MAKE YOUR OWN CLOTH DIAPERS

Diaper Fabric (this is a matter of
preference, I used birdseye for the two body layers, cotton jersey print for the
outer layer and super flannel and birdseye for the soaker (2 layers flannel, 4
birdseye)

Sewing Machine Thread

1/4 Elastic (or the size you prefer)

Snaps or Hook-N-Loop (Aplix, Velcro, Touch
Tape, etc.) if you'd like closures on your diaper

1.)First, cut out all the pieces of your diaperand soaker.

For this diaper, you will need one innerbody layer, one hidden body layer, and one outer layer. The number of layers inyour soaker will depend on your personal preference. The diaper I am making will
be for a newborn, so the soaker is pretty light.

2.)Stack up your soaker layers, and finish the edges either by serging (as shown in 'How to sew a serged side snap diaper'), or sewing with a zig-zag stitch around all four edges.

Center your finished soaker on your 'hidden' inner diaper body layer. Pin through all layers to secure the soaker, and straight stitch around all four edges (as shown in 'How to sew a serged side snap diaper').

3.)This is the trickiest step because it's important you get your layering right!

Place your inner and outer diaper layers
RIGHT sides together (these are the layers that will be on the very outside of
the diaper, and the inside against your baby). Lay them down with the inner
layer on top.

Now, place your hidden diaper layer, with
attached soaker facing 'up' on top of the inner diaper layer.

You should now have a 'sandwich' of layers,
that goes%u2026 outer layer (with wrong side facing out), inner layer, hidden layer
with attached soaker facing out).

Once you have your layering correct, pin in
several locations to keep the layers from shifting.

Starting at the front of the diaper, about 2
inches from the center begin straight stitching about 1/4 inch from the
unfinished edges of the diaper. Continue all the way around the diaper, until
you reach the front, again stopping about 2 inches from the center. This will
leave you with a 4 inch opening at the front of the diaper to turn it right
sides out.

Hidden inner layer, with attached soaker
facing out. The inner layer of the diaper that will be against baby is
sandwiched between these two layers!

4.)Next, cut your elastic for the legs and back
of the diaper. The length of the elastic will depend on the diaper pattern you
are using, and how tight you'd like the elastic to be. For my pattern, I use the
following guidelines:

Large: legs - 6 inches :: back- 6.5 inches

Medium: legs- 5 inches :: back 5.5 inches

Small: legs-4 inches :: back 4.5 inches

Securely tack the elastic on OUTSIDE the
seam allowance using a zig-zag stitch at both the starting and stopping elastic
guide marks at the legs and back of the diaper.

5.)Trim your seam allowances, especially around
curves and in between your elastic marks. This will make your curves 'cleaner'
and your elastic stretch more evenly.

Turn your diaper right sides out. Push all
curves fully out, using a long object like the ends of your closed scissors
helps.

6.)Topstitch, with a straight stitch around
your entire diaper starting with the opening you left for turning. Turn the raw
edges of the opening under, and stitch closed .You can stitch close to the edges of the
diaper around the front and wings where there's no elastic, and then ease out to
compensate for the elastic, or just do a wide topstitch around the entire
diaper.

Make sure you DO NOT catch the elastic in
your stitching. If you do, you will have to pull the seam out and start over
because it will prevent the elastic from sliding in the casing and stretching
evenly.

The top stitching around the elastic creates
the 'casing' that will hold it neatly in place.

-One Size Diaper pattern. It will fit an 8 1/2 lb. baby on up to toilet training.This One Size diaper is a very versatile diaper. If your goal is to sew one set of diapers to use the whole time your baby is in diapers this diaper pattern will work very well for you. It works best as a pinnable diaper.
For a preemie baby you can shrink the pattern down to make a
Preemie version! Experiment a bit.

Cloth diapers take some work. These aren't for the lazy. You have to be dedicated and willing to go every step with these. Washing,sanitizing,and removing stains. Concidering What we actually spend on diapers, Some extra work is fine with me.

