12
Nov 2007

Diaper Material The FrugalBabe Way

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We had decided a long time ago that we wanted to use cloth diapers for our baby.  But I didn’t want to spend $12 – $20 each for fitted diapers online, nor did we want to have to mess with safety pins and diapers that fall off as soon as the baby is able to crawl.  My mother and I have been looking at patterns online that show you how to make your own fitted diapers.  It’s a bit time consuming, but we figure that once we get a couple made, it will get very repetitive and easier as we go. 

One of the patterns that we like recommends using flannel as the outer and inner layers of the diaper, with whatever absorbent material you like as the liner (I’m leaning towards hemp, but I haven’t decided yet).  I looked in a fabric store and flannel was $3/yard.  Not terrible, but I decided to check out my favorite thrift store to see what they had.  I found three queen size cream-colored flannel sheets, in great condition, for a total of $10.  Each sheet is about 6 yards of fabric, so that would have cost us over $50 just for the flannel if I had bought it in the fabric store.  The sheets are great quality (Spiegel brand), with no worn spots or stains.  And they’re a nice neutral color.

I don’t have a sewing machine or much in the way of pattern-reading or sewing skills, but luckily my mother does.  So I’m going to plan a few weekends over the next few months when I go to my parents’ house and we work on diapers together.  We’re going to have to get some stuff (elastic thread, elastic for the leg holes, Velcro, liner material, etc.) at the fabric store, but I already feel like we’re way ahead since I got the flannel for such a good price.  I’ll keep you all posted on our diaper-making adventures (Thanks for your help, Mama!), and I’ll let you know what pattern website we end up using, in case anyone else is interested in making their own diapers.

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  • http://mrsmicah.com Mrs. Micah

    Mr. Micah says that sounds so comfy for the baby! Please do let us know what pattern website you’re using…this is totally something I could do someday. :)

  • http://arduousblog.blogspot.com arduous

    That’s so great and ambitious of you!! Are you going to wash the baby’s diapers yourself, then?

  • Kelly

    I’m a huge fan of cloth diapers, but never had enough courage to actually make them myself, and I don’t think I’m going to get around to doing so, now that I’m on baby number three! But, a couple of words of advice- try a couple of different patterns, as not all patterns work for every baby, make enough for baby number two as well, because you won’t have time during your next pregnancy, and check out snappis- the best replacement for diaper pins ever. While you’re at it, make some polar fleece diaper liners- they’re a great moisture barrier on top of the diaper, and easy to make- and some cloth wipes- super easy.

  • http://outofdebtagain.blogspot.com/ Mrs. Accountability

    Check out elimination timing and you might be able to save even more on diaper use.

  • April

    Wow, that’s really ambitious! I’m in awe.

  • http://neatokimmo.blogspot.com/ Kim

    Terry is a good absorbent fabric for diapers. The diapers I am working on now are made from a mint green robe I found at a yard sale for a buck. It looked brand new and it is lopped on one side and brushed on the other side. 100% cotton doesn’t retain smells and the same type of terry was $13 a yard at out store.

  • http://livingalmostlarge.blogspot.com Livingalmostlarge

    I thought about using cloth diapers, but having learned how to work the CVS and Walgreens sytems, I’ll be using disposables. And unfortunately if you put your child in daycare, cloth isn’t going to work anyway.

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