Who got a Baby Alive from Santa this year? Cecelia did! Santa also brought an extra refill pack of food and diapers but those went quickly. When looking for more diapers there are three basic options:
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| Expensive little things. |
No dice. Momma wasn't going to fork out that. Thanks Santa....
So option 4.... momma busts out the sewing machine. Boom!
I spent a little time researching patterns. I didn't like any I found. Either too complicated... Not absorbent enough... Too many materials needed.... None of them were good. So I made my own pattern.
*** Note- I am not a professional sewer. I am self taught. I may not use proper technique. I may not know the correct terminology. Some may cringe at following post. Others will be impressed. Either way, I rocked these out!***
I started by thinking about what materials I already had on hand... burp clothes! I had a bunch of prefold diapers that have gone through all three kids. Those will work for the inside.
I then made a run to a fabric store and got some PUL- definition here- and some velcro. That's it!
I went with a three pack of the PUL versus cutting yardage. Easier as the cutting counter was crazy!
This package was $14.99 but I had a 40% of coupon plus a 20% off your whole purchase. Bam!
The non-babyville velcro in the regular sewing section was $.99 for (I think they are a yard) then of course my 20% off the whole purchase coup!
So my game plan was to do a basic pillow technique with a few flares.
To make the pattern, I just traced the stretched out disposable diaper. These will need to be fitted to catch the liquid and "food" that goes through the baby. They are made specifically for this baby so they don't leak. I am sure they will fit her other baby dolls but fit on those that don't leak doesn't bother me!
Here's the pattern stretched out. The ones from the store have elastic in the legs. When I stretched them out for the pattern I figured the little extra bit in size will account for the seams. I then used the pattern to cut out the PUL and the prefolds. You'll see above, I left about an inch and a half on the one side of the pattern (where the baby's back would be), on the PUL only, to allow for the finishing. Also, I plan for the soft part of the velcro to be on the part of the diaper that is on baby's tummy and the scratchy will stick out of diaper in the back and come around to the front like the tabs on disposable diapers.
***Now, remember my lack of professional sewing skills. You'll see NO iron. NO or minimal pinning... don't be scared!***
I started by sewing a longer strip of soft velcro on the front side of the PUL- the side that would be on baby's belly. Right about ... there. Sorry, no measuring, remember.
Next is to start the pillow process by putting right sides together.
LOOK! PINS!
On the opposite end of the diaper as where the soft velcro is sewed, the scratchy parts get sewed into the "pillow.." The scratchy part should be facing the prefold material so it latches properly when finished. They will also at the step be inside the fabrics, not sticking out, yet.
The picture shows them a little too low.. you want the a little higher on the prefold fabric. I'd say a half inch from the top of the prefold fabric.
Then pin it all together.
Now, you are going to sew a pillow together. If you sew with the PUL on the bottom, it slides through the machine a bit better. Now a pillow you must turn right side in.. so leave the whole top part (where you PUL should be cut longer than the pre-fold) so you can turn right side out. Be careful when sewing over the scratchy velcro sides and make sure they are straight.
Next, you trim off all of the corners. This will help it lay better when turned right side out.
Here's the diaper turned right side out. See how there's a bit more PUL on the top and now the velcro is sticking out.. PERFECT!
Now, that extra fabric on the PUL end... turn it over once to meet the pre-fold.
Then again so that the PUL is now all on top of the pre-fold. This is like a hem.. maybe?
Sew along this line with a 1/8 inch seam on the lower side of the pins above or 1/8 between sewing line and pre-fold. Now while you are still sewing, take a lap around the whole diaper with about a 1/4 inch seam. This will keep the diaper in place since it is a pillow really so that corners don't get crunchy. Make sure to pull out all those corners before sewing over them. Sewing this seam will help them keep their shape.
Then, that's it!
Things to note:
- After all the patterns are cut out, these took about ten minutes a diaper. I probably got faster in the end or slower if the kids insisted on running the foot pedal (I like all my fingers, just as they are!)
- The package of PUL I got
made 12, conservatively but could have made 15 or more if I would have been more careful cutting out my patterns. I was going for speed and I wanted all the chevron and ducks diapers oriented the same way. - PUL fabric needs to be thrown in the dryer for 20 minutes after sewing to close up all the pin holes. After that, washing instruction are to hang dry.
- I purposely left the velcro longer on the scratchy strips so that they could fit other babies. I could trim it down but when washed, they must wash with the velcro attached or they'll snag other clothes.
- I figure Cecelia would need about 6 diapers as we do laundry at least every day but I am sure she'll throw one or two away... since she attends so greatly to details!
- I'd rate this pattern/directions for a bit more than a novice. There are many layers of fabric that you need to know how your machine handles it and they are so tiny that any crooked seams will impact the shape of the finished diaper. Definitely not an expert status needed but maybe try to have made a pillow before hand.
SO.... final tally.
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| Not all made are pictured. |
If using old pre-folds and thread from your stash, these came out to $0.63/diaper after coupons. WINNING!!
An opportunity to be crafty and make something for my baby.. priceless!
Wearing her baby in her new baby carrier from G-Ma.
