Faux G’s Part One: Sewing diapers with knit ribbing

Originally posted May 14th, 2009 at Cloth Revolution 

Make your own G Diaper style fluff! In my next post I will show you how to create the snap in waterproof "holster" to go with these, using FOE and PUL. But for today, lets start with step one, the rib legged diaper. These save a TON of fabric as opposed to a traditional contour shaped diaper and the fit is great. They can be used as a fitted diaper with a snap-in, hidden layer or lay-in soaker or even as pull up training pants.

(modeling courtesy of our life size newborn doll, a retired baby care class model)

You will need:

• 3/4" velcro or other hook and looptape
• 1' waistband or non roll elastic
• knit ribbed fabric for leg cuffs
• knit fabric for 2 body layers
• knit fabric for waistband

• if desired for a fitted style diaper: asorbant soaker fabric and extra knit fabric for hidden layer

Now that you have an idea of what were looking at, let's talk about sizing. Since this is just a bunch of rectangles, getting a custom fit is simple to do. First, measure the rise and waist of your baby. Basically, for the body, you can just use the baby's rise for the length and half of the baby's waist measurement for the width, subtracting the waistband thickness. For the waist band length, one end will be flush with the body layers, and the other end will extend 2 inches past the body layers on each side. In case that's clear as mud, here's a breakdown: (measurements in black are standard, red measurements are dependent on size)

short waistband: width: 2.5" , legnth: divide baby's waist measurement by 2

long waistband:width: 2.5" , legnth: add 4" to short waistband measurement

leg cuff ribbing: width: 2.5" , legnth: body layer legnth divided by 2 (this will vary depending on the amount of stretch in your fabric and how snuggly you want the legs to fit)

body layers: width: baby's waist measurement divided by 2, legnth: baby's rise measurement minus 2"

hook tape (scratchy side):

loop tape (fuzzy side)

*be sure to position your velcro so that the grain is going the same direction on the hook and loop pieces, or else it will not fasten as securely*

Fold the leg band ribbing in half legnthwise. Position it on top of the good side of one body layer. Leave enough ribbing extending above the top to grab from behind the presser foot, just as you would when working with elastic.

Position the other body layer, good side down, on top of the ribbing.

If you want to add a hidden soaker layer, it would go on top now. I reccomend using a stretch layer the same size as the other body layers, with a smaller soaker pad sewn to the middle. This way, you will maintain the stretch and not add too many layers to be sewn through.

With the needle down, stretch the folded ribbing tight and line it up in between the unstretched body layers. Zig-zag stitch through all four layers, all the way down the side. Since the body layers stretch only in the other direction, this is not as difficult as it sounds. Go slow and stop only with the needle down. Be careful not to let the any layers shift out of line. I like to stretch the ribbing all the way down and then take hold of it just a few inches from the top, sliding my grip down as I sew.

Here' s what one attatched leg band looks like from the inside...

And from the outside

Now repeat with the leg ribbing for the opposite side. It should be a mirror image of the other side. Folded side inward of the ribbing, all four cut selvages lined up on the edge.

Inside out with both leg bands attatched

Right side out with both leg bands attached

• Go ahead and slice off any extra seam unevenness on each end, since the end seams will not be hidden like those pretty leg cuffs are.

• Now for the waistband...

• Fold the waistband peice in half legnthwise, good side out. You will position it on the good side of the body peice.

• line up all cut edges. For the short side leave just a teeny bit of waistband (like 1/8') extending past each side. You can always trim it up after sewing if it turns out to be more than you need.

• Use a zig zag stitch to sew on the waistband

attatched waist band folded up properly

• For the longer waist band peice, you will want to match up the middle of the banf with the middle of the body to ensure an equal amount of overhang is left on each end. I'm not a big pinner but I reccomend using at least one pin to secure the middles together here.

• You will then need to close up the open edge on each side. Tuck in the cut edge and sew it shut as close as possible to the edge using a straight stitch (dont worry, these little ends will not need to stretch since the velcro will be attatched here anyway)
  

• Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic and insert it into the waist band. Use the pin to pull the elastic through to the other side. Reapeat this for the other waistband as well. Be sure to use the right length of elastic for each side.

• fold over the end and stitch down on top of the elastic with a straight stitch

• Before sewing on the velcro, round off all the sharp corners so there is no risk of scratching the baby.

• sew the two hook tabs to the inside ends of the long waistband piece, using a straight stitch
• in the same way, sew the (longer) two loop tabs to the outside of the shorter waistband piece