These photos and instructions were put together by Stelleria from Fern and Faerie – thank you Stell!
For this project, you will want to use a ball-point or universal sewing machine needle, so you don’t punch holes & cause runs in your fabric. A size 80 or 90 will do the trick.
Cut 4 pieces per diaper. For a standard-size 4×8x4 prefold I cut mine 18″x18″. Go by the desired finished length, and use that measurement for the dimensions of your square.
Take 2 layers, and fold them in half, right sides out. Repeat with the other 2 layers. In the photo, the folded edges are both in the center.
Overlap the two folded stacks so the overlapped part is the same width as the sides. Pin along the folded edges, and then topstitch close to the folds on both sides.
Cut a piece of Snappi-able fabric the same size as your diaper. Layer this over the diaper, and pin. Loose weaves, terry-cloth, the wrong side of sherpa, or pique knit are usually Snappi-able.
Serge around the edges, rounding off the corners. Alternately, you can straight-stitch around the edge, then zigzag to overcast the edges.
If you don’t want to back the whole diaper with Snappi-able fabric, you can conserve fabric by using strips. I cut mine 3.5″ wide, serged the edges, and sewed them in place using the illustrated steps. This diaper was made using a waffle-knit shirt for the Snappi-able fabric.
Pin the center strip in place, then topstitch.
Lay top strip out in flipped-down position. Pin & sew the seam.
Flip up, pin & trim.
Serge to finish.
With slight variations, you can make your prefold stuffable. This is good for customizing absorbency, conserving fabric, and shortening the drying time.
Make a 2×4x2 prefold (only two squares are used, rather than 4). Serge across the top only.
Cut your backing piece from a Snappi-able fabric. Serge across the top of that.
Layer your prefold and backing pieces, with the serged edges at the top. Pin together. Serge around the edges, beginning 1″ to the outside of the center overlap and ending in the same place on the other side of the overlap, leaving an opening about 6" wide along the top.
Use the sleeves of your Snappi-able shirt, or another suitable garment to cut your soaker pads. I made mine 2-layer, 4″x15″. Serge around the edges.
Sometimes you may find a shirt with something you’d like to show, but the fabric isn’t Snappi-able on the right side. In this case, you can sew patches of Snappi-able fabric at the top corners and the center bottom before layering & serging.
mamabella says:
you really go the whole 9 yards for the eccological and economical aproach!!! besides they all look so cute!!!! i also wanted to ask if you have a pattern for menstrual pads?
sandra,
mama of Gaston (19 months, almost 100 % diaper-free, i believe thanks to clothdiapers) and Manuela (who is due in mid September)
from Caracas, Venezuela
September 5th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Stellaria says:
Getting there…..slowly but surely! But no pad pattern yet.
Thanks!
September 5th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Stellaria says:
We do have a couple pad patterns available for download now – one of which is perfectly suited for using old t-shirts!
September 5th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
smwon says:
I love the diapers… would love a pattern for sanitary napkins made out of old T-shirts too!
July 5th, 2008 at 5:33 pm
smwon says:
OOPS! lol
July 5th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
smwon says:
I can’t find the pad patterns…
July 5th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Jessica says:
Pad pattern is here: http://hyenacart.com/FernandFaerie/index.php?c=36
July 7th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
News » Now your t-shirts really can suit you to a T! says:
[...] just settle for making a different style of t-shirt, but you can also use those t-shirts to make diapers for your baby, clothes for your toddler, or adult-sized undies, skirts or dresses. Or a bikini. Just beware of [...]
September 1st, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Now your t-shirts really can suit you to a T! | MetaFilter says:
[...] just settle for making a different style of t-shirt, but you can also use those t-shirts to make diapers for your baby, clothes for your toddler, or adult-sized undies, skirts or dresses. Or a bikini. Just beware of [...]
September 1st, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Christine says:
What does “zigzag to overcast the edges” and “snappi-able fabric” mean?
December 30th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Jessica says:
If you don’t have a serger, you can use your sewing machine to lock the raw edges of the fabric together. Using a wide zig-zag stitch, stitch with half the “zig” on the fabric and half of it just off the edge. It’s not as tidy looking as a serged edge, but it does the trick.
Snappi diaper fasteners are easy ways to close cloth diapers shut without using pins. They have little “hooks” that grab the fabric, and they don’t grab well on all fabrics. Fabrics Snappis work well with are: birdseye, french terry, stretch terry, and regular loop terry. They will grab onto jersey knit fabric (t-shirt material) but can tear holes over time. They will NOT grab onto flannel.
You can see Snappis here if you aren’t familiar with them, most diaper stores carry them: http://www.snappibaby.com/
December 30th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
My Adventures in Cloth Diapering, Part 2 « TeamDavis says:
[...] You can even make your own prefolds from t-shirts! [...]
August 29th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Cloth Diapers - Page 46 - IndusLadies says:
[...] Hi Vishnu Please refer to links in the earlier posts for stitching prefolds. One sample link is – Diaper Fabric Weblog Sew a Prefold from Old T-Shirts There is no Indian website to get CDs. Other ILites may help. We initially had littlehood.com [...]
January 3rd, 2010 at 10:10 pm