As per a request here it is....

Let me preface by saying I am far from a perfectionist sewer. I wing a lot of things and tend to eyeball placement of elastic, snaps etc.

Also, these instructions are geared towards snap useage, but if you are going to use aplix, touchtape, etc., it would probably be best to apply it to the PUL (reinforcing it on the backside with a rectangle of PUL so the stitching doesn’t tear through) before you start to prevent wicking at the stitching. You could apply it afterwards, but wicking would be much more likely.

Supplies:

Pattern (I made my own through trial and error to fit my dd)
PUL
Pre-fold
elastic (my preference is 3/8” polybraid, but you may have another)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/supplies.jpg

Step 1:
Place your pattern on the prefold (I used a toddler size to make a size large 20-30+ pounds - what size you need depends on how wide your wings are) and cut. I like to line up the top of the back of the pattern with the top serged edge of the prefold. Then cut out your pattern piece of PUL.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/piecescut.jpg

Step 2:
Place your cut pre-fold and PUL piece right sides together (the pre-fold doesn’t really have a right side, but you will want the shiny side of the PUL wrong side so you will want it out for this step). I’ve found it easiest to serge with the PUL side down rather than the prefold - it tends to stick to the presser foot if it is on the top.

Start your serging anywhere along the back edge of the diaper at least a couple of inches away from wing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/sergestart.jpg

Step 3:
Serge the two pieces together all the way around leaving a 2-3” opening making sure you catch all of the layers of the prefold as you serge.

As you can see, I tend to leave too small an opening which makes turning a bit tricky, lol.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/serged.jpg

Step 4:
The elastic should be sewn with the PUL side up. This makes the PUL turn in preventing wicking. Tack down one end of your elastic at the bottom of the wing/start of the leg curve in the serged seam allowance. Zigzag your elastic onto the serged seam allowance stretching tight as you go (hold the elastic on both sides of the presser foot - see pic) to the end of the leg curve/beginning of other wing, tack down and cut. I use a three-step zigzag, but a regular zigzag would work too.

Starting:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/elasticstart.jpg

In progress:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/elasticing.jpg

Elastic is in:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/elasticin.jpg

Step 5:
Weave in, tie off or whatever it is you do to your serger tails and turn the diaper right side out. Make sure you push the curves of the wings out. (No pic, sorry, my camera said invalid file format, but the pic was just of the turned dipe.)

Step 6:
Now topstitch 1/4” from the edge starting about midway down the curve of one wing across the back and to the midway curve of the other wing tucking under the seam allowance of the opening closing it you sew. Repeat for the front edge.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/topstitching.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/topstitched.jpg

Step 7:
Apply snaps. I use size 20 resin snaps. Also, I eyeball their placement in the middle of the wings spacing them about 1-1/2” from middle of snap to middle of snap.

Open dipe - you can see my snap placement. I like to have two front snaps to prevent wing droop.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/doneopen.jpg

Completed AIO:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v167/dolph_heights/complete.jpg

Step 8:
Wash and dry on hot to seal up the holes in the PUL or you will probably have some wicking with the first use.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Other notes on using these diapers:

Sometimes the pre-fold likes to stick out at the leg holes so just tuck it in. When I’m changing dd, after I close the diaper I do a quick finger sweep along the leg holes pushing anything that is sticking out in.

For added absorbancy, I made a bunch of lay-in doublers out of two layers of hemp french terry (hemp fleece would work too) and a layer of microfleece.

If you want the back gathered some, you could add a piece of elastic at the same step where you are adding the leg elastic - you would need to leave your opening for turning in the front then though or closer to the wings.

Let me know if you have any questions. :) Now you can make your own AIOs for just a couple of dollars and a little bit of time. Happy diaper sewing!

ETA: Modeling pics and some Q&A on page 2

~Becky

thank you!;cool:

Thanks! I'm going to try that with my diaper pattern, I wondered how to do the legs so it would turn inwards.

that's awesome, thank you!

thanks! i'm glad to hear how you get the elastic on to keep pul turned in.

Thank you for posting this!!!! I need to get some PUL and do some of these --- they look so quick & easy.
Thanks again!!
-Jill

didn't see if you did but if you topstitched all around including the leg openings while straightening this would eliminate the gaping on the prefold or possibly a PUL gusset?

wow that's really cool!

Originally posted by Marielle
didn't see if you did but if you topstitched all around including the leg openings while straightening this would eliminate the gaping on the prefold or possibly a PUL gusset?

I've never tried topstitching all the way around because I am worried about a greater risk of wicking if you topstitch around the leg holes, kwim? Also, topstitching the leg holes wouldn't allow the PUL to turn all the way in. Thanks for the ideas though.

To eliminate the little bit of excess pre-fold, you could probably just trim down the prefold through the inside leg curve so the PUL piece is a bit wider - does that make sense? I've never tried it though to see if it works so I don't want to recommend it.

I'm sure there may be other ways to make these, but this is just what I do and they work great for us.

I need to add to the instructions though that they should be washed and dried before using to seal up the holes in the PUL or you do get wicking - ask me how I know, lol....

