Nesting Instincts Gone Awry: or How to Make Your Own Fitted Cloth Diapers

Six years ago when I was expecting Mud Pie, I was all out of nesting opportunities. We had a nursery (from Fish and St. Nick), diapers, clothes (we didn't know Pie would be a girl), car seats, dishes, toys, everything. So what did I do?

I tie-dyed all my prefold diapers. And a heap of onsies. And some t-shirts for the boys.

This time around we had nothing for Baby, but instead of setting up a nursery or shopping baby clothes and accessories (we're trying to do it all with as little expense possible), I started sewing. I've mentioned my, ahem, love of sewing previously, yes?

Here are a couple of samples using all recycled material (except the velcro and elastic, and thread - duh):

Given how long each little diaper takes me to make, and how much profanity I mutter in the making, I wonder if I'm actually saving money and/or sanity. But they sure are cute!

One is made from a t-shirt from the Acton Institute where Dr. D works. 

Power corrupts! An Acton diaper?

Power corrupts! An Acton diaper?

The quote: "Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Indeed, power corrupts, even the youngest bottoms.

I'd give step-by-step instructions for making your own cloth diapers, but why reinvent the wheel? Here are some resources:

  • A how-to on making a cute fitted (especially useful for inserting the elastic!).

  • And in case prefolds are on the menu, a how-to I've yet to use.

Mine have fold-back tabs for the velcro and I searched online for common measurements - rise, length, waist, etc. - for various sizes. I cut a pattern out of ugly wrapping paper, and I've made a dozen or so out of various materials: old flannel pajamas, t-shirts, cotton towels. The nice thing with terry, I don't need velcro, just a Snappi. Oh-so frugal!

Rebecca Grabill

Rebecca has been writing since childhood, her first book about a kitten published between homemade cardboard covers in second grade. Although she studied religion and philosophy in university, she continued writing, earning an MFA from Hamline University and publishing multiple picture books (no longer with homemade covers) and a collection of poetry with a variety of New York and independent publishers. She has also published a wide array of fiction, essays, and poetry in magazines and journals and photographs for Getty Images. She balances writing with homeschooling the younger of her six children, launching her young adults, church activities, and overseeing a small flock of chickens in rural West Michigan.

www.rebeccagrabill.com
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