I've seen quite a few people say that they're intimidated by the thought of making diapers. I had DH snap pictures as I made a diaper last night hoping that seeing the steps of the process might be helpful for someone...

First, I have to thank Erin (ekortering) for her diaper draft-along. I made this pattern for a friend's daughter using Erin's very clear instructions. :heart:


Getting ready to sew: I trace my pattern onto a thick piece of paper and punch holes all along the elastic placement lines and where the snaps will go. Here you can see me tracing the perimeter of the diaper pattern with a water-soluble marker. I also stick my marker in the punched holes to note elastic and snap placement.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diapera.jpg


I cut approximately 1/4 - 3/8" outside of the outline. Not shown are the hidden middle layer (I prefer interlock for this) and the inner (velour). On the hidden layer, I don't make any marks, on the inner layer I trace the outline and sometimes note soaker placement as well.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperb.jpg


Cutting the soaker pad. This is a thin-ish sherpa and I used 4 layers.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperc.jpg


Sewing ~ My photographer got distracted watching the OC and didn't get pics of me serging the soaker together. I find it faster and easier to round the corners of the soaker. Here I am sewing the two long sides to the inner layer of the diaper.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperd.jpg


Now the soaker is sewn in and here the three diaper pieces are stacked together. Outer print on top, hidden middle in the middle and inner layer right-side down on the bottom (i.e. the way you want them in the finished diaper).

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diapere.jpg

Elastic ~ I'm using lastin (I can only recommend the 3/8" heavyweight lastin, the other widths and thicknesses I've used have all broken) so I've got the machine set up for a 3-step zigzag. It's at the shortest stitch length so I can tack down the beginning of the elastic.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperf.jpg


Now that it's tacked, I adjust the machine to the longest 3-step zigzag, pull the elastic and sew. Experiment with your elastic to see how much you need to pull to get the desired amount of gathering. Here's where having traced the outline is helpful, I use the marks on the outer and inner to make sure the pieces are all lined up properly as I'm sewing the elastic in.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperh.jpg


When you get to the end, tack the elastic at that side and then (and only then) cut your elastic.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperi.jpg


Once all the elastic is in, it's time to serge. I start in an unobtrusive area in the middle of a leg curve. Aim the blade at the outline and begin serging.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperj.jpg


When you're serging next to elastic, pull the elastic so the diaper's flat not gathered. You don't want to stretch the fabric out, just pull it to it's pre-gathered size.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperk.jpg

Continue to readjust your layers as necessary to make sure they're lining up properly as you serge.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperl.jpg


Sometimes going around the curves can be tricky. If you're having trouble making a turn, you can stop with your needles down in the fabric, lift the presser foot and slightly reposition the fabric.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diapern.jpg


The serged diaper.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diapero.jpg


My photographer and his trusty assistant.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperp.jpg

I know this isn't helpful (not that the last one was either), but here we're deciding on snap color. I thought this was a cool picture of the closet o' fabric though. My children both have quite a fascination with snaps and the snap press...

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperq.jpg


Applying snaps.

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diaperr.jpg


The finished product. :)

http://www.jaymelee.com/albums/album09/diapers.jpg

This is just one way to make diapers, I know lots of people do things differently. Feel free to chime in with different tips, techniques, ideas, what-have-you...

Wow Jayme, what a great sew along! I've been making lots of diapers for ds lately. He has outgrown all of his mediums and it seems like all of his hand-me-down larges wore out at the same time.

I would never have tried to do the Lastin in the middle like that. I usually sew it to my outer before serging -- so it is not attached to the inner, but I haven't really liked it that way. I am going to try it your way the next time I get to sew.

Thanks so much! :heart:

Great photos! That's how I make mine too :)

But I'm not so precise w/ my tracing, I just rotary cut around my pattern, lol

My first thought:
'Wow I almost want to go sew some diapers now! finally!!' (this coming from the person that has sewn practically NOTHING this pregnancy and doesn't see an end in site)

My second thought:
'I wonder if I can get a pattern tracing from Jayme' (yes even so I have PLENTY of diaper patterns here including ones I have made myself)

My third thought:
'I wonder if Jayme can cut some out for me and make like 'kits', then all I have to do is sew' (yeah yeah that sounds fun :) )

My fourth thought:
'I wonder how much paypal it would take to just have Jayme make them all for me?'

Final thought:
'Mmmmmm we bought Ben and Jerry's brownie ice cream, maybe I'll go eat that and then think about sewing later'

Sarah<------hopeless it seems

That is a beautiful diaper Jayme!! Plus I love your nails too. LOL! How shallow am I that I spent more time looking at your cool machines and your nails than at the diaper. :p Where did you get that fabric you used for the outer. It is so pretty!!

I also loved your fabric closet, the PRR stripe tank on your daughter and the cozy papa baby picture. :heart:

Sigh... it looks so much faster than turning and topstitching. Someday I'll have a serger. Very pretty diaper!

