Cloth Nappy Making #3

I'm thinking of buying some bamboo or microfibre or something nice to make inserts and boosters with. My uderstanding of microfibre though is that it leaks under compression... SO if I do use microfibre to make an insert, does that mean I have to sew something else on it so it doesnt leak, or is it ok to just stuff it into the pocket of my nappy and the fleece inner will protect against leaks? Should I just get the hemp/cotton stuff to make my inserts with? Is bamboo very absorbant?

Also, I have LOTS of flannelette. What can I do with it? I used some of it to make the outside of a nappy, but not sure what else I can use it for? I want to do something with it so its not juct sitting around, iykwim?

I have a heap of Flannel booster that I find work well when teamed with Microfibre.

Bamboo is very absorbant (takes longer to dry).

Fiona how many layers of flannel do you use for a booster matie??? Ive got some here I want to use aswell and bugger all boosters (yes Im like a builder - I never sew for me)
Karina - get your hands on some bamboo fleece if you can. You'll feel like yourve died and gone to heaven. Ive been making prefolds for this bub for the last few baby and it just makes me want to melt. Going to use my off cuts for boosters in the prefolds. Cant waste our bamboo. oh Fiona you could always make breast pads out of your scraps of bamboo...im going to try it

Cool thanks! Haha yeah I have more nappies than inserts and boosters which kind of defeats the purpose! Is the bamboo stuff really soft? I havent seen or touched it before.

I also have a stack of cotton rich fleecy stuff (ok, well only just over 1m so not that much). I washed it today and now I dont like the feel of it. It feels scratchy, which I wasnt expecting.
Is it meant to do that or did I get a dodgy batch?
Can I use it as an inner or is it better to use the polyester stuff for the inners?
Is it absorbant - can I use it for boosters??
Or is it best for other stuff?
I only got it because it was soo soft, but now its not so soft :(

Gosh, sorry. I ask too many questions dont I!

Maz, the ones I have are 4 layers but really long so I double it when its in use then its topped with a 3 layer Microfibre.

Bamboo fleece is devine! The first time I felt it, I sat there patting it for like 20 minutes like it was a cat or something! LOL

Karina - pm me your address matie and i'll send you a small piece of bamboo fleece so you can see what it feels like. Flannel does go 'startchy' after you wash it btu dont forget its still new and hasnt really been used.
Fiona - thank you so much for letting me know about the boosters...im going to try that now. mauw mate
I just got some pink flannel with bugs and a white flannel with multi coloured hearts on it in the mail today. Planning on making some bassinet sheets and the rest for boosters, now that I know how ;)

No problem Maz.

Off to check your store actually, Make sure you hold onto at least 2 of the purple dragon fly's for me. Busy moving & all I don't want to miss out!

Ooooh Maz, thanks so much. I'll PM you soon.

Just thought I'd let you guys know that Spotlight is having a 20% everything sale on monday, at all their stores and they're open till 9pm that day!
JIC you dont get the emails from them :)
If I remember, I might go get some more fleece and maybe some flannel if they still have any left. Some of the flannel they have is gorgeous.

Just thought I'd share that theweewuns now has instock Minky and Malden Mills fleece :D

Oohh .... thanks Sam!! I might have to get my hands of some of the MM fleece. I made my first ever Honeyboy using a double layer of polar fleece, which I didn't expect to have much water resistance, but it does, surprisingly. Still, it would be nice to make some more nappies with a single layer of MM fleece instead.

Has anybody sewn with the procare before? I'm thinking about making a Honeyboy AIO with procare as the outer, instead of MM fleece. Would that work?

I'm sure it will work fine! Every now and then LouLou nappies make Honeyboys! with a PUL outer.

I haven't used procare but I have used other PUL and it's really tricky, slips all over the place. Use lots of pins but only in the seam allowance so you don't have pin holes making leaks in your nappy.
Melbel told me to put baking paper over the top of and it really helps!

Take your time to pin it really well especially if you are using an inner that has lots of stretch like microfleece. The PUL doesn't have much stretch at all
Be prepared to junk some when you first use it. Make sure it's not the most expensive or cutest pattern either ;)

OMG I just noticed in your sig about TTC No2 :D All the best hun!

I thought Cat said that the Hb girls (with a lic) arent aloud to use PUL??? Hmm Interesting.
OMG Cherie - I hope that your appointment with the specialist went really well matie

Maz I thought that was as well as MM.

HEhehehe just done my order at theweewuns ;)

Thanks girls ... looks like we'll be doing a FET next cycle (so, in about 6 weeks) .... I can't wait to make newborn nappies!!!!!

Thanks for the tips on sewing procare Sam - sounds tricky, and I'm a pretty ordinary sewer lol.

