How to Sew Gladrags
GladRags are a brand of reusable cloth menstrual pads. This style of pad consists of an outer layer with wings and inserts that increase the absorbency of the pad. These pads feature customizable absorbency and wings with snaps that allow you to fasten the pads so they do not move around. You can sew reusable cloth pads that are much like GladRags and make them exactly the size, shape and style that works for you.
Things You'll Need
- Scissors
- Pattern
- Cotton or terrycloth
- Flannel
- Sewing machine and thread
- Straight pins
- Sew-on snaps or velcro
Instructions
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1
Draw a basic pattern on paper for your pad. You can trace the shape of a disposable pad with wings that you like and make it an inch larger on each side for a seam allowance. If you aren't sure about sizing, 8 1/2 inches long by 7 inches wide for a small pad, or 10 inches long by 8 1/2 inches wide for a large pad.
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2
Cut two pieces of flannel in the shape of your pattern. One piece will be the top of your pad and the other piece will be in the center. Make sure you use your desired fabric for the one piece. You will not see the second piece in the finished product. Because flannel does not stretch you don't need to worry about working with the grain of the fabric.
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3
Cut another piece of flannel in the shape of your pattern but about an inch wider from the center to each edge. Cut this piece in half from top to bottom. Fold over the long side of each piece and sew to enclose the raw edges on the wrong side of the fabric. These two pieces make the bottom of your pad so make sure they are of your chosen fabric.
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4
Fold your terrycloth so that you have 2 to 3 layers in a long rectangular shape. You can fold your terrycloth in a zig-zag style or fold it end over end, just make it as flat as you can for minimal bulk. This is the absorbent part of your pad. If you are making a small pad your rectangle should be about 8 inches long by 2 3/4 inches wide. For a large pad make your rectangle about 9 inches long by 3 inches wide.
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5
Sew the folded terrycloth to the center of one of your whole pieces of flannel using a zig-zag stitch to go around the entire rectangle. You can sew through the center to quilt the terrycloth and cut down the bulk a bit but this is not essential and it won't affect the final product.
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6
Layer your pieces in this order with the outside edges matching: flannel with terrycloth insert facing up, whole flannel right side up, half piece print side down, half piece print side down. Make sure that the two center edges of your half pieces overlap.
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Pin the layers together and sew around the outside edge of the entire stack using a ¼ inch seam. Make sure you catch all of the layers when you sew.
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8
Turn your pad inside out and topstitch very close to the edge all the way around the outside edge.
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9
Hand-sew a snap or small pieces of velcro to the edges of the wings. Attach one half of the snap or velcro to the top side of one wing and the other half of the snap to the bottom side of the other wing. This allows you to snap the wings together under the pad to secure it in place. You can also use a snap press for this if you have one.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use washcloths or old towels for the center terrycloth layer.
If you want to make a pad without wings simply sew together layers of terrycloth with flannel on the outsides.
If you want waterproofing use a layer of polyurethane laminate (PUL) between the terrycloth and the bottom layer of flannel.
Any hemp or cotton fabric will work in place of the fleece for making these pads. When choosing fabric keep absorbency in mind and avoid polyester fabrics.
On very heavy flow days or at night you may need to add additional terrycloth inside to prevent leaks.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
