Detail-Oriented Prefitted

So, a tutorial my friend Eliana did this week inspired me to do this "detail-oriented" prefitted photo tutorial. She is one of those insane attention to detail seamstresses. I don't think most people would WANT to spend this kind of time and effort into a PREFITTED... but maybe some of you are like her and enjoy "making a mountain out of a mole-hill." ;)

First, here is my NB square-tab template laid over a cottonbabies.com infant size prefold. Looks good to me! Infant prefolds make perfect newborn prefitted diapers once they shrink up!

All cut out to shape. Save the cut-out fabric for your lay-in (or sew-in) doubler/soaker.

Cut off just the serged top and bottom edges.

See those excess lengths of the prefold fabric on one side...

Trim them down around where your elastic casings will be.

Now, here comes the attention to detail part. Around what will be the leg casings, fold in/down about 3/8" of the top 2 layers and in/up the bottom two layers the same. Pin together cleanly.

View of one whole side done.

Sew with a straight stitch right over those pins about 1/8" from the edge (as close as you can cleanly get without missing any fabric layers really). Do the same to the other side.

Now here are your cutout extra fabric scraps laid over each other and trimmed down a little:

Trim them down to about 4-4.5" wide and even them up a bit.

Sew around the most of the outside a good 1/4" in:

Invert through the end you left unsewn:

Pin in that end and sew/top-stitch all around the outside of the soaker/doubler.

Sew the side elastic casing channels for the diaper body as shown in the template (the back/top will come later):
Feed your elastic through the casings from the top and bottom openings and tack-stretch-tack-cut in place:

Sew your back/top casing channel and do the same.

Serge across the top and around the bottom. Then feed your tails back through for a couple inches and trim. Here is your neat and tidy (but still plain) prefitted. I hope Eliana is proud. ;)