I use cloth diapers, and when my SiL Kathy mentioned that she couldn't find any cloth diaper covers big enough for her son Ikey, I was so happy to sew a pair for her, as I've already sewn quite a few for my Ella. (Ella has sensitive skin and reacts to wearing disposable diapers - and yes, I've tried different brands).
I've used a lot of different styles of covers, including wool knit covers as well as purchased diapers from several different brands. This style is my favorite, and best yet, the pattern is free online as a really well-written tutorial.
I use Velcro as a fastener because the cost for investing in a plastic snaps kit was just too much for me to justify.
The Velcro works just as well, perhaps better, but I do have to remember to refasten the diaper before washing it or the Velcro teeth can snag onto other clothing in the wash.
The pattern printed only goes up to a size large (which in my opinion should be more like a medium, as it perfectly fits my average-size 7 month old), so I copied the pattern pieces on my printer at 130%.
This meant that I also needed to adjust the length of the elastic in the legs, front, and back.
The pattern can be somewhat overwhelming at first if you're new to cloth diapering. I chose to sew the "sham" pattern, which simply means that there's a pillow-sham like opening inside where you can slip the absorbent lining if you don't want to mess with a pre-fold diaper and snappis.
The fabric used for a diaper cover is very important, as it is the final line of defense between disgusting-ness and your unsuspecting self. The lining inside is a microfiber fleece that doesn't absorb moisture very well so the uh - stuff - travels where it's supposed to, the absorbent insert. There's also the added benefit of it being ultra soft on baby's silky smooth bum cheeks.
Finally, the outside fabric is called PUL (poly-laminate something-or-other) that is waterproof and lightweight. There are lots of cute design options out there, but when I purchased the fabric I knew I needed something that was unisex in case I sewed diapers for a baby other than Ella. I got mine on sale at Joann's with a 40% coupon plus free shipping, so I've estimated that the final cost for each diaper is around $3 (not including time spent sewing it, of course).
Not too bad, considering that they will last through baby's diapering cycle and is much better for the environment AND your pocketbook!
Do you use cloth diapers for your kids? What brands do you prefer?
1 comment:
We are going to cloth diaper our next. I have friends out here who have/do but it's still a little intimidating *blush*. Do you have any awesome tips for me before I start stocking up on a few? I have two friends allowing me to try theirs to see what we end up liking best (bumgenius and grovia mostly I think.) I'm leaning toward mostly prefolds and covers right now, but not sure what brand to buy..... so yes, I'm still lost, ha. Any advice is appreciated:)
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