Diaper Pattern and Directions

Diaper Day!

As promised I am going to share with you my diaper pattern for a reusable pocket diaper.  Plus the directions on how to make them for sizes Newborn to 5 (27 lb+).  A few things that you need are some fabrics.  I use Kids in the Garden here you can purchase the fabrics by the inches, every 20 inches of the PUL fabric I get 3 diapers.  I also like to get the white microfleece one-sided for the linings, or side that will touch the baby's skin.  It is really soft and stays soft.  Another thing to get are snap pliers and snaps.  I know I have seen them at Joann but I love KAMSnaps here they have great customer service.  Please note if you buy the size 16 or smaller snaps you HAVE to buy the extra long prong.  For diapers I love the size 20 snaps.  Each diaper needs 16 sockets and caps and another 6 studs and caps.

The last and final thing is to find 3/8" wide button hole elastic the example here is 6 mm wide.  The only place that I have found is on ebay through this seller here  I cannot say my opinion on the seller or the feedback.  I am only saying that you need a very thin button hole elastic.  You will also need 1/2 inch or 5/8 inch buttons.  Colors don't 100% matter, but if you are making diapers with the white PUL I would suggest white or clear buttons.  There are 5 buttons per diaper.

So first thing is first.  You need the pattern and I uploaded it.  Click this link.  DO NOT hit the green download button.  Scroll down and you will find a red button underneath the opening page that reads "Download".  This will open up adobe reader and the document.  This document is not for commercial use without my permission.  Please message me or email me to gain permission.  Print the document THREE times.  This is so for every 20 inches you can pin all of the patterns at once.  Line the A lines up, B Lines and C lines.  Tape the paper together and then cut out the diaper shape.  The picture above is three of the pattern in tracing paper.

Starting with the PUL fabrics, cut the three diapers.  I line them up with one flipped, this allows all three to fit.  See the picture below.

When cutting the one-sided fleece you can do the same thing as flipping, but you don't have to because the fabric is 60" wide.  But you will want to either bend down the tab on the one side of the diaper.  We only need that with the PUL not the fleece.

Now take a pin and one of the pattern pieces and stab holes in the black dots on the pattern.  Using a permanent marker use the holes to transfer onto the pattern.  Do this to all the black dots.

Now you get to use the snap pliers.  You must set the first 6 snaps on the 8 snap set.  You will want to cut small squares of PUL from your excess because the prongs are too long for a single layer of fabric.  Using the awl tool punch the hole through the two excess squares and the black dot on the diaper.  The socket will be the good side of the fabric.  KamSnaps has some wonderful videos online here they are great at showing you how to use the pliers.  Do the first 6 snaps on either side of the diapers with sockets only to all the diapers.

You can see the use of the excess squares here, on the wrong (shiny) side of the PUL Fabric.

Next we must sew the tab for the elastic down.  This is done with a single straight stitch.

For the button hole elastic of this part of the you only need to finish off one side.  Mark the last four holes A through D.

String the good edge through the channel and then sew the excess raw edge down.

Sew a button right under the edge of the open side of the channel, so that way the back can be adjustable.

The channel should look like this when done and buttoned. 

Now pin the right sides together of the PUL and the fleece.  The elastic area is the entry for the insert, so this must remain open.

Here is the finished sewing area on the closed side.  You can cut notches to the seam but I have not ever found this to be a needed item.

Refering back to the pattern find the lines right under the snap marks.  These are marked "I."  Using pins mark them on the diaper.

Sew the channel for the elastic on the sides.  This channel must be at least at the 15mm mark or 1/2 inch on the machine.  It depends on how wide the elastic you purchased is.  Obviously you want the channel a bit bigger than the elastic and I would say just as big as the button.

Do this to both sides of the diaper.

Using a sharp pair of scissors cut a hole at each end of both channels.

In this hole hand sew a button.  This does not get sewn to the fleece lining, just inside the hole.  Do this for all the holes that were created at each end of the channels.









You must take the double elastic now and create the Double Alphabet elastic.  Both ends must be finished off, this helps keep them from popping out constantly.  I used letters A-G and it has worked great.  But if I was you I would say to go A - H.

Using a safety pin string the Double Alphabet elastic into the channel.

Depending on the size that you are making, this is a newborn size (F-G)  Loop the button onto the desired size of elastic.

Stuff the excess elastic down into the opposite side of the channel.  This excess just hangs out until you need it while the baby grows.

Pull the elastic through with the safety pin and loop the elastic onto the correct size with the button.  Stuffing the excess again into the diaper.

Stuff the buttons into the fleece.  I will tell you they pop out sometimes after a wash I just push them back in.  Repeat the Double Alphabet elastic process on the other side.

Using the Snap pliers finish off the sockets.  And on the opening side of the diaper, put the studs.

Now let us talk about inserts.  This is a prefold insert from Gerber that you can purchase in most baby sections of Target, Walmart and of course Babies R Us.  These are inside of my diapers and work just fine.  First step open up the diaper like this.

Fold over each side so it is a trifold.

I then fold the diaper over, using the size to guide me.  Obviously as the baby gets bigger the fold becomes less pronounced.

Folded side first stuff the insert inside the diaper, using the entry with the back elastic. 

Fold the lining over the insert to create a nice edge.











All done!  One reusable diaper ready for sizes Newborn to 5.  Be green and Be Awesome.