Teeny recycled t-shirt diaper

I mentioned previously that I like to tinker with patterns. Here is another versions of the diaper pattern. This time I decided to add a gusset similar to the Teeny pants to the back of the diaper. The gusset actually serves two purposes in that it gives extra room to the rise in the back and also breaks up the pattern so it fits easier on a t-shirt. With the previous diaper patterns I cut off the wings to economize on fabric and also to fit the pattern on a wider variety of t-shirts. This works well in general, but does slightly restrict the wing stretch. I don't think it makes a big difference, but it is an added bonus to have the full stretch in the new pattern. The last and most important benefit for the new pattern is that it looks really great with the two colors. It is so fun to have a two tone diaper with a fancy curved gusset in the back. I suppose I should have mentioned that first since it the real reason why I came up with yet another diaper pattern. I also changed the inside lining of the diaper. I use the recycled power stretch micro fleece on the lower portion only and line the top part at the waist band with hemp fleece. It is not a huge difference, but I like that he has a little natural and organic fabric around his waist along with the stay dry lining. I also added a layer of hemp fleece to the entire diaper and it is still trim.

Sweatshirt teeny pants

I made him another pair of Teeny pants. This time I used an extra large sweatshirt I found at the thrift store. The fabric is a combination of cotton and polyester fleece and is really soft. I incorporated the bottom cuff of the sweatshirt into the cuff of the pants. Pretty cute overall and he has some great gym pants.

Orchid hemp fleece diaper

I made a sample diaper for Jonas out of the Orchid dyed hemp fleece. I lined the diaper with recycled Polartec Power Stretch. The post consumer content is 65%. It stretches in both directions and is really soft. One side is fleece and the other side is lycra knit. The diaper is made with the same pattern as the recycled t-shirt diaper but is turned and top stitched. The diaper has one layer of hemp fleece, hemp jersey and micro fleece. The insert is made from four layers of hemp fleece. I am still trying out new insert patterns. I have a hard time narrowing down what I think works best since there are so many ways to make an insert and they all have their merits. For this diaper, I tried out a new front pocket system that includes an internal overlapping flap. It works really well and is definitely a keeper.

I also tried out my new diaper labels. I created the labels in Microsoft Word and printed them on fabric using Dharma Trading Company Inkjet Roll Cotton. It is really easy to use and an inexpensive way to make your own custom labels. I need to fine tune the labels a bit since they turned out lighter than expected.

Orchid hemp fleece

I dyed a few yards of hemp fleece fabric using Dharma Trading Company fiber reactive dye in Orchid. The color is purple with pink undertones. I also made a few sample diapers from the fabric. Very nice color. Orchid is actually the first color I used to dye hemp fabric many years ago when I first started Natural Violet. One of the reasons why I started dyeing my own hemp fabric was because I wasn't very happy with the color selection available. I remember being really excited when I dyed my first batch and got this wonderful warm purple. I have to say it is still very exciting to see the final results of my dyeing projects.

Pocket recycled t-shirt diaper

 
Hemp fabric is still my favorite choice for making diapers, but I also love using thrift store t-shirts for making diapers. I posted a tutorial about a year ago on how to make t-shirt diapers and it gets the most visits on the blog so decided it was time to update. For a turned and stitched version of this diaper see my post on the red velvet recycled diaper. The following diaper was made entirely out of a t-shirt with the exception that I added a layer of synthetic micro fleece to line inside of the diaper. This is entirely optional and the whole diaper can be made from the t-shirt. The diaper style is a front opening pocket with a separate insert and the pattern is below. I love to work with patterns so with lots of revisions I came up this one. You can use any pattern though and there are lots of free ones available online. I started making pocket diapers a while back since I found like many others that they dry quickly and are very practical since you can add extra layers if needed. So on to the new tutorial.

