  The Omni is an all in two/pocket combination that has a snap in insert and also a pocket that can be stuffed.  One of the best things about the SoftBums system is that it has a leg elastic that is tightened or loosed with their patented Slide to Size toggle system.  This makes it so that you truly can get a custom fit; I prefer this system to the snap down system used for other one size diapers.  The only con with the Slide to Size system is that once you get it set on one diaper, there isn’t any indicators of the setting (like the Fuzzibunz or Charley Banana) that help you set other diapers without having to try it on your baby.  This is a very trim diaper and can fit at a very small size, stuffing the pocket on the Omni does make it significantly less trim though.  Although the covers are reusable I did find that if my daughter had a messy poop in this diaper that the mess always got on the cover and therefore it could not be reused after.  As noted with the Peachy Green, the all in two systems are not as husband or sitter/daycare friendly and removing the insert might require touching a wet or dirty spot.

ETA: This is my favorite diaper for my youngest daughter, it really does get very small and fit very trim.  I have been very impressed with the weight range that it accommodates and I am impressed that it fits well for all weights.  I think overall this is the best one size diaper.  I have also found that the Softbums pods are not really my favorite to use and I prefer to make my own. 

3. Charlie Banana:

 
Number of uses: 5
Number of leaks: 0
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours
Big Booty factor: 2.5
Best Use: Daddy and Daycare

Pros:
·         Easy size adjustment
·         Fit is not too trim not too bulky
Cons:
·         PUL is very sticky, harder to stuff than other pockets
·         Pocket opening is in the front, more likely to touch wet parts

I received a Charley Banana in one of my mystery fluff orders and was pleasantly surprised.  I didn’t have high expectations for a diaper sold at a major retailer but I thought this diaper had a lot of positives.  The diaper is one size and the size is adjusted through the leg elastic with a bra strap type adjustment.  The adjustment is similar to the Fuzzibunz but I prefer the Charley Banana system because it can be adjusted along the full spectrum and not just to preset holes, this makes it so that you can really customize the fit.  This is a pocket diaper and once stuffed very easy for husbands to use.  Some downsides that I noted are that the PUL is very sticky on the inside and therefore harder to stuff and the opening for the pocket is in the front of the diaper and as such I always had to touch a wet insert when removing it.  One of the things that makes the Charlie Banana and the Fuzzibunz better for dad or daycare is that they can’t screw up the fit.  With rise snaps on other pocket diapers I have had other people unsnap them and then end up with a very wet baby.  Since the size adjustment is hidden with these two diapers it is less likely to be messed with.

ETA:  Of the mainstream pocket diapers this is one of my favorites.  I have since purchased a few more and I like use them on my younger daughter.  I realized that if I put the insert with the tag facing inside the diaper and at the opening that when I need to pull out the insert I can just grab the tag rather than grab squishy microfiber.

4. FuzziBunz One Size Elite:

Number of uses: 28
Number of leaks: 4
Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Big Booty factor: 2.5
Best Use: Daddy and Daycare

Pros:
·         Easy size adjustment
·         Narrow, trim diaper
Cons:
·         PUL is very sticky, harder to stuff than other pockets
·         Leg sizing adjustments are preset in the elastic and therefore not as customizable

Fuzzibunz was one of the first cloth diapers I purchased.  It came highly recommended from a few friends and I liked the idea of the adjustment system.  The one size diaper is sized through the leg elastic.  The elastic is stretched or loosened and secured through holes in the elastic with a button on the inside of the diaper.  While I have not had any problems with the fit of my Fuzzibuns, having set elastic openings makes it so that the sizing is less customizable like the SoftBums or Charlie Bananas.  I had the most leaks with my Fuzzibuns but I should note that most of them were early on when I was still experimenting with the sizing.

ETA: I like to use these on my younger daughter as well.  I use the Charlie Bananas more frequently but I do still like to use the Fuzzibunz.