--Vicki

You did an awesome job sewing and your photographers did a great job shooting :) My machine does not have a 3 step zig zag, do you think a wide zigzag would work just as well? I miss my old machine!

you rock!

hi dh :)

Almost makes me wanna make fitteds again....not quite though :p

What an awesome thing for you to do :heart:

;cool: to your DH!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

the holes for snaps is a great idea :) and I will definitely try lastin through all layers.

Glad to know I am not the only one who watches the OC...

That diaper is so cute - Love the fabric - and your sew along is awesome (I've never made a diaper & don't think I'm ever going to......) - what a sweet DH for taking pics !! ...... Love your closet too - soooooooooo neat !!



Monica

If you were going to make an aio, what would you do differently?

What a cute diaper! I was looking at your nails too.... and your wedding ring.:D

Your dh is very handsome and your dd is just beautiful!

Wow that was so much fun to watch! Beautiful diaper (fabric and sewing). That fabric closet is the coolest thing ever ;cool:

I'm done with diapers forever ;cool: but I had to say I LOVE YOUR CLOSET!

Thank you for posting this! :heart:

Thank you, Jayme for the great sew along! I've never done a serged diaper - only turned and topstitched. Thank you for the very clear instructions and photos.

A couple of questions - can I use regular poly thread on my serger, or do I need to use wooly nylon?

Also - any tips for ending the serging so that you can't tell where the overlap is?

Great sew-along Jayme! Did you use jeanstitch on that?

;cool:

Here is the dipe being modeled. Btw, it narrowly escaped being pooped in right away! This is Emanuelle:

Another view:

Rear end:

Trying to remember the questions...

Niri, the fabric was purchased months ago from a FS post on the market board. I don't remember who it was, I didn't recognize the name as being a usual sewing board mama.

Sarah, I'd be happy to send you a tracing of the pattern, and I'm always looking for an excuse to make diapers so I'd even be willing to make some for you if you'd really like. Hope you enjoyed your ice cream! :)

You only need a 3-step zigzag if you're using lastin. Regular polybraid or whatever it's called would work just fine with a standard zigzag.

I didn't make many AIO's so I'm not 100% sure of the best way to make them. Obviously different fabric choices, you probably wouldn't want to sew the elastic to the outer layer to avoid wicking through the stitching holes. Hopefully someone with more aio sewing expertise will chime in.

Chenning, yes you can use a regular poly thread instead of woolly (and sillygoose that is woolly not jeanstitch :) ) I just happen to like woolly, I find it to be very forgiving because it has some stretch to it, it kind of hugs the serged edge nicely. As for overlapping the serging, I start in an inconspicuous place and sew onto the diaper, so when I get back to where I started, I cut off the beginning bit of serging (it was in the seam allowance, hope that's making sense). Then I overlap by a few stitches, lift the presser foot and pull the diaper away from the needles. I seperate the threads and then tie them off and clip. It's not too noticeable that way.

ETA, yeah Shelia posted the modeling pics from tonight! Thanks again Shelia, we had a great time! :D

I forgot to say something to Ana, your request on the from the heart swap list to have someone hold your hand while you made diapers was what finally pushed me over the edge to do this sew-along (I've been meaning to do one for a long time now). I can't quite reach your hand from here, but I hope this helps...

It looks better in the picture. Her dipe blows mine away. She is a very good teacher and makes it look soooo easy. I definitely need more practice. I chose a really wild fabric!

Hey Jayme! Can I have a tracing or make one too??? Pretty puhleez!?:) Uh oh. This may go the way of the Jayme dress.

We had fun too!!

Can I come see your closet someday??? That is too awesome. And GREAT ring!

I love the diaper. I don't need them anymore, but that was a great sewalong

Thank you for answering the thread question, Jayme. And I never thought of overlapping the serging just a few stitches and then lifting the presser foot and pulling away (duh!).
The diaper(s) look great modeled!

Originally posted by snugbug
My first thought:
'Wow I almost want to go sew some diapers now! finally!!' (this coming from the person that has sewn practically NOTHING this pregnancy and doesn't see an end in site)

My second thought:
'I wonder if I can get a pattern tracing from Jayme' (yes even so I have PLENTY of diaper patterns here including ones I have made myself)

My third thought:
'I wonder if Jayme can cut some out for me and make like 'kits', then all I have to do is sew' (yeah yeah that sounds fun :) )

My fourth thought:
'I wonder how much paypal it would take to just have Jayme make them all for me?'

Final thought:
'Mmmmmm we bought Ben and Jerry's brownie ice cream, maybe I'll go eat that and then think about sewing later'

Sarah<------hopeless it seems

Awwwwwwwwww Sarah... lmao!! You sound like me... and I am just PMSing... ;) I have been thinking about sewing diapers for a friend of mine and that is just how my train of thought gets derailed as well. lol... you made my morning.

Love Val

PS Jayme, you, as always, are an inspiration to do things I would never have done before. :)