Quick Update

I haven't had time to sew many diapers or post since school started this year, but I am posting up a quick link for any new visitors here.

Go HERE to the downloads post for an easier place to begin your cloth diaper sewing journey.  :)

Happy sewing!!!
- Arfy

Special Needs Diaper Preview

Something I worked on today by request (I found that the rise snaps should be shifted into the body by about 1/4-1/2" for the best result with thick fabrics like the fleece I used.  I'll update the templates at a later date):

This

or This

Turning a Flip into an Elemental

I'm doing a few of these conversions for a friend.  However, I'm using organic bamboo fleece and they are topped with organic bamboo velour.

I assembled the serged soaker pieces first and then just folded under the serged edges of the PUL flaps, pinned them to the soaker ends, and did a wide straight stitch across the front and back to attach them together.  I figured, this way, she could just use a seam ripper to revert them back to normal undamaged Flips if she ever wanted.  :)

The template for the soakers is on my downloads post: http://prefold2fitted.blogspot.com/2012/10/online-free-downloads.html

That same friend wanted to try a few cloth pads:

A few other diapers for my friends

Two fitteds and 2 more covers.  :) 

Side-Snapping Single-Layer Fleece Cover

This is an adaptation I made today based on my friend Jahnavi's pattern and tutorial.
http://baabaababy.us/2011/01/free-side-snap-diaper-cover-pattern/

Firstly, instead of just cutting right around her pattern template as it is, I added extra bits for casing the elastic rather than zig-zagging it down like she does.  Plus for the front snap-backings.  The strips are for the wing snap-backings.  Then I folded those bits in to make casings like in my Flip-style tutorial.

 Here is is completed with the elastic added and the snaps applied.  :)

Inside:

 Outside:

 Closed up:

Preemie Testers

I made two sizes of preemie tester templates (based on a request) today.

Size 1 Template (about 3-4.5lbs) and Size 2 Template (about 4-6lbs)...  all depending on girth, development, and build...

A fitted made from the size 1 template from stretchy fabrics like interlock, knit, bamboo or cotton fleece, or T-shirts is actually a size 2 (approx. 4-6lbs), and a PUL FOE cover for it should be made from the size 2 template.  For smaller preemies (too small to be brought home and most NICUs won't use home-made CDs), make a cover from the size 1 (with the foldable dip and not the snap-down) template and sew lay-in contour pads/soakers using the inner soaker shape of the template.  :)

Here is a size 1 PUL pocket diaper next to my XS pocket AIO (which is a pretty typical newborn sized AIO).

 Size 1 front pocket diaper (stuffed with a rectangular insert) with 1/4" elastic.

Fold-In-Fitted with a Print or Fleece Outer

I've seen others do this with my Fold-In-Fitteds, so I thought I'd do one myself.

I have used a cotton interlock print here, but you could also use a woven, or  even fleece and make it a "hybrid fitted."

Cut out your body fabric (2 layers of cotton fleece here),
and then cut out your outer fabric like below:

Fold and pin the edges under, but leave enough room at the top and bottom for your sewing foot.

Next you add your other body layer(s) (on the top for T&T or on the bottom for serged) and sew up the edges like normal.
 For this example, I made a T&T diaper, however, you could also serge it with the same method.

 Sew down the tucked-under edges of your outer fabric.  You will use those as the outside of your leg elastic casings.

 Close-up showing where the two fabrics meet.

 View of the inside.

 Elastics added and all closed up.

 The inside is all your main body fabric showing.

 But the outside has your pretty print or whatever fabric you choose.

 It sort of gives the look of ruffled legs as well, but without as rough an edge.

Templates can be downloaded here:  http://prefold2fitted.blogspot.com/2012/10/online-free-downloads.html

Comfort-Serged Fitted

There is now a VIDEO tutorial posted for this on my YouTube channel.

This was brought up today on my cloth diaper sewing board.

Those diapers where the legs appear to be turned and top-stitched, but the rest of the diaper is serged.

I don't really understand it, because it sure doesn't save time or effort like a normal serged diaper does. To me, I'd rather just T&T the whole thing.  Anyway, some people really like the look and feel of them, so here is a basic simplified tutorial for them.

I used two SUPER-thin prefolds that were donated to me by a friend.  They are only 2-4-2 but the size of regular prefolds...  So, really, you'd need two anyway.  I probably should have used two different colors of cotton fleece to really show this off, as the serging is hard to see with white-on-white.

First, you serge around from the start of where your turning hole will be until just to the first end-point of your leg-elastic.  Then you serge again from the back end-point of your leg elastic, around the back, and to the other side's back end-point of the leg elastic...  Leaving the areas where your leg elastic will be run un-sewn/serged.

 Next...  you turn the diaper inside-out.

 Then, making sure to overlap your serging over all the end-points of the first side's serging, you serge just down those sides.

 Then you turn inside-out AGAIN.

 Then you just sew your elastic casings and install your elastic as usual.  Then serge up the front as usual to close your turning hole.

I used my general M-L Fitted template for this.

Most of my templates are available for download and printing at http://prefold2fitted.blogspot.com/2012/10/online-free-downloads.html

Cloth Diaper Cake #4

This was the second winner of the last drawing.  She is expecting a baby boy and has a fish-themed nursery planned.  It was HARD finding suitable prints...

 Wipes, prefolds, and contours as a base.

 Covers, pockets, AI2s, AIOs, and fitteds on the outside.

 Boxed up for transport.

I hope she takes some nice pictures of it set-up.  :)

Squaretab AIO revisited

There is now a VIDEO tutorial for this style of diaper up on my YouTube channel.

I made this one seriously fluffy.  I think it'll be a bedtime-worthy diaper.  ;) 

My diaper templates are available online here: http://prefold2fitted.blogspot.com/2012/10/online-free-downloads.html