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Since this is open topic, I will re-post this from an earlier writing.
My Adventures in Diaper Making
Somewhere I got it in my mind that I should be making cloth prefold diapers from scratch. This is after I gave all of my other cloth diapers away due to our newest addition having a rashy bum. Also, middle kiddo, a pre-potty-training boy of 2, didn’t need diapers any more, right? I was okay with using disposables, and felt okay with my decision.
Then I started noticing our trash.
We went from filling one 10 gallon can each week, to filling both of our 10 gallon cans. One week they were so full that there was trash overflowing the tops!
What was a mom to do? Back to cloth diapers of course!
I wanted to do the diapers in the most naturally thrifty way possible. Over two days there were many mamas who guided me to inexpensive diaper covers and patterns for prefolds. Armed with my tiny generic sewing machine, a pattern I made for myself, and lots of scrap fabric, I set off to create some prefolds!
Step One
Remove all toddlers from the area. You can give them all the “fake sewing supplies” you can find, but nothing is more compelling than mommy’s scissors and straight pins. If you decide to give said toddler a straight pin to “look…eyes,” then make darn sure you also have a lot of padding around your body (and the bodies of the other children).
Step Two
After all toddlers are playing happily with their toys, you must get the infant to take a nap. Remember how compelling your shiny sewing implements were to the toddler? The infant can tell, even in sleep, that those tools are way too awesome for sleeping. In fact, they are so cool, only drool can properly adorn them.
Step Three
Once the toddler is totally engrossed in the Signing Time video you gave into putting on, and the infant is peacefully sleeping, you must now contend with the “I am 9-years-old” twin girls. In fact, if you do not listen to the 4.3 million reasons why Hannah Montana is, in fact, 7.6 billion times cooler than you, great amounts of screaming and wrenching of teeth will happen.
Step Four
It is now time to start dinner, and the “under 3” crowd is ready to go potty, eat, scream, dance, play, read, scream, spit-up, eat, scream again, gather reinforcements from the “I am 9-years-old” twins, and then scream once more. Put sewing in your sewing basket and set aside. You will get back to it in the evening. No problem.
Step Five
It is now “the evening.” All the kids are in bed, you’ve had time to talk to the spouse, and you are enjoying a nice cup of tea. This is the right time to finish the sewing, and meditate on the day’s events. You think about how much you love your family, and how blessed you are to have the wonderful job of being a mama. All is right in your world…and you set off to find your sewing basket.
Step Six
The “I am 9-years-old” twins have used your sewing basket as a horse jump. They have piled 2.5 pieces of your once clean laundry around the living room into some sort of “arena.” Your “me too” toddler has decided to make his own “’rena” with all the little pointy Waldorf toys you got him for Christmas. After stepping on all of them, then falling face first into the “World Championship Model Horse Show Pageant Arena of the Most Magical Horse of ALL TIME,” you hear the soft stirring of the little one as she tries to find you in the dark. Clearly you were not aware of the memo she sent out that said at the top, “Dear Mom. What are you trying to do, anyway? Remember the night time is when I get hang time with you, so prepare for me to awake every night at 8pm.”
Step Seven
Go online and find inexpensive websites that sell second-hand, or “reject” prefolds. Go to the local dollar store to find some pins, and exhort Grandma into getting some old vinyl pull-on covers.
Okay…you caught me…I didn’t actually get a memo from my newest addition.
In all honesty, I found that making your own cloth prefold diapers is very easy. We have several old cotton t-shirts lying around, as well as, some old terry cloth. The hardest part was getting my sewing machine to go through all the layers. They turned out quite nicely, so I’ve been inspired to make more DIY mama pads, doublers and baby wipes.
My favorite covers so far are Thirsties. They are super easy to use, have great gussets in the legs, and the size Large actually fit my toddler (who, by the way, is the same size as your average 4-year-old). Green Mountain diapers had a great sale on prefold diapers (seconds), so I picked up a few to add to my stash.
Including my DIY time, I got a whole new stash for the baby and the toddler for about $85. That is pretty good considering that I’ve spent over $800 in my cloth-diapering career.
If you want to make your own cloth prefold diapers, too, here are some websites you might find a great help to you.