5. Grovia All in One:

Number of uses: 6
Number of leaks: 0
Longest wear without a leak: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Big Booty factor: 2
Best Use: Daytime, Daddy and Daycare
 
Pros:
·         Trim diaper
·         No stuffing required as soaker is attached
Cons:
·         Take a longer time to dry than other diapers
·         One of the more expensive diapers

This is another diaper I received with my mystery fluff order and I was so excited to try it out.  This was the first all in one diaper I tried and I was pleasantly surprised.  The print is fun and the fit is great.  I like that the soaker is only attached in the back making for a faster drying time but still a longer drying time than the other diapers I tried out.  Overall I really like this diaper, I find that it is a diaper that I reach for frequently but just doesn’t have any features that make it really memorable.

ETA: I have not used this diaper on my younger daughter as the tongue seems too long to use on her and not fold down.  

6. Best Bottoms*:

Number of uses: 20
Number of leaks: 2
Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours
Big Booty factor: 2.5
Best Use: Travel

Pros:
·         Shells wipe clean and are reusable
·         Have both microfiber and hemp inserts
·         Double gussets keep the mess in
Cons:
·         Inserts are thick and make diaper hard to get on tight enough
·         Inserts leave outline on diaper and clothing

Overall I really like the idea of these diapers.  The system includes covers with snap in inserts.  The cover can be wiped clean and a new insert snapped in.  Unlike other All in Two systems reviewed the insert is snapped both in the front and the back of the cover.  The inserts are hour glass shaped so they cover quite a bit and I did not have any leaks on the covers. The reasons that I did not like this all in two system as much as the others reviewed is that the inserts were thick and you can see the outline of them through the cover and I could not get the diaper tight enough and they would always leak out the top during nap times.  Overall though this is a great diaper for the diaper bag as you can just pack the inserts. (On a side note I have been using the best bottoms cover over prefolds and fitted diapers for my newborn and they work really well!)

 
7. Sunbaby (size 1):


Number of uses: 2
Number of leaks: 0
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours
Big Booty factor: 2.5
Best Use: Around the house, Daddy and Daycare

Pros:
·         Offer two “sizes” for skinner or chubbier babies
·         Have cute prints that change periodically
·         Inexpensive
·         Have different insert options (microfiber, blend, bamboo)
Cons:
·         Smallest order is for 6 diapers
·         Shipping from China can take 2-3 weeks
 
Sunbaby diapers are pocket diapers that can be ordered from the Sunbaby website or through a co-op and are made by a Chinese company.  I received these diapers late in my trial but I can tell from the construction and the fit that I will like them a lot and therefore wanted to include them in my review.  They have two different types, one for skinnier babies and one for chubbier babies.  I ordered the skinny baby version and though for a cheap pocket they were pretty trim.  I like that they change the prints periodically but overall I wasn’t very excited about the print selections, they were mostly neutral or boy colors and not really any girl colors.  Overall the fit was really good and the inside was very soft.  I never had a leak with these diapers and for the price (very cheap!) I was happy with the diapers.  These diapers do not have any outstanding features but are good every day diapers.

ETA:  I love these diapers and am waiting for my co-op to do a big order so that I can order more.  Since my review they have gotten new pattens in stock that are fun and girly.  I have also used the two Sunbaby diapers I have many times and I love them.  For me these are the best bang for your buck.  Once I have a few more I will be putting them on my younger daughter more.  The only issue might be that there is only one size insert so I don't know how well it will fit a smaller baby.

