penguin diapers

After soooo many several days of working on the Luka Hoodie I needed a quick instant gratification project.  Oh, and I also need more diapers.  So today I whipped up 6 cloth prefold diapers.  I've been using the tutorial here but I've made some changes so here's how I do it.

First I cut the outer pieces and the soaker pad.  I forgot to get a picture of the outer but it's just a rectangle that's 25 x 15 inches.  The soaker pad is the same idea but it's 5 x 14 inches.  

Soaker pads

Obviously I used the leftover flannel I used to line the Luka Hoodie.  Since it's a pretty thin flannel I used 4 pieces for each soaker pad.  (Actually several of the diapers have old dish towels surrounded by some leftover jersey from this top).  The great news about this is that that sheet is pretty well done.  I'm making an effort to actually work through some of my stash so 1 sheet down!

Zig zag around the edges to prevent fraying and keep the layers together.

I only zig zag about 3/8" from the edge at the most and then trim close to the stitches. 

Fold the outer in half with short sides and right sides together.  Place the soaker pad on top of the open (short) edges, centered between top and bottom (long) edges.

A picture worth a thousand words

Sew along this edge about 1/2" from the edge.

Rearrange so that the soaker pad is in the center of the outer and press.

Now you'll be sewing the long edges closed.  Be sure to leave about 1/3 of one side open on the same side as the seam.  This will make it easier to insert a point turner when you flip the diaper inside out.

Do not sew down the edges of the soaker pad but keep your stitches close: about 1/4" away is just fine.

 It should look like this.  Note that the upper right corner is where our hole is.  Reach in and grab the opposite corner...

To flip the diaper inside out.  I use a yardstick, shoving it through the hole and into the corners like a point turner.  Not elegant by any means but it gets the job done.

Press flat making sure to turn the raw open edges under.  I like to use two pins on each side to secure the soaker pad in place.  Sew down the edge where the hole is; be sure to catch those open edges as well as the edges of the soaker.  I usually end up sewing about 1/4" or a little bit more from the edge.  Then sew down the other side, once again being sure to stitch down the edges of the soaker pad through the outer.

Finally sew down the long edges of the soaker pad.  You should be able to feel the edge and if you pull taught you can see where it ends.  I sew about 1/4" from the edge.

Sew down the other edge stitching in the ditch.  While I whip these diapers up pretty quickly without pinning or fussing I do find this is a good opportunity to practice this technique.

Et voila!  C'est magnifique.  At least as magnifique as a diaper is liable to get =)

So there you are: 6 diapers for $2.50

I highly recommend flannel for the diapers, but really any soft, absorbent natural fibers will do.  The same goes for the soaker pads; I usually use old hand towels and jersey scraps.  Now all you need are some diaper covers!

not dead...

not quite anyway...  where have i been?  quite frankly nowhere good.  our impending move has been moved from next month to this, which isn't a really big deal except i'm increasingly overdue to have this baby and as such have been busting ass to get the move done asap...

of course baby still hasn't budged so perhaps i needn't have been in such a hurry?

we are almost completely moved which will only leave some cleaning to be done after baby's born and i think with everyone chipping in we can handle that.

what else have i been up to though?  don't think that my moving chores didn't include some sewing ;-)

i turned the huge pile of scraps on the floor under my ironing board (isn't that where everyone keeps their scrap pile?) into this

hopefully this pile will become a couple of quilts eventually.  i've mentioned this before, but i cannot bear to throw anything away.  i assume that's why quilting came about in the first place...

i've also been making --don't judge me-- diapers!  i am considering cloth diapering little miss late to the party so i've been whipping these out really quickly when i have the urge to do some sewing.  i've got 7 prefold diapers so far (seen above) and 3 pocket diapers/diaper covers (see below) with lots more of both cut our ready for sewing.

we'll see how it goes.  they're so cute, aren't they?

i'll be making some more once i get my sewing machine unpacked.  that's right, i took the plunge and packed my machine.  and i won't be unpacking it until tuesday <whimper>

but that leaves me more time for knitting.  i'm almost done with sock number one of these big fish.  i'm modifying the pomatomus pattern for a men's size 12.  actually this is my second pair as such.  there will definitely be a blog post with specifics at some point.

this is just for giggles.  my mom gave me this nightgown, presumably because it doesn't fit her.

i know what you're thinking: that's not the reason she didn't want it!

but i promise it's actually quite pretty and i'm sure it'll make lovely baby stuff.  plus it's almost a paisley print and i love paisley!

i love the border.  i'm actually thinking of making some of those "bandanna shorts" i've been seeing all over lately. 

 we'll just have to wait and see.