How to Sew Prefolds
Cloth diapering is often viewed as the less expensive and safer alternative to using disposable diapers, but the initial start-up cost of cloth diapering -- at least a couple hundred dollars -- may make you prefer the gradual expense of disposables. Enjoy the benefits of cloth diapering while saving yourself some money on the start-up costs by sewing your own prefold diapers. As long as you can sew in a semi-straight line you can make your own prefolds.
Things You'll Need
- 5/8 yard flannel or cotton knit
- Washing machine
- Dryer
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Iron
- Straight pins
- Sewing machine
Instructions
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1
Wash your fabric in the washing machine with laundry detergent only. Dry the fabric in the dryer.
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2
Cut an 18-by-40-inch piece of fabric. Lay the fabric face down on your work surface horizontally oriented.
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3
Fold the left and right ends of the fabric in 5 inches. Iron the folds.
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4
Fold the left and right ends in 10 inches. The left and right 5 inches of the fabric now have two layers, and the center has five. Pin the layers together along the left and right edges of the center with straight pins.
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5
Sew from the top to the bottom edge of the diaper 5 1/4 inches in from the left and right edges. Sew across the top and bottom, and down the left and right edges, with an 1/8-inch seam allowance using a zigzag stitch to complete the diaper.
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Tips & Warnings
Make prefolds to use as burp cloths, even if you don't use cloth diapers.
Resources
- Photo Credit Siri Stafford/Photodisc/Getty Images
