Cloth diaper creations: Part 1

The thought of one single post about all the cloth diapering creations I have come up with over the past four years was a little daunting. Mainly because of the trial and error it took to create useable creations. A little of this. A little of that. Lots of ripping of seams. Lots of bad fits. Lots of wasted fabric. Because of course, being me, I don't want anything to do with patterns and pinning and etc. Bah. That is for the weak. Also. I am rather tired of diapering babies, after four solid years of it, I have, perhaps, lost my zeal for creating cloth diaper creations, as it were.

That said.

I do love a good cloth diaper discussion. And do love being crafty. And I do love spreading the love.

Therefore.

I have decided to break it all up into a series of posts about cloth diapers, and creating them.

This post will present the very simplest thing I have thus created – diaper liners. (Something like this, except I shape mine a little differently)

Nowadays I use my liners more than anything. Perfect for an active toddler, with a trim fit (unlike regular prefolds, which are bulky). Extra absorbent. And really easy to stick in a bag or Ergo pocket for a quick change. Really quite handy.

So, what are these liners?

Simple. Fleece, to wick moisture away and an absorbent pad sewn on one side, to soak it all up. Not diaper stuffers, doublers or whatever to put into pocket dipes, but to be used on their own. Stick it in a diaper cover. Double up for car rides, naptime, etc.

Really easy to make too.

Here is how.

Fleece. I have used nice expensive fleece (that doesn’t pill, all organic cotton, etc) and I have cut up old fleece blankets (the thin stuff, not the thick stuff). They both work well. Cut in a long rectangle shape, the length of your diaper cover, slightly bulbous at the end to fan out around baby’s belly and back. (Does that make sense? Bulbous doesn’t sound right.) Round the edges (I don’t know why, it just looks better I guess).

Absorbent layer. Don’t laugh. I fold up cheap washcloths into thirds like you would fold a prefold, and sew them onto the back of the fleece. You can get packs of 10 washclothes at any large Target/Walmart/Kmart type store. If you wanted to be fancy you would ideally use hemp here. Or maybe some bamboo terrycloth or something like that.

TIP: Make sure as you are sewing that you are getting through all the layers. It is slightly annoying to pull newly sewn liners out of the wash only to find them all clumped up on the inside because you didn’t do this. Trust me.

And to use, just slide in a diaper cover, fleece side toward baby’s skin. (You get that right? Fleece near baby's skin? Lord. I am confusing myself at this point. I don’t know why but past nannies, even my own husband sometimes, turn the liner the wrong way, putting the absorbent washcloth side toward the baby butt. Maybe they don’t get the point? Maybe it only makes sense in my addled brain? Fleece. Wicks. Away. Why is this complicated? Ok. Obviously it is late. I need to get myself out of these parenthetical ramblings and go to bed. Ready, set…)

Ok. I am out.

So. Go. Cut. Fold. Sew. And then….






the ugliest demo picture ever taken in the history of man.
EVER.
a piece of fleece cut in the above described shape.







an old washcloth, folded in thirds, against the fleece.
the shape of the fleece isnt ideal really, i like it to be a little longer than the
washcloth to protect babies skin from plastic cover

sewing washcloth and fleece together

place fleece liner in diaper cover this way.
 i often use a pocket dipe "doubler/stuffer" (whatever)
underneath for extra absorbancy. this is a prowrap cover. i hate it.