Instructions for t-shirt diaper

Diaper pattern can be downloaded in three pdf files.
nvpockdiap1
nvpockdiap2
nvpockdiap3
The diaper can be made using a regular machine or serger. I used a regular machine and did a zig zag on the edges. It can also be turned and top stitched. The size of the diaper is medium to large and is a bit larger if you use a zig zag edge.

Materials: XL 100% cotton t-shirt and optional small piece of micro fleece for the liner. I also use hook and loop for the fasteners. You can opt to us no fasteners also and close it with a diaper pin the front. Elastic for the legs and back.

1. With the pattern cut out the diaper back and front along with the insert using the t-shirt. Cut off the neckline and cut two pieces eight inch long for the front pocket opening. Cut a front insert using the sleeves and half of the insert pattern (four layers). Optional only, but you can add an applique to the back using scrap t-shirt fabric. Cut out the micro fleece liner using the front and back pattern without the wings. This again is optional. You will also need elastic and hook and loop tape. I use 1.5 inch wide hook and loop and 3/8 inch elastic. The long loop piece is 8 inches and the smaller loop pieces are 1 inch. The hook pieces are 2 inches.



2. Sew the wings to the diaper outside. Sew the neckline facing to the front edge of the diaper. I use a three stitch zig zag. Sew the eight inch loop tape one inch down from the front edge.


3. Sew the wings to the diaper inside. Layer the diaper inside with the micro fleece fabric on top. If you decide not to use micro fleece then sew the wings to the diaper inside only. Sew the two inch hook tabs on on the wings. Sew the one inch laundry loop tabs near the hook tabs. Sew the other eight inch neckline facing to the front of the diaper inside.



4. Sew the elastic to the wrong side of the inside diaper piece at the leg openings and the back of the diaper. Use the guide on the pattern for placement of the elastic. I use a three stitch zig zag, but a regular zig zag will work also. Just make sure to pull the elastic very tightly as you sew.


5. Pin and Sew the inside and outside diaper fabric together with the rights sides facing outward. Zig zag around the entire diaper leaving the front pocket open for the insert. I use a three stitch zig zag, but regular is fine also. Sew the inside and outside diaper together along the elastic lines using a three stitch or regular zig zag. This creates a nice ruffle along the elastic on the outside of the diaper. You can also add a optional two inch piece of loop to the right front wing so the diaper wings can cross and give you wider size range.


6. Sew the four pieces of the long and short insert together and zig zag the edge. Place the short insert on top of the long insert in the desired location. I put it towards the front for my little guy. The insert will have four layers in the back and eight layers in the front. You can also add a layer or two of hemp fleece to increase the absorbency, but the cotton knit works pretty well also since you have ten layers total in the front wet zone. Stuff the insert in the diaper, add a cover and ready for use.

A few changes in the diaper cleaning routine

I wrote about how I cloth diaper on a day to day basis a while back. It was around the time when he turned one and I felt I had enough experience to write down my routine. My diapering routine is about the same now with a few recent changes. I finally purchased a diaper sprayer. Woohoo! I am not sure why I waited so long. I guess I felt like it was a luxury and I didn't really need one. However now that I have one, I don't think I would give it up too easily. It is really nice and helps a lot with diaper cleaning. I won't elaborate too much, but the diapers have been a bit more messy lately. I have found also that I don't need to use the BioKleen Bac-Out too much anymore since I rinse the diapers pretty well before putting them in the pail. The only drawback though is that I do use a bit more water, so we will see how much once we get our next bill.

I bought a BumGenius diaper sprayer at Kelly's Closet and received free shipping so that was really great. I was going to make one from a kitchen sprayer. I have seen diy info for making your own diaper sprayer or bidet online, but when I priced it all out it was only about $10 cheaper and the one I bought is a lot nicer than anything I could have put together. It has a variable flow including an off position. The tubing is standard size also and can be easily replaced. It also works great for cleaning the toilet. It is sort of funny now, but we are excited about using it if that is the correct description. Who would have thought that something that attaches to your toilet could be so exciting? The little guy finds it a bit exciting also so I am glad I can turn it off easily. I am sure my little squirrel is going to figure it out soon, but for now he hasn't made the connection with the handle.

