How to Sew a FuzziBunz Diaper

FuzziBunz is a brand name for one of the most popular pocket diapers on the market today. Although your own diapers won't have the brand name, you can make diapers very similar to FuzziBunz for a much lower cost.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Butcher paper or paper grocery bag
• Pencil
• Micro fleece, approximately 20" x 20"
• PUL fabric, approximately 20" by 20"
• Pins
• Paper clips
• Scissors
• Elastic
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Snaps
• Snap attaching tool

Instructions

Create Your Pattern

1. Measure your baby's waist and rise without a diaper on. Take the measurement around the waist at the level of the belly button. Take the rise by starting at the belly button, measuring between the legs and finishing where the back of the diaper will be.

2. Draw your pattern outline. Draw a vertical line that is the same length as the rise, adding 1/2" for seams. At the top of it, draw a horizontal line that is the same length as the waist measurement (plus 1/2" for seams), intersecting the rise line in the center. You should now have a T-shape, with the top of the T as long as the waist measurement and the vertical line of the T as long as the rise measurement. Next, draw a horizontal line at the bottom of the T that is half as long as the waist line. This is the tummy panel line.

3. Measure a section in the middle of the waist line that is approximately 1" longer than the tummy panel line. Draw a 1" tall rectangle directly above this section so that the waist line forms the bottom edge of the rectangle. This will create an extra inch of fabric above the center section of the waist line, which you will use to create the elastic casing.

4. Divide the rise line in half and draw a line there. This will be your crotch line. Make the length of this line about 2/3 the length of the tummy panel line. So if your waist line is 18" and your tummy panel is 9", your crotch line should be 6".

5. Draw the sides of the pattern. Start at the waist line and draw a line straight down from each end of the waist line that is about 1.5" long. This will create the square tabs that FuzziBunz diapers have for better gripping on the edges of the waist panel. Draw similar lines straight up from the tummy panel line that are about 3" long. This will give your tummy panel the square shape of a FuzziBunz diaper. Finally, draw curved lines from the edges of the tab lines down to meet your crotch line and out again to meet the lines coming up from the tummy panel line.

Sew Your Diaper

1. Pin your micro fleece material to the pattern and cut out a piece of micro fleece to match the pattern. Leave off the extra fabric above the waist line for the elastic casing.

2. Attach your PUL fabric to the pattern using paper clips. Don't use pins, as this will create holes in the PUL that will ruin the waterproofing of your diaper. Cut out a piece of PUL to match the pattern. Include the extra inch of fabric for the elastic casing above the waist line.

3. Make your back elastic casing. Place a 4" piece of elastic on the wrong (inner) side of the PUL fabric along the waist line, and fold the 1" tab down over it. Attach one end of the elastic to the PUL by sewing with a straight stitch through the elastic and the PUL. Do the same on the other end of the elastic. Then sew the casing closed with a straight stitch, attaching the PUL tab to the back of the PUL layer without sewing the elastic.

4. Attach your snaps to the PUL. FuzziBunz diapers have snaps for both the legs and the waist. Use a fabric marker to mark where you want to place your snaps. You can allow room for the diaper to fit as your baby grows bigger by attaching several snaps. FuzziBunz have four snap options for each leg and a total of 8 snap options for the waist. Put the back of the snaps on the tummy section. Put the front of the snaps on the waist tabs; use two on top (one at the end and one about an inch back) and one below for the leg closing.

5. Sew your PUL and micro fleece together. Lay them together, right side to right side, and attach them with paper clips. Sew them together, beginning at the end of the back elastic and finishing at the other end of the back elastic. This will leave the pocket opening in the back. Then attach the leg elastic. Cut a 7" piece of elastic for each leg and lay it inside the edge of the leg, between the inside layers of the two fabrics. Use a zigzag stitch to attach it to both the PUL and the micro fleece layer.

References

• Diaper Sewing: Draft Your Own Cloth Diaper Pattern
• Fuzzi Bunz style diaper pattern