8. Alva baby:


Number of uses: 19
Number of leaks: 1
Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours
Big Booty factor: 4
Best Use: Around the house, Daddy and Daycare

Pros:
·         Have a large selection of fun prints that change periodically
·         Very Inexpensive
·         Have different insert options (microfiber, blend, bamboo)
Cons:
·         Shipping from China can take 2-3 weeks
·         Quality is not as good as other diapers
 
Alva diapers offer a bunch of different colors, patterns and fabrics.  They also have their regular diapers (3.0) and color snap diapers (4.0).  The major difference between the two is the 4.0s have double gussets, snap in insert and the pocket opens in the front and the back.  Overall I liked the Alva diapers I tried.  The quality of the materials used is definitely not as good as the other diapers I tried but for the price they work well.  I noticed that I normally reached for this diaper when we were going to be at home or during naps.

ETA: Overall these diapers are decent.  For a cheap diaper I think they work really well, but I prefer the Sunbaby diapers that I have.  I have not tried Alva baby diapers on my younger daughter but they are much larger than my other diapers so although they might "fit" I think they will be very bulky.
 
1. Kawaii:

Good Night Heavy Wetter (pictured) and Minky
Number of uses: 18
Number of leaks: 2
Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours
Big Booty factor: 5
Best Use: Around the house, Daddy and Daycare

Pros:
·         Inexpensive
·         Easy to stuff
Cons:
·         Very wide crotch
·         Bulky
 
Kawaii diapers have different options but the two I tried out were the Good Night Heavy Wetter and the Minky diapers.  I would say that these diapers were just average in my mind.  The crotch is very wide making it very easy to stuff but also bulkier.  The fabrics were cute and each diaper comes with two of the same sized inserts so the pocket can be double stuffed.  Overall these diapers worked fine but they did not have any qualities that were exciting to me. 

ETA: I have also not tried this diaper on my younger daughter.  Although it is a one size diaper it is very bulky on my older daughter so I imagine it would be very bulky on my younger daughter.
 
10. BumGenius 4.0*:

Number of uses: 10
Number of leaks: 1
Longest wear without a leak: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Big Booty factor: 5
Best Use: Around the house, Daddy and Daycare
 
Pros:
·         Adjustable inserts fit all sizes
Cons:
·         Insides do not stay tucked into diaper well
·         Bulky

11. Rumparooz*:

Number of uses: 8
Number of leaks: 2
Longest wear without a leak: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Big Booty factor: 4.5
Best Use: Around the house, Daddy and Daycare

Pros:
·         Double gussets hold in all messes
·         Adjustable inserts fit all sizes
Cons:
·         Bulkiest of the diapers that I tried
 
The BumGenius 4.0 and Rumparooz diapers were my least favorite of the diapers I tried out.  I thought they were very bulky without offering much extra protection.  Additionally for the price I didn’t feel like they performed any better than cheaper diapers.  Overall though I only had one leak with the BumGenius (my sitter unsnapped the rise snaps so I don’t think it really counts) and none with the Rumparooz so they did prove to be a solid diaper with good performance, just not my favorite and nothing really special about them.

Conclusion

Overall there was not a diaper that I tried that did not “work” well (e.g. keep in messes) but there are a few that I preferred over others.  My favorite is definitely the Peachy Green Sprout Up All in Two diaper.  The fit is amazing and I like that you can reuse the shell.  If I was starting from scratch I would also buy a few Peachy Green Solo Luxe, Bottombumpers and Swaddlebees Simplex 2.0s.  These are all great diapers that were trim and worked well.  Although these diapers are perfect for me (the parent that has done all of the research and knows what covers are reusable, what aren’t and if the soaker should be snapped in or not) having a few pocket diapers on hand are great for my husband, I notice that he reaches for these a lot.  My preference because of the price and fit would be Sunbaby diapers or Fuzzibunz if you are buying from a more mainstream store.  Because I like the All in Two systems and because they really fit the best from birth on I would also invest in a few Softbums for my stash.  I know that these will truely fit from birth to potty training and they have nice colors and fun prints.  In the end I would say that I am glad I have a variety of diapers, they all serve different purposes and it is fun to mix it up.  A perfect stash in my opinion is not made up of all of one diaper but rather a few (or 10 J) different types. 

