Diaper Dilemmas

I am a self-taught sewer, so I run into sewing dilemmas frequently. Some things I can figure out on my own. Some things I kind of "wing" and make it work. Sometimes I have to find an answer somewhere. Sometimes I go online and search for answers through google.com. But the best sewing resource by far is the Sewing Mamas group. Time and again they've answered questions or talked me through a sewing "procedure."

Recently I started making cloth diapers again. Originally I was making fitted diapers, and after a purchasing a diaper pattern and using that for a while, I adjusted it and started doing my own thing. No problem.  But this time around I wanted to try making one-size (OS) diapers with a waterproof layer. I like the idea of making one type of diaper again and again. So as I do, I got all excited to get started, so I set to work with the materials I had on hand, and produced a diaper. But not without issues.....

First of all, I am using snaps. I have snap pliers, and an assortment of snaps. I have applied them before. I was familiar with the process. These diapers take about 20 1/2 snaps each. (oy) So it's work, and it takes time to carefully apply each part. Carefullly, because about 1 in 4 snaps ends up getting smashed. Why is this? Well, I thought it was because I just wasn't lining the snap up correctly in the snap pliers. And it was. But wasn't this a problem that everyone had? I mean, I don't mind redoing the occasional snap, but this was getting ridiculous. And frustrating. And wasteful. So I investigated the situation by doing a search online. Well, it came as no surprise that there are different pieces that go with the snap pliers. It also came as no real surprise that you could order the parts. But if you owned the older version of the pliers, the new parts would have a funny fit. Review after review stated that the new parts on the older pliers made for a very tight squeeze for the snaps. Ugh. So that means new pliers. The new ones have many reviews touting the better snap fit. Seems like the way to go if I'll be making diapers. Ok, so that's in the works.

The next issue is working with PUL. Again, I have nothing to reference with this, or people to ask, so I tried it on my own. Sewing PUL to another fabric is like trying to get a slippery eel to lie still next to, well, anything. It was everywhere. Well, everywhere except where I needed it to be. Frustrating to say the very least! This time I appealed to the Sewing Mamas group. And as always, I got lots of great suggestions. The first of these was to use a walking foot on my sewing machine. Ok. I have one of those, but have never used it. I couldn't figure out how to put it on my machine. All of the other feet snap into place. This one did not. I didn't have a clue, and no instructions came with the foot. Admitting this to the SM group resulted in links to photos and instructions. =) It took about half a minute to put it on. (I've owned the thing for over a year-lol!) I was very eager to try it out. I did so. The PUL did not slip sideways. It moved through the machine with ease. Until I got toward the other end of a diaper. The PUL piece was pushed about one inch beyond the piece I was sewing it to. Ak! Frustrating! But a step in the right direction. The SMs assured me PUL can be tamed. I need to keep trying. Some other suggestions included using tissue paper as a stablizer, using two-sided tape or a glue stick to hold the fabric together, using a teflon foot, and so on. I wonder if sewing certain parts of the diaper first, rather than sewing around in one loop would be helpful. Anyhow, these are things to play with.

The one other area of this particular diaper pattern was understanding how to make the pocket in the back of the diaper. The instructions in the pattern were unclear to say the least, but with a few trials (and a few errors!) I figured it out. There is little that is more satisfying than figuring out a tricky sewing step! It's the sort of thing that keeps me going when I can't get through something. (Such as working with PUL) The pattern had no pictures with it, and the written directions assumed a lot of sewing experience. The result is a nice looking pocket.





Update: Several things have made this whole process much easier. For one thing, I recently received a new batch of snaps from the KAM snap company. It is evident that others had the same problems with smashing snaps that I did, as they are made differently now! The areas that smashed on the old style snap are now much thicker. Problem solved! So I am still using the snap pliers I have always used, and they work perfectly with the new, improved snaps. Excellent.

Regarding the PUL, I have found that the use of my walking foot along with having the PUL-side of my project facing DOWN, I can successfully sew with PUL! I also tried using tissue paper, which works fine, but I really don't think I need it. I just sewed a diaper together using this method, and it worked great. No slipping, sliding side to side, stretching, nothing. I did carefully guide the fabric to be sure things were lining up well, and I would recommend always doing so. But I am very happy to have a system that works!

As far as the pattern goes, I hit another step that caused me some pause. This time it was using velcro on the wings of the diaper. The step is quite simple, but I got hung up on the working in the pattern. Many times while sewing I have come across the term "right-sides together." Simple enough. In this pattern, the author uses the term "wrong-sides facing." On an earlier step in the pattern, the front and back of the diaper pieces were to be sewn together inside-out and then flipped. We were instructed to put the pieces "wrong-sides facing." So I translated this to mean right sides together. So, wrong sides facing out, I figured. No problem. But when it came to the velcro on the wings, the instructions said to put the hook and loop pieces "wrong-sides facing." HUH? The velcro tab needed to end up being wrong-sides together, and stitched together this way. How on earth do you start that with right sides together?? I could not for the life of me figure out how that would work. I ended up stitching the pieces together wrong-sides together, then sewing the tab onto the wings. Which was just as it was to be done. So what am I missing here? I always assume it's something I'm not getting, not a mistake in a pattern, and maybe it will suddenly make sense. But not yet. Anyhow, the diapers are coming together well at this point, and I am very happy with them.

Pigs and Piglets - A Fabric By Fabric One Yard Wonders Project (in progress)

For Christmas this year I received the Fabric By Fabric One Yard Wonders book. Here is my first project from this fun-looking book.

