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Diaper Facts

Cloth diapers are very rewarding to sew. There is something wonderful about seeing your baby in a lovingly made cloth diaper. No time to sew? Little for Now diapers are made with love too!

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Want to sew your own diapers?

...Cloth Planet is here to help!

Sewing your own diapers is a lot of fun - but be warned, it can be very addicting. Soon you'll find yourself buried in cute waterproof prints, cushy velours, and absorbent hemp. You'll find yourself hanging out on diaper sewing lists debating the merits of spending $200 on snaps and a snap press so you can "save" even more by making your own diapers.

First, you'll need diaper sewing patterns. There are a number of free patterns available, plus some really nice paid patterns. If you are going to buy a pattern, I recommend Chloe Toes. It is a trim fitting diaper that is easy to sew, easy to modify, and very popular.

Free Patterns


Diaper Sewing More tutorial than pattern, this site is a great resource for cloth diaper sewing. Step by step pictures for diapers, covers, cloth menstrual pads and more.

Mama Bird Pattern A great diaper pattern. I find they run a little small so you may want to add a bit to the length and the wings.

Ottobre Designs A really nice pattern. Runs a little big, so you may want to make one, then adjust the pattern to fit your needs. Ottobre also has a popular knitted wool diaper cover pattern.

Frugal Diaper Patterns If money is really tight you can recycle t-shirts, receiving blankets, towels and other cotton items into really, really cheap diapers. Pick up a set of flannel sheets at a garage sale or thrift store (easy to find in the summer) or grab a set on clearance in late winter. You can sew a whole stash from a few sheets and you'll save a bundle.

Recycled Bum Sweater Wool covers are easy to use, breathable and cheap to make if you can get your hands on a few soft wool sweaters at a thrift store or garage sale. Heck, check your closet. Just be sure it is soft and as close to 100% wool as possible. You can also make long pants with the sweater arms. Find a pair of generously sized baby pants in the right size. Fold them in half so the crotch forms a J shape. Lay them against the arm of the sweater so the J starts at one side of the arm and arks upward.  Cut the second sleeve to match. Sew the crotch pieces together, fold down the top to form a casing for a piece of elastic, stitch it almost closed, add elastic and you are done!

More Wool Soaker Patterns Get yourself a few skeins of wool yarn ($4-8 a skein or so, most covers require about 100-150 grams or 1 1/2 skeins) and soon you'll be crocheting or knitting wool diaper covers every chanace you get. Soft, cute, and fun to make.

Pull On Fleece Cover Again, more tutorial than pattern but a great way to see how to make a fleece cover.

Chloe Toes I see this pattern recommended time and again all over the diaper sewing lists. I have not used it myself, but the vast number of enthusiasts make this an easy to recommend pattern.

Diaper Sewing Fabrics



Next, you'll need diaper sewing fabrics. Here is a quick rundown on the most popular diaper fabrics and supplies.

Aplix - A hook and loop tape similar to Velcro. It is softer than Velcro and holds up better to diaper washing. Most popular brand used for diaper sewing and commercially available diapers.

Bamboo - An environmentally friendly fiber just now becoming very popular for diapers. Most often the bamboo velour is used for an inner fabric against the baby's skin. Bamboo has some antibacterial properties and is super soft.

Cotton - An old standby that is still really popular for the inner fabric against the baby, as a cute print on the outside of the diaper, for the whole diaper in a fitted diaper, or as the hidden soaker layer of the diaper. Most commonly used fabrics are birdseye cotton, flannel, sherpa (a thick brushed terry), terry cloth, and cotton prints.

DIY - A common term for choosing your own printed fabric and then sending it in to be coated with a waterproof polyurethane laminate (PUL)

Fleece - Most often refers to polyester microfleece used for diaper linings or polar fleece used for diaper covers and outer water resistant fabrics. Malden Mills is by far the best brand, but you can also find good reliable anit-pill fleeces elsewhere. May also refer to cotton, bamboo or hemp fleece used for absorbent layers.

FOE - Fold over elastic. A soft elastic that has a line down the center for easy folding. It is used to elasticize and bind the edges of many diapers. Look for 1 inch wide plush matte elastic. Most easily found in white but can be dyed with Kool Aid or RIT dyes.

Hemp - Hemp is a sustainably grown fiber that is rapidly growing in popularity. Like bamboo it is durable, antibacterial, and 30% more absorbent than cotton. Hemp is related to a more popular plant but has no drug related qualities.

PUL - Polyurethane laminate (PUL) is the most popular waterproof outer layer for diapers and for diaper covers. This is a very popular coop fabric. PUL is also used for sewing wet bags, pail liners, changing pads and waterproof bed pads.

Snaps - You can make your diapers and covers with snaps or hook and loop tape closures. Snaps are really hard to set by hand and metals snaps are not great for diapers that will be wet most of their lives. So, most people use plastic snaps. To apply plastic snaps you must use an industrial press to apply. You can get a press for $100-125. It will retain much of its value for resale so it is not a bad investment. Snaps will cost you a few cents each, less if you buy through a coop or buying group.

Suedecloth - A soft polyester cloth that has a finish that feels like suede. A popular diaper for the inner layer against babies skin because it wicks moisture through to the soaker inside and leaves babies skin feeling dryer.

Touchtape - Similar to Aplix, Touchtape is a hook and loop tape that is stronger than Velcro and holds up well to diaper washing. It is a bit cheaper than Aplix and holds better than Aplix, but it is not as soft.

You can get diaper sewing fabrics through a group buy or coop. You'll pay less and you'll likely wait weeks or even months for your fabrics. Or you can can buy diaper sewing supplies directly from a store. You'll pay a little more, but for what you will be saviing in diapers it really isn't that much more to simply buy the fabrics outright.

Popular Buying Groups I Count On


Utah Craft Coop My own coop, still small but we regularly group buy PUL, wool yarn and other diaper sewing fabrics.

Cloth Diaper Supplies Great for hemp and sherpa soaker materials.

This End Up Denise imports many items from China. Great prices on snaps, fold over elastic (FOE) and fabrics.

Diaper Sewing Supply Stores


Occasionally I have Diaper Sewing Supplies listed in my store. Little for Now

Diaper Shop A well known source, offers a wide variety of materials.

Sew Shoppe offers many diaper fabrics, FOE, and diaper patterns such as Honey Boy and CuddleBuns in case you prefer to have a detailed pattern to work from.

Finally, you may need some help sewing your diapers. You can get all the information you could possibly hope for on diaper sewing lists. Try searching the archives before you ask your questions, odds are someone has recently asked your exact question.

Diaper Sewing Support Lists and Web Sites

Sewing Diapers A very helpful diaper sewing support group. Lots of great information for the beginning or experienced diaper sewing mom.

Sew Your Own Diapers Another excellent diaper sewing list. Get your questions answered.

MotheringDotCommune forum More great advice, and a great place to meet other cloth diapering moms.