Cased Elastic Trainer

Here is the pictorial for my all-cased elastic trainer.
The templates are here for the Small and Large sizes.

Start with the (prepared pocket or pocket AIO) inner and outer laid faces inward.

Sew together close to the edges EXCEPT at the sides/hips of the back.

Turn through your pocket opening.

Sew all of your elastic casings.

Feed your elastics.  

75%+ stretched through the legs, 50%+ across the back, and 25%+ across the front.

I use binder clips to hold my raw edges folded in.

Now for the stretchy hips...

Turn and sew your casings.

Pop just a few stitches across the middle to help with feeding.

Sew closed that side close to the edge after sewing all your elastics in.

Pin your hip panels into the body side openings.

Sew them in-place with your top-stitching.  I also add a second seam for strength.

Add your snaps.

Here it is with a "China cheapie" insert inside.  ;)

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

Mail Slot Pocket Opening

There is now a VIDEO tutorial that uses this style of pocket opening on my YouTube channel!

I call this the "mail slot" style pocket opening, but I know some people call it "envelope pocket"...  I guess that makes sense: mail slot/envelope.  ;)

Faces inward to each other. Slit and sew around your opening.

 Notch out for turning.

 Turn the back through the front.

 View from the back.

 Top-stitch around the opening.

 View from the back.

 Trim excess.

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

Fold-Over Elastic Trainers

Templates available here: Small - Large

Start out with your inner, outer, 5 inch x 6 inch hip rectangles, and some fold-over elastic (FOE).  If you'll be making a pocket diaper, have the pocket opening prepared on your inner, or have your flap prepared depending on the style you'll be using.  You can also make them AIO or AI2 style.

Sew your FOE along both sides for the leg openings.  Start sewing about 1 inch inset, and stop about the same distance from the final edge.  Do not sew all the way to the edges.

I don't pull the FOE stretched as much as I do for diaper covers.

Fold the sides of the front inward on themselves as shown:

I use clips to hold my folds in-place.

Sew the FOE loosely-stretched across the front, and trim the front ends of the leg FOE pieces.  

Sew down the edges of the FOE while top-stitching the sides.

Now for the stretchy hip panels.

Sew one side (they will be 3 inches by 5 inches) and turn.

Sew your elastic casings.  I use 3/8" poly braided elastic.  Don't stretch the elastic very tightly.

Feed and tack your elastic.  Use the first completed panel to measure the elastic for the second.

Fold in the sides and lay the hip panels inside.  Pin to hold the front even with the back

Sew down the FOE edge and top-stitch to affix the hip panels to the body.

Trim the top or panels to even them out with eachother.

Sew your FOE across the full length of the back.  Here I pulled it with about a 3/4 stretch.

Trim and sew down the edges and add your snaps.

Larger snap setting.

Smaller snap setting.

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

FOE Plus Cased Elastic Trainers

The templates for this style are available in both 2T-4T size and 12m-24m size.

For this option with the fold-over-elastic (FOE) along the top, cut without the dashed areas.

Start with your inner fabric (you can sew in your soaker/absorbency or make it pocket-style) and your PUL laid faces together as you do in order to turn and topstitch (T&T).  Just sew very close to the edges as shown below though, and not all the way to the edges nor secured at the back.  All the trainers have stretchy hip panels which start with 5 inch x 6 inch rectangles folded in half to be 5 inches x 3 inches.

Turn:

Fold the back sides inward. Make sure they are at least 2.5" high (to match up with the front sides).

Sew your leg elastic casings (I use 3/8" poly braided elastic):

Here the leg casings as well as the hip elastic casings are shown.

Install your leg elastic.  I leave it much looser than I would for diapers.  About half-stretched.

Top-stitch and install your FOE stretched loosely across the front.

I use a tight zig-zag and fray-check on the ends of the FOE.

Install your elastic into your hip panels.  Also not pulled very tight.

How I add the hip panels into the body:

Make sure your inner and outer fabrics line up on either side of the hip panel before pinning.

Use your top-stitching to attach the hip panel pieces.

I run a second parallel seam to strengthen.

Trim the top to line up with the back and where the front will connect as well.

This is how it should look all cleaned up so far:

Install the FOE, stretched to about 3/4 stretch, all the way across the back.

Finish off the FOE ends and add your snaps.  

You can do another set of snaps set further in on the hip panels as well.

If you chose to do a pocket, there would be a pocket opening on the inside.  ;)

Pull off and on like underwear, but can also be opened from the sides for any poopy messes!

Here is one I made with a flap-style pocket opening at the back:

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