Prefold patterns
http://fernandfaerie.com/sewing_prefolds.html
Great WAHM covers (you have to watch the site for ordering times)
http://www.wigglewormbottoms.com/store/Default.asp
Green Mountain Diapers
Seconds
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/seconds.htm
Thirsties
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/covers.htm#thirsties
My Adventures in Diaper Making
Somewhere I got it in my mind that I should be making cloth prefold diapers from scratch. This is after I gave all of my other cloth diapers away due to our newest addition having a rashy bum. Also, middle kiddo, a pre-potty-training boy of 2, didn’t need diapers any more, right? I was okay with using disposables, and felt okay with my decision.
Then I started noticing our trash.
We went from filling one 10 gallon can each week, to filling both of our 10 gallon cans. One week they were so full that there was trash overflowing the tops!
What was a mom to do? Back to cloth diapers of course!
I wanted to do the diapers in the most naturally thrifty way possible. Over two days there were many mamas who guided me to inexpensive diaper covers and patterns for prefolds. Armed with my tiny generic sewing machine, a pattern I made for myself, and lots of scrap fabric, I set off to create some prefolds!
Step One
Remove all toddlers from the area. You can give them all the “fake sewing supplies” you can find, but nothing is more compelling than mommy’s scissors and straight pins. If you decide to give said toddler a straight pin to “look…eyes,” then make darn sure you also have a lot of padding around your body (and the bodies of the other children).
Step Two
After all toddlers are playing happily with their toys, you must get the infant to take a nap. Remember how compelling your shiny sewing implements were to the toddler? The infant can tell, even in sleep, that those tools are way too awesome for sleeping. In fact, they are so cool, only drool can properly adorn them.
Step Three
Once the toddler is totally engrossed in the Signing Time video you gave into putting on, and the infant is peacefully sleeping, you must now contend with the “I am 9-years-old” twin girls. In fact, if you do not listen to the 4.3 million reasons why Hannah Montana is, in fact, 7.6 billion times cooler than you, great amounts of screaming and wrenching of teeth will happen.
Step Four
It is now time to start dinner, and the “under 3” crowd is ready to go potty, eat, scream, dance, play, read, scream, spit-up, eat, scream again, gather reinforcements from the “I am 9-years-old” twins, and then scream once more. Put sewing in your sewing basket and set aside. You will get back to it in the evening. No problem.
Step Five
It is now “the evening.” All the kids are in bed, you’ve had time to talk to the spouse, and you are enjoying a nice cup of tea. This is the right time to finish the sewing, and meditate on the day’s events. You think about how much you love your family, and how blessed you are to have the wonderful job of being a mama. All is right in your world…and you set off to find your sewing basket.
Step Six
The “I am 9-years-old” twins have used your sewing basket as a horse jump. They have piled 2.5 pieces of your once clean laundry around the living room into some sort of “arena.” Your “me too” toddler has decided to make his own “’rena” with all the little pointy Waldorf toys you got him for Christmas. After stepping on all of them, then falling face first into the “World Championship Model Horse Show Pageant Arena of the Most Magical Horse of ALL TIME,” you hear the soft stirring of the little one as she tries to find you in the dark. Clearly you were not aware of the memo she sent out that said at the top, “Dear Mom. What are you trying to do, anyway? Remember the night time is when I get hang time with you, so prepare for me to awake every night at 8pm.”
Step Seven
Go online and find inexpensive websites that sell second-hand, or “reject” prefolds. Go to the local dollar store to find some pins, and exhort Grandma into getting some old vinyl pull-on covers.
Okay…you caught me…I didn’t actually get a memo from my newest addition.
In all honesty, I found that making your own cloth prefold diapers is very easy. We have several old cotton t-shirts lying around, as well as, some old terry cloth. The hardest part was getting my sewing machine to go through all the layers. They turned out quite nicely, so I’ve been inspired to make more DIY mama pads, doublers and baby wipes.
My favorite covers so far are Thirsties. They are super easy to use, have great gussets in the legs, and the size Large actually fit my toddler (who, by the way, is the same size as your average 4-year-old). Green Mountain diapers had a great sale on prefold diapers (seconds), so I picked up a few to add to my stash.
Including my DIY time, I got a whole new stash for the baby and the toddler for about $85. That is pretty good considering that I’ve spent over $800 in my cloth-diapering career.
If you want to make your own cloth prefold diapers, too, here are some websites you might find a great help to you.
Prefold patterns
http://fernandfaerie.com/sewing_prefolds.html
Great WAHM covers (you have to watch the site for ordering times)
http://www.wigglewormbottoms.com/store/Default.asp
Green Mountain Diapers
Seconds
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/seconds.htm
Thirsties
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/covers.htm#thirsties
