Introducing the new, thicker fitted diapers!

And the winner is . . .

 

My testers, from this post.

 

The thicker fitted diaper! 

I'm really excited about this!! I thought I loved my fitted diaper design the way it was - after all, I've been making & selling it the same way for over 4 years.  But, there were things I've been wanting to try, and having tried them, it's time for a change - an upgraded design! 

Serging the edges cut so much time off making a diaper that I could use more layers of better, thicker fabric and still offer the diapers at a reasonable price. I've been testing these two diapers out with heavy use for over two months and the thicker diaper is my favorite for several reasons - most of which boil down to one main reason: well, it's thicker. 

The outer printed flannel remains the cute cotton flannel prints that I've always used, but the inner layers including the pocket are now made with thicker, double-napped diaper flannel.  Making the diaper with 3 full layers plus a pocket means the diaper now offers 7 layers of flannel (5 of which are the thicker diaper flannel) when the front flap is folded fully to the inside for smaller babies.

Having the diaper made with better thicker fabric means it's more absorbent, more durable, and it holds its shape.  The serged edges also offer something else - better poop containment! 

Because the new fitteds hold their shape, the fit will be a bit different; although the same pattern is used, the thicker fabric stretches less.  Speaking of stretching less, the bamboo diapers got an upgrade, too.  The bamboo velour fitted diapers are now made with not one, but TWO layers of double-napped diaper flannel sandwiched between the bamboo velour and the bamboo fleece, giving baby 9 layers of fabric when the front flap is folded fully to the inside for smaller babies.

As usual, absorbency needed depends on baby's age and wetting habits, so there will always be the inner pocket available for stuffing additional absorbency.  The diapers are wide between the legs, but the fabric will relax after a few washes.

My fleece diaper covers will also be changing to serged edges, while the cotton-outer (and fancy floral ones) will remain turn & topstitched for the time being, though that may change in the future.

greenchildcreations.etsy.com

 

What's new!

Two new testers ready for action!

Sewing diapers for 4 years has given me time to test out different fabrics - I mean really test. I've tested the fabric by different wash routines, different detergents, and different drying methods. I admit, as a busy parent most of the time I take the most convenient route and don't treat my son's diapers as nicely as I should, since I can easily make more. I know that both using bleach and putting the diapers in the dryer weakens the fabric, shortening the lifespan of the natural-fabric diaper.  I've been using Cozy flannel for the interior layer & pocket of my flannel fitted diapers, and do not always see equal quality through the entire bolt of fabric. It's one thing if you're treating your diapers nicely, but when you're like me and treat them less-than-nice they just don't last as long as they should and that doesn't make this Mama happy! I pride myself on making a quality product!

 

So, it is time to test out actual "diaper flannel".  Diaper flannel is napped on both sides and is a thicker, stronger fabric than Cozy flannel. And I've been itching to try serging the edges rather than how I make them now, which is turned & topstitched.  Overall, I think turned & top stitched has a neater, cleaner look, but serging the edges takes so much less sewing time that it allows me to use better quality (re: more expensive) fabrics and still offer the diapers at a reasonable price.

 

The two tester diapers above are each made differently - although both have serged edges and use diaper flannel for the interior layers, the dinosaur diaper on the left is made in my usual 3 layer style - 1 layer printed Snuggle flannel, 1 inner layer diaper flannel, 1 inner diaper flannel pocket, while the bears/deer camo print has an extra full inner layer of diaper flannel making it even thicker.

 

Today was their first day in action.  My thoughts so far: having serged edges rather than turned/top stitched made the diapers just a tiny little bit bigger, but that could be pared down by cutting off more of the edge when serging.  The thicker one that has 3 full layers of flannel (1 snuggle flannel, 2 diaper flannel) and the pocket made of diaper flannel - since it's thicker, it looks wider when on the child just because it's thicker overall and is holding it's shape that way. I can't wait to see how they hold shape after repeated washings!  The snuggle flannel scrunches up when dried in the dryer, and I'm hoping using the thicker diaper flannel will eliminate that scrunchiness.