~Becky

That's awesome mama.
I wanna see an action/modeling shot.
I love those!!:)

ahhh, hadn't thought of wicking. THAT'S why you're doing the sew along and not me - thinking ahead. LOL :thumbsup: I may have to try one.

Thank you for sharing this with us! I am going to try this tonight, Ive been wanting to use the prefolds I have stowed away :cool:

goodbye basket full of 40 prefolds and 9 yards of PUL... hello new AOI's!! AWESOME mama! ;cool:

Fantastic AND frugal!

Way to go Mama.

Here's a Q&A I had with Becky/the6dunlaps that I thought might be helpful to others also:

I am wanting to buy some cheap prefolds to make some of these.

I got my prefolds through the Comfy Creations Coop (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/comfycreations/). IIRC they were around $18/dozen for toddler size unbleached. Not sure if Vicky will be running another one soon, but you could check if you can't find them elsewhere cheap.

Question.. can you tell me how wide the back waist is (around waist) and front waist is on your pattern?

I measured my pattern and the back is 16" from wing to wing; the front is 11.5"; the narrowest part of the crotch is 7". For the leg curves I have the back wider than the front for more bum coverage. While testing my pattern I had it too narrow in the back - this made it VERY trim, but her little butt cheeks hung out, lol. I can send you a tracing of my pattern if you would like.

I love the idea of no elastic in the waist at all.. but do you not have gapping/sagging from it?

I like it without the elastic too and we haven't had any problems with gapping or sagging. I think you just need the right snap placement so it fits well around their waist. I've been making these for her since last August and the only times we have problems with leaking or wicking are if she totally soaks it.

I'm use to wide back waist, narrow front from my diaper making biz, but I'm not use to the waist being similar in front and back, but I LOVE the look of it. Seems like it would fit better and be trimmer.

You need the front wider than in normal diaper making because you can't get as much width out of the back wings so you have to make up for it with the front - does that make sense. Your limited by the width of the prefold (see note below about adding tabs). This makes them snap more towards the hip bones than across the belly.

Oh, I'd love to see a pic of your dd in them.

ETA: I removed the modeling pics for security purposes. If you need to see them, let me know and I can PM you. :)

I'm thinking too I could do these with my hemp/sherpa/velour etc. and just do an attached but QD soaker sewn at the back. But prefolds are so nice cause the soaker part is already made.

Yeah if dd outgrows these before she's potty-learned, I'm going to have to make them from scratch. blech! I love using the prefolds because all the work is done for you - you just have to cut it to the right shape.

ETA: Another mama here (thanks Marielle) reminded me that, if your pre-fold is not wide enough, you can extend the wings by adding tabs cut from the excess pre-fold. Then cut your PUL to shape and continue from there. Yay! I'll never have to make a dipe from scratch again, lol.

Another nice addition would be a microfleece top inner layer on the prefold.

Yeah, I've considered that, but we always put a micro-topped doubler in with these so it's not really necessary for us. Just habit, lol, dd always tended to soak just a prefold.

Let me know if you have any other questions/comments/etc. :)

What I like about these is that, while I don't really enjoy making diapers, I really don't mind making these. No more putting it off - they are so quick and easy. :thumbsup:

~Becky

Mamas look how freakin trim that dipe is!!!!:heart:
All from a prefold and some PUL!
I love em! :thumbsup:

Wow! I just saw this and I had to subscribe to this thread! I've never tried to make a dipe before, but those look terrific! I can't wait to try making some. Thanks for sharing! :)

Ummm, how long did it take you to get the pattern right? :o 3 ruined prefolds later, and I'm no closer. My prefolds are only 13 inches wide, and that's not helping. :p

Thanks for the sew a long. :thumbsup:

Originally posted by ShannaLeah
Ummm, how long did it take you to get the pattern right? :o 3 ruined prefolds later, and I'm no closer. My prefolds are only 13 inches wide, and that's not helping. :p

Thanks for the sew a long. :thumbsup:

PM me your addy if you would like a tracing of my pattern. It is for 20+ lbs., but you could use it as a starting point and modify from there as needed. You'll probably have to add pieces to the wings to get the width you need, but I'm sure you figured that out, lol.

~Becky

This is such an awesome sew along! Know all I have to do is actually break down and buy some pul! I have a ton of prefolds taking up drawer space that I very rarly use.

Did you trace that pattern from another aio? If not do you think that would work?

Originally posted by 2drumbabes
Did you trace that pattern from another aio? If not do you think that would work?


I drafted the pattern from scratch and just kept modifying until I found the right fit for my dd. I started when she was in mediums. It took a few tries though and I didn't get it right until she was in larges (the mediums worked, but weren't as good a fit as what I finally came up with in the large).

You could try tracing another AIO, but these are a bit different than a regular from scratch diaper because the front is wider than average and the back is narrower since you are using the prefold as a base.

I can send you a tracing of my pattern also if you would like one and you can go from there to make it fit your little one. PM me your address if you would like it. :)

~Becky

:thumbsup:

I just have to respond to this thread.

Our children have been out of dipes for some time now. But I have to tell you I think your pattern is AWESOME and I would sooooooo make this if we were still diapering.

My dh, who was not crazy about cd'g, said these would have been perfect for him to use. He, and I, are really impressed.

Well done.

I just pm'd you my addy. Thanks!