DH was so sweet tonight - he told me that the HB I made has surpassed some of our other nappies in his order of favourites - namely the Baby Kangas and the Baby Beehinds!!! His favourite is still the Greenkids pockets, so I might have to find a pattern for a pocket and sew him some of those.

Awww your DH is the best :D
Many of mine have been ordinary don't worry about that. I'm just determined to get it right and you know what they say...practice makes perfect. In my case it's not perfect but not quite as bad :p

Hi all, I'm new the the nappy making game - baby #1 is due 21/2. I have a Honeyboy pattern which I'm using. I got supplies at Spotlight yesterday (I also shop at Birkenhead point generally, though sometimes I go with mum to the Liverpool store which is huge and I prefer) and I got Little Additions Micropolar for the outers - is this going to be waterproof enough? It seems really thin to me. I'm going to back the soaker panels with another piece of the micropolar but I'm worried its still not going to be enough.

Should I order some PUL for an inner layer under the micropolar? Where is the cheapest place online to order enough PUL for 12 NB sized nappies?

I don't think you will find the micropolar to be enough. Its good for the inners though.

Tiny Toosh sell PUL by the metre or you could use a double of Polar fleece.
Have you thought about doing the nappies as fitted rather then AIO then using a cover? I haven't done MCN on a newborn yet but from what I understand you need something that is goingto hold in the poo.

If you can get some Malden Mills fleece is nice, thats another online thing though.

that reminds me I need to get some micro fleece to make some more liners.
Wlecome to the mad house Leebee and congrats on becoming a mum
What are youo using as the soaker in your HB?????
I think Sammi bought some pUL from somewere cheap too...i personally hate working with pul...we dont see eye to eye pmsl
I agree with Fiona.....try a few nappies and make some covers to see how you go first.

Thanks FionaJill, I thought that might be the case... I have ordered some Wonderwraps covers from Darlings Downunder to use with terry flats as backup anyway, so I can always whack a cover over if I find they leak. I also have a box of Huggies to get me through the first week or two (the Huggies were a gift) while we get our heads around having a newborn.

I think I am going to get some PUL though and do a layer of that... Its easier for me to order online than to go back to Spotlight for polar fleece (I'm on my L's and I can't convince hubby to go that often). I want to have a play with some simple appliqued shapes on the rear of the nappy and the pattern suggests a PUL layer to prevent wicking through the stitching for that anyway. With the PUL, do I need to line the whole body of the nappy, or can I just do a wide rectangle and not bother lining the wings/tabs? I'm just trying to figure out how to do this cost effectively without compromising the use of the nappies. I do want the nappies to work and I do want to be able to use them for multiple children so I'm willing to line the lot if it will be better.

Edited to add: Maz, for the soaker pad I'm using 1 layer of the microfleece at the back, then 3 layers of 100% cotton double layer terry toweling. I'm going to make some doublers as well with the same, but with a flannel layer on top.

Hi

Does anyone know where I could get a pattern for premmie MCNs, Sofia is looking at coming home this weekend and will be less than 2kg. I have a couple of boxes of huggies nappies but wanted to use cloth at home.

hmmmm maybe some face washers! LOL they should be small enough. How tiny Sofia must be!
I think I have a link to a premmie pattern somewhere I will go look.

eta - there are a few nb size pattern on the Nappy network site. maybe f you tried them & just reduced the nappy size a bit?

hi! Sorry to crash your thread. . . Does anyone have a pattern for nappies that one size fits most that go from baby to toilet training ? A pattern for swim nappies? Or know where I can find some on the net?

thanks heaps!

Louise - how small is small??? could you get someone to make you some small prefolds???? Ive got a pattern here for a doll's covers that I can wipe up for you if you like. pm me is you need to matie
oh - my patterns are all in size shape...dont have any one size fits all...hav eyou got any one size fits all nappies that you could 'copy' (I didnt say that) and then adapt your own pattern from? Ive heard people use knickers and jock's as a pattern for swimming nappies cause thats all they really are. good luck

Ooh I never come in here! Anyway, was just skim reading the last page and yep, HB's can be made with a PUL outer, it just can't be used as a hidden layer (what's the point when you have to use MM fleece as an outer). I've not tried any with PUL.....have ordered some though so that'll be interesting.

Woohoo I've been busy making more nappies! I have no more PUL left so I am now going to order some more in some pretty colours. Anyone know if Spotlight is still stocking fleece or is it out of season? I think I might save up to get a snap press. They arent cheap though so I am still deciding. Velcro and I just dont agree with each other! Anyway, I cant remember who asked about the patterns but I downloaded one for free and slightly changed it. I think it was called we - weka or something like that.

leebee I get my PUL from bubbaearth. There are other places that sell it too though. Bubbaearth has cheap postage!

totally unrelated, but Maz I think I saw you in the Coles baby magazine. I recognised your kids names!

