Sewing AIO

There are several good website that gives very good instruction on how to sew AIO. When i first learn to sew i used a few instruction sites as reference. Hope mine can give you some helpful tips.
For AIO nappy you will need PUL fabric or any fabric of your choice with a waterproof layer. You can use procare (i find this a bit bulky), PUL, ripstop (it's a shower curtain material). Then u can use bamboo/hemp/flanellete/cotton as soaker/booster, As for the inner top layer more popular choices are microfleece/suede as it keeps skin dry but u can choose any fabric for this as long as it's absorbant.

Before you start u will need to get a pattern, your fabric an outer layer (fleece or PUL), a waterproof layer if u have an non-waterproof fabric as outer layer, and an inner layer or microfleece or suede. Elastic, velcro/hoop & loop or snaps (requires a snap machine). Soaker material can be cotton flannelette, bamboo or hemp fabric.

After you've have cut your fabric, sew your soaker/booster first. I prefer not to hide the booster so the nappy will dry faster. For a beginner, if you hide the soaker, your nappy will look much nicer as all the mistakes and rough stiches are hidden. Attach soaker to the right side of the stay dry/inner layer.

This is a PUL cover so the less you prick the material the better to avoid leakage. In this case, i use pegs or u can also use bulldog clips.

Sew loop at the front or right side of the PUL fabric.

This is another version. I use a microfleece as cover and use ripstop (nylon material) as the waterproof layer which is cheaper than PUL and u can get it from the stores like Spotlight . Some people told me ripstop fabric will wick but for day use i think it's fine.

I cut up about 3 inches of PUL and use it to cover the back where you can see the stiches after sewing the loop. This again is to prevent leaking. Then pegs the wrong side of both pull and microfleece facing out. You are going to sew around the edge and turn it around later. Leave about 10 cm opening at the belly.

When u are done sewing the around the edges. Use zigzag stitch to sew elastic on the legs and waist. Your patter should show you the start and end point where the elastic should be. I sew on the microfleece side so it'll roll inward.

When you are done, turn the right side of the nappy out and topstich the opening at the belly. I prefer not to topstich the whole nappy as i was advised by some people that more stiches or holes on the PUL fabric will make it wick. Last step, is to sew hooks on the tabs and you can sew loops next to it as laundry tabs.

I sew another removable booster toped with microfleece so it keeps baby's bum dry. It's your choice to sew your booster square or with contour. I am just too lazy to create more work. :)

Making cloth nappy doesnt have to be expensive

This is to encourage mums who wanted to start making nappies but feel the process is a bit daunting. You gotta start somewhere and first of all go find some old mattress, blanket or pillow cases or even clothes or jumper that you dont wear anymore. If u dont have any ask family members, more often people have lots of junk like that which they hardly use but think it's too nice to throw away.

I've used old cotton t-shirt, flat muslin nappy, towel as booster, they are great as backup when my nice nappies are still damp. They also dry lots faster than bamboo fabric. If u have some wool blanket it's perfect as cover.

All u need to buy when u start is elastic, thread, and valcro. Tools: machine, scissors or cutter, cutting pad (this is a bit expensive u can substitute with lino-rubber floor covering or a thin/filmsy type cutting board).

This is my first nappy. It's currently worn by teddy.

Can u see how happy teddy is in cloth nappy.

Cloth pads pic

These are some of the more decent one that i've made. I have problem with my machine doing the zigzag stitch. Keep missing some stitches. Anyway, who's gonna see them when u wear them right? :DWill post some pockets at some stage.

I must say, after testing the product myself. I like these homemade cloth pads better than the off the shelf disposable. They are much more absorbant and u can taylor make them to suit yourself. Black stripy one is polyster fabric. Got the material for $3.50 (1m x 1.5m) at big W. They all have 2 layers bamboo fabric. I dont have snap machine so i just use HTH hoop n loop. It's pretty good, doesnt feel bulky or uncomfortable at all. The other 2, I use leftover fabric from making ally's nappies. If u are making nappies, this is a great way of not wasting any material. Pink has windpro as base, top layer is flannelette and bamboo in the middle. Blue one has windpro as base, top layer bamboo valour (so soft against your skin) and again bamboo in the middle.



This is how they look when folded up so u can put it in a little pouch in your handbag.

Cloth pads

i've been so busy sewing cloth pad or menses pads last 2 days. Cant put it off any longer as it's that time of the month if u know what i mean.

Well, i am not very happy with the products that i've sewn mainly because the stiches are so messy. I find sewing pad are much tedious than nappies because of the size.

Found few website with good tutorial and patterns in case anyone who read my blog is interested.

http://www.ecomenses.com/

http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/PADS.html

http://www.tinybirdsorganics.com/organiccotton/clothpads.html

Hoping make some decent pads b4 i post photos online

My cheeky monkeys in cloth nappy

Ally is wearing Very Baby in large size and Liam is wearing Babybeehind Hemp fitted.

How i started

When my first child was born, I use the flat muslin cloth nappy which is the only one that i've known available. It wasnt convenient and ended up as chuck cloth instead. I only use cloth occasionally when my baby has bad nappy rash. Then when my 2nd child go through the teething stage and nappy rash is so bad, i had to use my stach of old flat nappies again. Only this time i remember some mums have mentioned something about modern cloth nappies. So i went and did my research. It was very overwhelming to the size of information I get. Various fabric, wash methods, and all the nappy lingo. But mums in the cloth nappy community are very helpful. I finally made some sense out of the things they talk about.

I was lucky at that time a friend's sister is selling her whole stash of nappy as her child now is toilet trained. And i got the bulk of her nappy at a bargain!

So that's how it all started..and then the addiction hehe.

My sewing project

I have never sewn anything in my life. The passion for modern cloth nappy has brought me to this interesting yet rewarding hobby. I'd like to thank mums out there who shares their sewing and knitting skill and hope one day i can share something useful to other mums too.


Here are some of my works.

Soaker is from Alice's soaker pattern and i just crochet the ruffles on the legs. The technique of making ruffles on the legs can be found here

Below cherry cover is Malden Mill's windpro. They are thin and waterproof good as night cover.

Front

Back

This is a cotton PUL pocket. It's quite stiff but love the fabric's pattern.

Pink cover below is coral fleece from Spotlight. It's very soft and lush.






My first attempt at sewing a wetbag. Material is Procare. It's thicker than PUL and last more washer. Instead of zip and pull string i thought i'd give valcro HTH a try.



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