Homemade cloth nappies

Today I made my first cloth nappy and I am very proud of it!

When I first looked at what I needed for cloth nappies, I spent a lot of time looking at all the very (VERY) many different options available. Some of them were absolutely adorable, and almost always very expensive, and not always sensible when I though about using them long term.  So I came to the conclusion that we would use terry squares and fold - economical, size adjustable, fast drying, no plastics, probably with fleece liners for ease and comfort.

But I didn't stop looking.  It is somewhat addictive, there are a world of cloth nappies out there and a whole community of people making, buying, using, blogging them.  I couldn't help but wanting the cute patterned, printed nappies that I saw all around, they just weren't what I wanted function wise.



So I started looking specifically at sites where people were making their own nappies (or diapers generally, a lot of these sites seem to be American), thinking I could still have the cute look but with the practical function I was looking for.

I found this great pattern/tutorial on Little Bean Bum blog and was sold.  It is a very simple pattern, so easy to make, it is adjustable in size, only two layers so thin enough for quick drying but with space for stuffing with a booster, and the inside can be made of fleece remove the need for a separate liner.

Best of all, it could be made from bits I already had around the house, and if I liked it and wanted to make more, bits that could be easily and cheaply picked up from charity shops.

We have quite a few old towels that I have been stashing to cut up for cloth wipes so that was sorted

I really fancy making one out of this towel on top with the sailor pattern centred on the bum!  But I thought for the first one I'd just use one of the plain towels, in a nice pale blue.  Also in this pile for wipes was an old baby fleece blanket that my sister had but gave me to cut up as there were quite a few stains on it.

1. I drew out my pattern based on Little Bean Bum's instructions

2. Cut out my two layers, one towel, one fleece (cutting around the stains and holes!)

3. Pinned together and zigzag stitched all around except the bottom 
(This was slightly different to the instructions, but I didnt really understand how the back elastic had been fitted, so decided to do it just the same as the leg elastic which meant there was no need to keep the tab ends open.)

4. Added my elastic around the legs and back.  This was an experience!  I've never sewn elastic before, I've threaded it into casings in sew items but never actually stitched it, I don't think I was very good at it, but it did seem to work.

5. Then I turned it all the right way round and topstitched.    It didn't really sit right at all with the elastic until it had been topstitched, so don't be tempted to skip this step, below you can see on the left the side that has been topstitched and on the right the side that hasn't.

6. After that I hemmed the opening and I was done!

Inside fleece

Outside towel

I messed up the hemming of the lower edge a little

Couldn't really get it to sit flat or figure out how best to neaten it.  I think next time I will hem both pieces individually before putting them together.  But it hasn't ruined it, and it seems to work well.

It is also very adjustable, so should last a good long time.  Below are about the smallest and biggest I could make it go with a nappi nipper for comparison.

 

So now I just have to wash it and see how long it takes to dry in comparison the the squares, but unless it's ridiculously longer I think I'm sold and will be making more.