The hardest part about testing the new fabric is going through months of heavy use before being able to make an accurate judgement.  I do think the diaper flannel will be better, but only time will tell!

greenchildcreations.etsy.com

Toddlers in diapers!

30lb stocky toddler

Converting friends to cloth is fun!  A very good friend we often stay with recently decided to convert, so when we visited last weekend, I brought her order of diapers.  It was hilarious to watch her 30lb toddler run around in his new fluff, jumping to land on his newly padded rear to see how soft it was!

When I created this design, I had only my own child to try it out on.  Thankfully many wonderful online cloth diapering friends across the US and Canada volunteered to try it out and give feedback.  And thanks to those generous Mama’s, within 5 or 6 modifications from my original try I got my fitted pattern set to what it is now.  But I still have only my own child on whom to see the diaper in person.  Since first using this fitted design on him over two years ago, I’ve adjusted his rise setting up about 3”, so it really does continue to fit nicely with a growing child.



The two boys together, M on the left,
my son K on the right

This was my first experience seeing my diapers on another child in person.  And not only did I get to see it on my friend’s son, I got to change his diapers too, LOL!!  It was really gratifying to be able to really see how well the diaper fits on a child so much bigger than my own, with room to spare.  While the same height as my son, this little boy is about 7lbs heavier, and much stockier.  It only took a minute to figure out where to set his rise - due to his larger thighs, we determined his rise to be about a couple inches longer than where I set my son’s rise.

Due to my son’s physical delays, it may be a few years yet before he is out of diapers.  It’s good to know that he won’t outgrow these fitted diapers anytime soon!

greenchildcreations.etsy.com

Our Story:

I'm Anne, 36, mom to two 3 yr olds: our special little boy and his rottweiler, Lola. Nature & natural products have long been a passion of mine, dating back to gradeschool! I've been making natural cold process soaps, natural lotions, and crafty items for several years now and at much urging from friends, finally did something with my Etsy account, which I opened in October of 2009. The original intent of the shop was for my soaps and lotions. However, I opened the Etsy account around the same time my son began having seizures ~ it took me until May of 2010 to figure out exactly what foods were triggering his seizures (nightshades) ~ and once the seizures stopped, his development took off! After that I had a little more free time and began to work on a sturdy OS fitted diaper design; hence the shop *actually* opened in December of 2010. :)

A little background on my fitted design: our son is special needs and with his low muscle tone, this led to a very wide waist when he was at his chunkiest. At 13 months, he barely fit into the largest setting on OS diapers! When his seizures stopped and he got active, first his legs really slimmed down, but still had a wide waist and long rise. Then his waist slimmed too. It was hard to find a diaper that fit around both his changing waist and little legs, yet still accomodated a long rise! I sat down and wrote out what I wanted out of a diaper. Then I started to draw. Then I started to sew! It took several design modifications; but all of that led me to create a diaper I absolutely love.  Now that he is 3 1/2, he still has that very long rise but skinny little chicken legs, LOL, and being able to adjust the rise and accomodate his small thighs is a blessing.

I use cotton flannel, cotton twill, and/or bamboo in my fitted diapers: each diaper is three layers of fabric with the third layer creating an inner pocket. With generous side flaps, super stretchy leg elastic, and an adjustable rise, this diaper will fit a range of sizes.

It may take a bit of experimenting to get the best fit on your child. To find out where the rise should be, lay the diaper under baby, and with their weight holding the diaper down, pull the front forward toward you and then up and over baby's abdomen. This stretches the leg elastic and gives baby a better fit. Once the right rise length is determined, remove the diaper and add any insert of your choosing for added absorbency if necessary. I find it easiest to stuff the insert of your choosing so the front end of the insert stops at the rise length, then fold the front flap down over it to the inside. For smaller babies, you may fold the front flap however you choose for added absorbency. Absorbency needed will depend on baby's wetting habits.

Pins are needed for diaper closure; snaps and aplix are available as well.  Fitted diapers require a diaper cover for waterproofing; however many moms love to use fitteds without covers for around-the-home use for breathability.

Any questions, please feel free to ask!  I love chatting about cloth diapers! :)

 

greenchildcreations.etsy.com