DIAPER PINS-Usually made of metal and having a plastic or metal head, a diaper pin has a sharp end that is used to pierce through two layers of fabric to secure them together.Doesn't ware out as often, but there is risk of poking baby. Sometimes its difficult to push a pin through the fabric. Tough to use when diapering a wiggly toddler or baby.

Velcro®/Aplix®-Hook and loop fabric usually sewn onto the diaper or diaper cover.Very fast and easy to use. Wears out eventually and can cause snags on other items when being washed.

SNAPS-Plastic or metal snaps are usually used in either the diaper or the cover. Very simple to use and snaps rarely wear out. Not as adjustable as hook and loop. Snaps take more time to 'snap' which can be an issue when diapering a wiggly toddler or baby.

SNAPPI-T-shaped plastic device with plastic hooks on each end used to grab and hold the material. Very fast and convenient to use. Must be replaced every six months.

Cloth wipes are gentle on your baby, easy to make, and they save you money! They can also be easily laundered with your cloth diapers. Just moisten them with plain water or a homemade wipe solution before use.

1.)decide what kind of fabric you want to use. You can select from many different diapering fabrics like sherpa, hemp fleece, flannel, and velour. If you use a thicker fabric you can make one-layer wipes. You can use thinner fabrics for two-layer wipes. Get creative and choose some fun fabrics and prints.

2.)Next you need to decide what size to make your wipes. You can make them any size you want, but traditionally, they are either 8×8 or 4×8. The smaller wipes fit in commercial wipes containers easily, and the larger wipes fit when folded in half.

BASIC-
2 tablespoons baby shampoo or wash
2 tablespoons oil (food grade cooking oil - not baby oil or mineral oil )
2 cups distilled water
Mix in a jar and then pour over wipes. Store extra solution in the fridge.

ALOE VERA WIPES RECIPE-

2 cups hot water
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
2 drops Tea Tree Oil
Allow ingredients to cool.
Mix in a jar and then pour over wipes. Store extra solution in the fridge.

ANTI-FUNGAL-

1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup Aloe Vera Gel
1 tablespoon Calendula Oil
2 drops Lavender or Chamomile Oil
2 drops Tea Tree Oil or Grape Seed Extract

Mix in a jar and then pour over wipes. Store extra solution in the fridge.

This one is great for discouraging yeast diaper rashes because the vinegar and essential oils discourage yeast growth.

ESSENTIAL OILS RECIPE-

3 T jojoba oil
1tsp tea tree oil
1tsp chamomile oil
1tsp lavender oil
1tsp gernanium oil
3/4 cup witch hazel

Mix in a spray bottle and spray wipes. Store extra solution in the fridge.
Don't want to make your own wipe solution? Try Baby Bits or Washy Wafers from a cloth diaper retailer.

Basic Washing Routine:

1.)As you would with the rest of your laundry, separate your diapers into like materials. Wash natural fibers separately from synthetics.
2.)Wash the entire load on cold with detergent. Washing once on cold water is important to remove leftover "yuck" from your diapers.
3.)Wash the entire load again on warm or hot - also with detergent.
4.)Do a second rinse.
5.)It's recommend that you line dry your diaper covers, pocket diapers and anything made with hook & loop closures.
6.)Virtually everything else can be tumble tried on medium.

If you're having problems with diapers that stink after washing:

1.)Try an extra rinse. Sometimes detergent residue can cause diapers to smell.
2.)Wash once with liquid Dawn (the blue formula). Use 1 teaspoon in a front loader and 1 tablespoon in a top loader. Rinse well.
3.)If the previous solutions don't work, try 1/4 cup of bleach in the warm/hot wash cycle.

You'll change thousands of diapers by the time your child is 2 to 3 years old and ready for the potty. Fortunately, diaper quality is better than ever, which makes the task easier. Your first major decision in the diaper department will be between the cloth or disposable kind.Both kinds have their benefits and drawbacks. On the one hand, disposable diapers are undeniably convenient, but they're also costly: You can expect to spend $1,500 to $2,000 or more on disposables by the time your baby is out of them.
In 2005,Disposable diapers accounted for 3.6 million tons of waste and 1.5% of the total waste generation for that year. Disposable diapers create alot of waste and isn't as easy on the environment.