Once I compiled all of the data I was surprised to see that I used the diapers I liked the least more frequently than the diapers I liked the most.  I explained it to my husband like this: you don’t wear your best perfume to sit around the house you save it for when you are going out and wearing something nice.  My favorite diapers are kind of like that, after I am done with the wash I don’t want to use them and “waste” it on sitting around the house, I preferred to grab my least favorite diapers for times like that.  As I have a newborn and have been spending a lot of time at home I think this helps account for the discrepancy. 

I have really enjoyed my trial and I look forward to discovering and trying more diapers, as long as my husband doesn’t take away my credit card first!

 *Note that a picture of this diaper in action is not available as I resold it; one of the great benefits of cloth diapering is that you can sell your diapers.  I chose to buy my diapers and then sell the ones that don’t work for my baby but another great option for trying out diapers is a diaper trial program.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

"Stash Shot"

Not a diaper stash shot but a jam stash shot!!!  This is all of the jam I have made this year.



A few years ago my husband and I started doing you pick for strawberries, blueberries and blackberries and I have since enjoyed making jam.  It's great to make jam when you can get a lot of fruit cheap.  It turns out amazing and is very easy.  I use Sure Gel brand pectin and just follow the directions!

Unpaper towels

A friend of mine has been wanting "unpaper" towels (essentially cloth towels to be used instead of paper towels) and I said that I would make them for her for the cost of the supplies. I had been wanting to try making some anyways and this was a good opportunity. She had located a tutorial by Sew A Straight Line so I used that and summarized my results here!



Cost: I bought all of my material at JoAnn fabrics with a 50% off coupon so in total I spent about $22 to make 15 wipes and the plastic holder.  I already had a snap pliers so I have not included that in the cost (I purchased mine from Amazon)

Time to complete: I probably spent about 5-6 hours on this, if you just serged the edges it would be much shorter but to turn and topstitch each one took a lot of time.

Difficulty: Intermediate, requires basic sewing skills.  I used a serger, but definitely not necessary.

Notes: Overall I thought these turned out really cute.  It was definitely a more time-consuming and costly project than I had expected so I have a new appreciation for the price of these on Etsy.  There are a few things that I would maybe do differently to make these a little bit better.  The first is that it might be a good idea to sew a + or X on them to tack the front to the back.  Based on my experience with cloth wipes this would keep the fabrics from shifting around during wash and use.  Also I think they would lay slightly more flat on the roll with three snaps on each side.  Neither of these changes are vital and I think as they stand they will work really well.  As the tutorial suggests, I think that using flannel and terry cloth will really be best for messy kitchen spills but the flannel will probably take a few washes to reach maximum absorbancy.  Overall a great tutorial and good outcome.

Prefold to (staydry) fitted

So I had a hard time deciding what my first post should be, should it be my own tutorial, a review of someone else's tutorial or just an informational post?!?!  I decided to do my own and used it as an excuse to make my friend's new baby a prefitted diaper with a stay dry inner.
With the birth of baby #2 I got into making diapers. With my older daughter I didn't start cloth diapering her until she was 17 months old, so I didn't know what to expect with a newborn. I had heard everyone rave about using prefolds and covers for a newborn so I bought a dozen prefolds and a few covers. While they were fine, I though it would be easier if I could convert my prefolds into fitted diapers (because honestly to purchase fitteds was out of my budget). I looked up a lot of different tutorials on making "prefitteds" and finally came up with what works best for me. The big things were that I wanted to be able to "snappi" it closed and I wanted the inside to be a stay dry material so that she wouldn't feel the wetness.  Here's a tutorial on what I have come up with:

Supplies:
Sewing machine
Prefold (I prefer a regular size prefold so that I have a lot of extra material to work with)
Microfleece
Elastic

Finished "prefitted":


I start with a regular size prefold and mark out my cut lines with disappearing fabric ink.  I  have highlighted where I marked off so that you can see it better in the picture.  It is approximately 14 inches from front to back, the front measures 8.5 inches, the center 6 inches and the tabs are about 3 inches thick.  I always make sure that the center is at least 1/2 inch wider than the center seams of the prefold.  Doing this will make it easier to trim as well as sew.  I also cut off the top serged edge.  The dimensions used here should fit most babies between 8 and 15 pounds.