I am going to attempt to make two mama pigs, and 12 piglets. (One set for each child)

Here are the some of the supplies. Interfacing to trace the pattern pieces. Pink fleece. Felt, velcro dots, pink zippers, pink thread, polyester fiber fill and black embroidery fleece. Add to that pink yarn, cotton fabric and elastic, which aren't pictured, and we've got everything we need.













Tracing and cutting...

I have sat down twice now to cut out pieces, and I'm not done yet. With 2 mama pigs and 12 piglets to create, there are many, many pieces involved! The piglets take 5 body pieces each...

96 piglet foot pieces. 12 piglets, 4 feet each, two pieces per foot. The instructions say to sew these together. I know without trying that my sewing machine will not want to stitch these little things. So I will have to sew them all on tear-away fabric. I will be working on them for a l.o.n.g time.

I knew without trying that my sewing machine would eat these little parts for lunch, so I am stitching them all on tear-away fabric. Can you say ugh? All the piglet ears are stitched, on to the piglet feet. All 48 of them. A little every day... 

Bag of Balls

 This is from an Oliver + S pattern from a book I own and like a lot. The patterns are easy to follow, the book has good pictures, and the projects are fun to make.

This is a bag of balls! I am meeting my nephew (5 months old) for the first time later this week, and this is for him. =) The casing and the base of the bag are velveteen.






I enjoyed picking out fabrics for the balls. I didn't coordinate them as some might, but thought a variety of different styles, colors, fabric types and sounds might be more fun. I used wovens, velveteen, fleece and ribbons for the outsides, and two of the balls have bells on the inside.








The ties on the top are twill tape. It's a little bit tough to pull the top open with the twill working against velvet - if you make one, wovens might be a better choice.

 I hope he loves it. =)








This one has the ribbons....

Cheetah Halloween Costume

I have to turn my 3-year-old into a cheetah by Halloween. Agh! The problem is that time is marching right along, and I haven't made too much progress yet. And my time is limited. I can do this! After some searching, I found what I think is the perfect fabric.

Gorgeous, right? I forget what it is... faux fur, suede cloth? No, I dunno. Anyhow, it's perfect. So far. And I have this cool sewing book just for making Halloween costumes. Cool! But what does it say for this type of costume? Find your favorite one-piece pj pattern. Hm. Ok, except the book that I have with such things is playing hide-and-seek with me! Shoot!! So now I have to find the time to go buy another one, for who knows how much, that I'll likely use once. Frustrating. However, I said I would do this, and I will. (When I told darling son that I planned to make cheetah pants and a cheetah top, he clearly stated that this would not due, that it has to be a SUIT. Sighs...)

So here is the pattern I chose, thank-you Wal-mart.

My daughter begged me to let her trace for me. She's really good at it! Had I known....

 Putting the zipper in. One area I was a little nervous about. No need, it wasn't hard. Though to get it flush with the collar, I had to leave a gap below the bottom of the zipper...

 So I just made a little square of fabric and stitched it just below the bottom of the zipper. Just to firm that area up a bit.

Finished up the suit with bootie-style pj feet (also a part I was anxious about, but it was not hard) and a simple cuff on the arms. I created a tail and stuffed it with polyester fiberfil. I picked out a few stitches from the back seam of the suit, placed the tail so it would angle down a bit, and stitched it in securely. Done! I was so happy to finish this part, with plenty of time to spare. Now for the cheetah head.

For this I followed a pattern I found in an Oliver + S sewing book I bought recently. I love how they do patterns! Instead of having to copy all sorts of dots and lines onto the fabric pieces, which I tend to forget to do, these patterns put snips right into the fabric pieces as you go along. So much easier! This went together really easily. For the outside of the "hood" I used the same fabric as for the suit. For the lining and inside of the ears. I used a velveteen fabric. So soft and comfy! The pattern had suggested that new sewists steer away from using velveteen. I am not new at this and wasn't afraid, but for any new sewists reading this, I had no problem with it at all. Some fabrics can be slippery and difficult to work with, but this was not.

It fits perfectly, and he loves it! Success! =)

Obi-Inspired Hot and Cold Pack (One Yard Wonders)

Captions soon...

Child's Apron

I have been looking for sewing projects that are not too time consuming or difficult, to make items for my shop. I found this sewing pattern listed free on the internet. It's wonderful! It was created by Meg McElwee of Montessori By Hand. I do not know yet how she feels about folks selling stuff they've made from her patterns, so please be sure to ask if you plan to do so. I have an email in to her, and I'm awaiting her reply. In the meantime, I created one apron just to try the pattern and see how it came out.

 Being Montessori-based, it is designed to help children to be independent. It is easy to slip over the head, and the waist-strap goes around the child's back, and easily velcros to the front. Simple!

The apron is lined (you can use the same fabric or another) and the neck loop has elastic in is. I love how the elastic makes the neck loop frilly!

The apron is designed to fit 3-6-year-olds. My model is 7, and it obviously fits just fine. I also had a 3-year-old try it on, and it was fine. Versatile!

The apron went together very quickly. I was lucky enough to have all of the materials on hand, and I put this together in under 2 hours. I tend to get distracted while sewing, so it could done even more quickly than I did it. Easy breezy.

Oh, and it's easy-care. It's woven fabric, elastic, thread and velcro. All washable. =)

I am looking forward to checking out Meg's other patterns!

Another one. =)

 I found this pattern recently and fell in love. These are infant knot hats. They are simple to make, and are so cute. I decided to stock the shop with a couple of them..... which turned into 9 of them in two days. =) Now to send some to the babies that I know.

Model credits go to Bitty Baby and her big sister.

My favorite is the rose pattern. What's yours?