Another recent change in the diaper routine is the detergent. I am now using Charlies Soap. It is a bit more economical than the BioKleen. Also since I make most of the little guys hemp diapers with a sewn in microfleece liner, I find the Charlies Soap works better since it has no additives. I have changed all of our laundry now and wash everything with Charlies Soap. That goes also for anything I sell through the business. It will all be washed using Charlies Soap. It is a really great product and makes all of our laundry really soft.

So that is it for changes so far. I still love my cloth diapers!

Recycled long sleeve toddler tee and jeans

I finally purchased an issue of Ottobre Design. I bought the Winter 2009 issue and I love the patterns. They are fun, cute and have a good selection for boys. I actually grew up with Burda patterns, so I am familiar with tracing patterns from a magazine. I haven't done it in a while so it is fun to start again and in particular to make clothes for my little guy. I rarely have a lack of inspiration from all the ideas online. In particular, I love all the applique and stenciled t-shirts I have seen lately. How fun to take a basic t-shirt and put something really quirky on the front. All you have to do is add a pair of jeans or even better some funky knit pants and your little guy is all set. Overall I have to say that making clothes for him has been really fun. My only constraint has been having time to make everything.

So what I have I made lately? I made the long sleeve t-shirt from the Ottobre magazine. I used a pieces from two recycled t-shirts from the thrift store. I made a few bloopers, but it still turned out pretty good. I forgot to add seam allowance to the cuffs so they are a bit shorter than in the magazine pictures. I also decided to add buttons on the top instead of snaps. I completely botched the buttonholes on the first try. I haven't made buttonholes with my machine in a long time and they turned out really horrible. I wound up putting a patch of fabric over the top and reversing the placket. I then tried the buttonholes again and they turned fine. The shirt actually came together really quickly with the exception of the buttonholes. I also tried out the Teeny Pants pattern with woven fabric. I found a pair of dark jeans at the thrift store and used those to make the pants. The only differences I made in the pattern is that I added a half an inch seam allowance to allow more movement and I didn't cut separate cuffs. I wasn't sure if the gusset would work since it is sized larger to accommodate the diapers. However since the fabric is cut on the bias it gives a little bit of stretch and the gusset fit fine. So it good to know that I can use either stretch or woven fabric for making pants for the business. The outfit turned out pretty cute overall.

Fancy diaper cover

I took a break from diaper making and made a diaper cover. It is made with a layer of pul fabric and a layer of cotton print. I made it with the same diaper pattern except I added an extra half an inch seam allowance. I got a bit fancy and covered the leg seams with the pul fabric to help with moisture control. It is fun to have print diaper cover since all the other ones I have are solid. It works pretty well overall, but not quite as well the double layer of pul. I did have some problems with moisture wicking even though I covered the legs. He likes it a lot though and doesn't like to wear pants whenever he has on his snazzy cover.

Dyed hemp fleece diapers

I dyed some of the hemp jersey fabric with low impact fiber reactive dyes and made a few more diaper samples. The hemp jersey dyes beautifully. I purchased the dyes from Dharma Trading Company. The fiber reactive dyes are low impact because they bind really well to the fabric and therefore less dye to go down the drain. The dye is set with soda ash which is basically a ph adjuster. I have used the fiber reactive dyes on hemp fabric for many years and I love all the wonderful colors available in the Dharma line. The diapers were made with one layer of dyed hemp jersey on the outside and one layer of hemp fleece on the inside. I lined the larger avocado diaper with microfleece. The smaller one I left with the hemp fleece liner. It is going to a friend of ours who just had a baby boy. We are going over to visit tonight and bring lentil soup and corn muffins so will be a fun evening.