Once you cut along the pink highlighted lines above it is time to extend the tabs.  Before cutting you will want to identify the side of the prefold that has the end of the material.  In the picture below you can see that one of the center seams has a little bump and doesn't lay flat like the other seams, turn your prefold with this side up.



Each side of the prefold should have 4 layers.  To extend the tabs you will want to cut 2 of the layers along the blue lines marked below.  Be sure that you are only cutting the top two layers.

 

After its cut and the tabs are opened up it should look like this:


I like my tabs to have a full span of 17 inches, so I measure and cut them to that length.  I also prefer the tabs to be rounded, but square will work just as well.



After the tabs are cut, you will want to cut the top two layers below the tabs on either side of the side seams away.  This will leave the center part intact, but leaves only 2 layers on either side of the center.  You also want to cut about an inch of the center section away at the front and the back of the diaper leaving only 2 layers as well (I had to cut 4 layers, but for an infant prefold you will be cutting away 6 layers).  If you have cut from the correct side, the outside (not the side up) of the diaper will be a continuous piece.




Now lay the cut prefold with the right sides together on your piece of microfleece.  Pin and cut the microfleece to match.


We now begin sewing!!!  You will want to sew all the way around but leave about a 3-4 inch section in the front open to turn the diaper around.  The open section needs to be wide enough to stick your hand through to facilitate threading the elastic later on.  I like to sew a 5/8 inch seam with a straight stitch first and then go back and sew a zig zag stitch outside of it to give it extra strength.


Once you have finished sewing, turn it right side out.  Add pins to mark where you will be sewing the casings for the back and leg elastic.  I make the back casing as wide as the center of the diaper.  I then mark the leg casings at the back to be even with the back casings and at the front of the diaper where it curves away from the center.



Start by sewing the back casing from pin to pin.  For my size diaper I used 3/8 inch elastic for the back and cut a piece approximately 3 inches long.  I use a safety-pin to thread the elastic through the casing.  Start at one end, pull until the end of the elastic is even with the end of the stitch and zig zag in place.  Finish pulling the safety-pin through the casing.  Once the safety-pin is clear of the casing, zig zag the other end in place.  I don't recommend removing the safety-pin until I have zig zagged both ends.  Then reach your hand back inside the diaper and remove the safety-pin.  Repeat this process for the leg casings.  For the legs I used 1/4 inch elastic and cut pieces approximately 4.5 inches long.



To finish the diaper pin the front opening closed.



Top stitch from each casing to the next, but do not overlap where the elastic is in the diaper.



Finished diaper, put on cutest baby you can find :)  From start to finish this diaper takes me about an hour.



Note one of the best things about using the larger prefold is that the extra prefold fabric can be used for a a ton of things.  You could add a "tongue" to your diaper for added absorbency, create inserts for other diapers or my favorite use is to use the same pattern as I have detailed above and create a second diaper, using the extra material as the soaker.

Introduction

Before I get to exciting craft and natural family posts I wanted to introduce myself.  I am a mother to two little girls (currently 20 months and 3 months old).  I love spending time with them and doing things for them.  Growing up my mom sewed all the time (and still does) and after my first daughters birth I really got into crafting and sewing for her.  When she was 17 months old we started cloth diapering her and continue to cloth diaper both girls.  This really opened up many new crafting opportunities!!!  On this blog I hope to share some of my favorite projects in the form of tutorials, try out other tutorials and provide comments and tips as well as provide reviews of different products that we use in our family.  I would love to hear from you about what you would like to see here and I hope you enjoy my blog!