Right in the middle of all my Elsa designing and creating, Johanna and I are ready to release a new pattern to you…a cloth diaper pattern in fact!!! It is now live and available for purchase on my Joy2Sew/Etsy! We are so excited! Johanna is not only one of my closest friends, but the amazing talent behind the whole digitizing process of my patterns! She takes my photos, words, and quite sketchy pattern pieces and makes them beautiful on the computer. I’m amazed and oh, so grateful!
The PDF pattern is available for instant download. It includes two sizes: a 1/2 and a 3/4. I decided to make two cross-over sizes (similar to my Anna costume), so that you could make less diapers and have a stash that could fit your baby from birth through two years! When Nathan was born, there were not as many size 1 cloth diapers available to fit a newborn, and definitely not any you could make yourself. So, I created this pattern last fall, right before my second son was born, so that I could have cloth diapers that would fit him right after birth.
And, they fit great! He wore the small size (1/2 fits 7-14 lbs) for the first month, but quickly more than doubled his birth weight by month two (I breastfeed him, so extra milk weight I guess! Ahem.) So, now, James is wearing the larger size of 3/4 ( fits 15-25 lbs).
The supplies you need are pretty modest to create this diaper:
My printable pattern and directions, PUL (polyurethane laminate, a.k.a…waterproof fabric), microfleece, velcro, and a little elastic. JoAnn Fabrics carries a special cloth diaper section called “Babyville” with cute PUL prints and accessories, all in one section.
I have been cloth diapering for about three years now and just love it. I first got into cloth when my first son, Nathan was just 6 months old. With some direction from friends, and a lot of how-to’s from online, and I was off to a rocky start. I do appreciate the environment and think it’s very important to leave a light footprint, that wasn’t my primary concern in starting to use cloth.
I started cloth diapering for the savings over purchasing disposables. I haven’t done all the math wizardry, but I’m pretty sure I was able to save our family a few thousand dollars a year by using cloth. Plus, I cut out those emergency trips to the drug store to get an extra pack of diapers. Sure, I still used disposables occasionally too, like when out on a trip, or when I’m between diaper loads. But, I love cloth. I love that they wash up great. I love hanging them on the clothesline outside when it’s warm. I love knowing I’m saving money. And I love sparing my children from diaper rashes. Nathan only had one break of tushy redness way back, and with a little baby powder it went away.
This is a 1/2 sized cloth diaper tested out by Lori, one of my fabulous pattern testers! I love the polka dots! And I love that she did a girl one! Lori did a fabulous job on this and she said it was so easy and quick to whip up! She is way ahead of me too in the Elsa pattern design realm too, as she has a pattern up for sale of her own….check out her shop, Lori’s Playtime Pieces!
I just love the pocket style diaper. I can control how mush absorbency I want the diaper to hold. While there is not a pattern for pre-folds (the cloth you insert inside) included, it’s quite easy to make or buy your own. You can sew 3 layers of microfleece or hemp together, use the pre fold cloth diapers WalMart sells, use a folded t-shirt, or purchase some online. I like THESE , THESE or THESE best.
Thanks for sharing in my great news today! So, purchase the pattern! Pin the idea (below)! Share it with
a friend….Go Cloth!!!!