Spotlight at Bondi had quite a lot of fleece yesterday.

My understanding of the use of PUL in HB's is where there is embroidery ;) and it's just used in the embroidered area. I'm a licensed Baby By You™ Mama, but I don't do HB.
I got micro fleece at Spotty this afternoon, so it's still around, just not many colours to choose from.

OMG Karina - i totally forgot about he coles mag thing!!! I hope I get mine today now. WTG on making your own nappies to honey. As for fleece - yep SL dont stock it over summer...Lincraft do ;) though

Bridie -aaah! I was wondering what store you owned! Cuddlebuns! I was checking them out the other day and marvelling at the prints. Nice work :) How long have you been a BBYWHAM for? And how do you get time to make any nappies with 4 kids?!! I find it hard enough with just the one (gasp). I need to get off this forum for a start....

Maz - do you get anything for them using your pics?

:lol: yup that's me, cuddlebuns and embroidered minkee - I have a love thing going with minkee right now.... Couple of bolts of it due to arrive here on Monday... If you don't hear from me I've become lost whilst rolling around in it :cryinglaugh:

Ha Bridie I felt the same when I did a bamboo co-op earlier in the year :lol:

Bridie - OMG I was at Melbels on the weekend with the other girls and AH I felt like I died and gone to heaven with the minkee she had...I had to control myself and only bought a meter of the huckleberry and the lagoon. I got some dot minkee to have a play with in purple and orange...but i find that the dot minkee doesnt stretch alot and is almost annoying to sew with at times. NOw share...what colours did you get :)
Cat - we didnt get anything from Coles but I think its nice to share your experiences sometimes with the world...its sometimes may more then actual money or gifts IFYKWIM

OMG just a quickie but I HATE HATE HATE sewing with bamboo velour. What kind of sadist invented that stretchy stuff. It takes aaaaaaaagesssssss to damn well pin it. Honestly I don't know how the WAHM's make any money as they would have to spend HOURS pinning one fricking nappy! And pinning it to PUL would have to replace Chinese Water Toruture as a form of interrogation.

I can see it now..."tell me who you work for or I'll make you pin bamboo velour to PUL" as I'm chained to a table in a bare room ;)

Raven- are you using noice ballpoint needles? I haven't had any issews with bamboo velour as yet. Though it depends who you get it from... I had some of the 90% bamboo stuff and I hated it, guh- like cheap panne velvet that falls apart everywhere...
The 80% and 20% poly is the best, and it dyes like a dream - see my first attempt.

I hate making tabs- but then I haven't got a method to follow, I just fold them however looks right :wall: my needles HATE velcro.

Maz - I recently parted with a Hucklberry bits for bots that was too small for Thomas :cry: Oh how I miss it.
I got some Avyln Rainbow Sorbet, and Misty Sea coming.... hurry up courier!
I best do something resembling sewing today. Been slack..

Lol Sammi! You should sell your interrogation theory to the governments who use those nasty techniques on baddies!

Sorry 'bout the rant ladies! It $hits me becasue the velour stretches and the PUL doesn't and I kept getting little gathered spots of velour if you get what I mean. Arrrrggghhhhh!

Nice dye job Bridie :D

I've been making a Very Baby AIO,the first in ages. I've been on a Honeyboy fetish of late. Now going back to the VB AIO pattern it's heaps trickier than the HB...but that could be due to the velour/PUL thing. Here I go again...

has anyone got any cream or white feathers material (the one that SL had), Id even be happy with the tan colour too...jus tpm me if you could. Im after some ASAP
Sammi - I cant wait to see this nappy.....it will rock no doubt (cause your a clever chicken) just remember not to throw out the left over's...send them via courier Trevor ;) ANd mental note - Maz is never to buy bamboo velour to work with, as lush and yummy as it looks.
Bridie - omg were on earth did you get such lushes colours from???? a coop...im getting addicted to buying minkee atm, i suppose cause its not fleece season pmsl
Caty - have you finished that devine butterfly yet?
I have also decided to make an easter cover for VY out of yummy sparkling material that Melbel so kinly gave to Caty and I on saturday..what do you put on the back of the lycra Caty to make it easier to work with?

I didn't like bamboo velour either but I think if you can find the stuff that only has 2% poly in it then that would be easier.

Maz, can you send me a picture of the material your after???

FJ - I will later - little miss has JUST gone done from being awake since 4am and my other feathers material is in there.
I might ring my SL too and see if they have any cause I remember seeing some on the clearance table for $4 a meter but I cant remember the colours dame it

I can't think of what it looks like at all.