-The DIY club-

[flubdub]

^ I just looked online at their website and its £12.99 per metre!!

So I had a super quick Google and found some for £2.50 for 1/4 of a metre.

 

[JellyBeann]

I have been using muslin cloths to line my nappies with, and am getting about 2.5-3 hours out of ebay cheapies this way, we get on really well with ebay cheapies.

I am going to buy some extra packs of muslin cloths and make shaped liners out of them, as I am just folding them atm, and it's annoying me, so I was thinking of sandwiching some fleece in the middle of about 6 layers of muslin, would this work, do you all think?

As far as the sahpe, what is the best shape anyone has found so far?

 

[Kaites]

What kind of fleece are you thinking of using? If you are thinking a bamboo, cotton or hemp fleece then that will work fine but I'd steer clear of polyester fleece since that is a staydry material and you wouldn't want it inside an insert (not absorbant at all). I stick with a rectangular shape for my inserts- easiest to do and doesn't waste any material I actually prefer to keep my inserts as big squares though (like your muslins) because they are easier to get really clean (less chance of needing stripping) and dry faster hth

 

[JellyBeann]

What kind of fleece are you thinking of using? If you are thinking a bamboo, cotton or hemp fleece then that will work fine but I'd steer clear of polyester fleece since that is a staydry material and you wouldn't want it inside an insert (not absorbant at all). I stick with a rectangular shape for my inserts- easiest to do and doesn't waste any material I actually prefer to keep my inserts as big squares though (like your muslins) because they are easier to get really clean (less chance of needing stripping) and dry faster hth

I'm not sure what material my fleece is, I have a load of it in the cupboard, and I was gonner use that, how do I tell without looking at a label (don't have a label on it as bought from fabric shop, and I can't remember what it said it was!)

 

[Kaites]

Maybe try putting on water on it and seeing if it absorbs or if it repels the water? Also, is it fuzzy on both sides (poly fleece is usually fuzzy on both sides, like a polar fleece jacket or blanket) or is one side knit, like sweatshirt material (bamboo, hemp and cotton fleece are usually like this- only possible downside to using this to determine is if it is a cotton/poly blend, since that wouldn't be super absorbant). hth

 

[princessellie]

if you got it from a fabric shop its more than likely gna be polyester fleece which is no good at all for inserts x

 

[JellyBeann]

I shall buy some decent fleece, would a blanket be the right material? x

 

[Kaites]

No, fleece blankets are usually poly fleece (the stuff that you'd want to use for stay dry material as a liner, not inserts). Do a google search for "bamboo fleece" and that'll be what you need (I'm not much help with stores since I'm the other side of the pond and there'll be better prices closer to where you are after shipping). If you want to avoid poly problems, you could also look for terry- terry is pretty much always made of absorbant material

 

[princessellie]

as far as i know, bamboo fleece and all those kinds of fleece are not as absorbant as just plain bamboo so youd be better off just looking out for that instead and assuming all fleece, unless it specifically says bamboo fleece, is polyester and therefore no good for inserts x

 

[cw_249]

Hello, i've spent the past 5 days reading this thread, every page and am really impressed!!
I've never done much sewing and stuff, but since having lo have been getting into it, and i've just made bits of stuff, but i have list as big as your arm of things i want to make!

I'm just about to try cloth nappies, and was hoping that if we get on okay with them, that i will try to make some of my own, but that's a few weeks away yet!

I was wondering though, as my next intended make is a wet bag, but my sewing machine is quite basic, it does straight, zig zag, and alledgedly buttonholes, but i can't make that work! I can't buy a zipper foot for my machine, is there any way i can sew a zip in without having a zipper foot?

Also, the pul or waterproof nylon, i know must be machine washable if its in nappies, but does it last if its machine washed, and can you tumble dry them?

 

[Kaites]

You could probably sew in a zipper without the zipper foot but it'll just be more difficult and might not look quite so pretty. You'll probably find that a regular foot will be sitting on top of the zipper as you sew along the tape part of it (sorry if that doesn't make much sense- the zipper will be to the right of the line you are sewing, but still under the presser foot) and as a result there isn't as much pressure on the layers that you are actually sewing through because the zipper is holding the presser foot up. I'd probably still give it a try though

And for washing PUL, I've always washed on hot in the washer and then tumble dried too without any problems

hth

 

[cw_249]

Thanks, i thought as much. I want another better machine but have to save up for it! I suppose if i hand sewed it it wouldn't be strong enough

 

[Kaites]

I don't see why you couldn't hand sew it- short stitches would make it stronger too

 

[ambreen359]

Love this thread we bought a stokke cot come crib and i am making sheets for it also making wipes
I knitted a blanket when i 1st got pregnant a difficult one so it kept my mind at bay i had a MC in aug and kept worrying it would happen again so the blanket def stopped me focusing on that so much i am now 20+1 have knitted booties and working on another blanket
Also making a changing mat

 

[bky]

Does anyone have any fleece outer patterns to recommend?
I've found that fleece pants on the outside of my regular PUL night-stuffed pockets keeps the 4am-6am leaks at bay so I'm going to make some. Much cheaper option than buying new night nappies
I was thinking little shorts or bloomer style would probably do the trick (so pull overs), unless anyone has a wrap style they would recommend?

 

[Kaites]

I like the Katrina soaker pattern:

https://katrinassqs.blogspot.com/

Lots of wahms use this pattern for their products (I'm pretty sure it's what Pumpkin Pants uses, as well as a few others I've seen). It's a quick sew and super easy- the only thing you may want to change is the rise on it. If you are trying to fit it over a night diaper, you might want to increase the rise a bit since I find that when using them over a well stuffed diaper, they are a tad short in the rise. hth

 

[2Princesses]

Look at my first breastfeeding cover I made yesterday what do you think?

Excuse the messy doors-they need painting
https://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab131/2Princesses_2010/2011-05-22185813.jpg
https://i857.photobucket.com/albums/ab131/2Princesses_2010/2011-05-22185843.jpg

 

[princessellie]

lovely, ive always wanted to make one of those but never got round to it

 

[Kaites]

Looks great! I was the same- eventually I just got brave and got used to NIP, lol

 

[gills8752]

Hello all! Been ages since I was on here! I've been busy with my quilt obsessions so I decided to try and sell them too! Since I'm a sahm and don't have the option of going back to work as nursery is sooo dear!!

But here's a couple I've made - Memory quilt from lo's first year clothing and one from some fabric from Fabric Rehab (great place for cotton prints!!)

So if you guys know anyone who'd like a memory quilt or custom made quilt for their lo - pop on over and see me on FB don't know if I'm allowed to link but I'll try blow my own trumpet....lol (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Patchwork-Pretties-Memory-Quilts/197014850330065)