January DIY Challenge #2

Into+the+Kitty

This is the easiest DIY Challenge ever. We're going to be making the most basic type of one size insert. Why would you want to make your own inserts? Well, for one thing, if you buy seconds diapers, they don't typically come with inserts. Or maybe you just don't like microfiber, and would prefer natural fibers. Or if your kid is a heavy wetter, you might be looking to make some hemp doublers since the $4+ price tag for a single hemp insert seems a little ridiculous to you! Or maybe you just made your first pocket diaper and don't have the extra insert to go with it (hint, hint).

I'm going to be making mine out of three layers of regular weight bamboo fleece today. (As an aside in terms of gauging your absorbency needs: I normally make them out of three layers of heavy bamboo fleece, and most frequently use a two layer hemp fleece doubler behind it. This combo can go upwards of four hours of absorbency for us. I would say that A is not a heavy wetter, but is a pretty moderate wetter.)

First, you're going to want to wash your material in hot water and dry in the dryer. I actually iron the edges of my fleece after, since it will roll, and I don't like wasting any of the material. Today I'm making the inserts 4 by 14 inches because I made new narrower pockets.(I typically make my inserts 4.5 by 13.5 inches. A BG OS insert measures 5.5 by 16 inches.)

I have made inserts before by cutting each piece for each layer individually, and it sucks not only have to cut them, but having to align and pin them all. Instead, I just cut one big piece now, so I cut a piece of fabric that is 12 by 14 inches. If one of your sides is not even, fold that side in four inches (or however wide you cut your inserts to be) and fold the nicely cut edge over that edge. Line up the edges of the insert, and pin.

If the width at the bottom and top of the inserts is uneven, you can trim it here, or wait until after you've sewed the insert. Using a heavyweight ballpoint needle, sew around the insert as close to the edge as you can using a wide zig zag stitch, backstitching at the beginning and end. You'll want to set your stitch length to about 2.5 or 3 so that the insert doesn't pucker and distort while you're sewing (make your stitches longer if the insert is puckering). After you're done, you can trim any mess around the edges, just make sure you don't cut the stitches.

You can stop here if you want, or you can add snaps to the insert if you have a press/pliers. I added some snaps that are 3.75 and 5 inches from the first set of snaps.

(From left to right, the new insert snapped down to the first setting, a heavy bamboo fleece insert I previously made, and a BG insert)

Here's my thoughts on the types of fabrics for inserts (I've used a lot, haha)...

Hemp fleece is great! It actually absorbs quickly enough for us on its own, and I've made a few inserts out of 3 layers of it. I like it the best as a two layer doubler.

Heavy bamboo fleece is my favorite. All of my inserts are 3 layers of bamboo fleece. With a heavier fleece like the hemp or heavy bamboo, you're not really going to want to add more than 3 layers because otherwise it will take forever to get dry.

This is the first time that I've used regular weight bamboo fleece and I haven't actually used the inserts yet, so I can't speak to how much I like it, but with a regular weight bamboo fleece, I would say you could use 4 layers and still not go overboard with drying time.

I like hemp/bamboo jersey. I have some that are made out of either 8 or 10 layers, and while they are my most absorbent inserts, it is way too many. After two full cycles on the dryer they are still damp and have to get air dryed after that. I would say that 6 layers would be ideal for a jersey.

Flannel was alright, but compared to the other materials, the bulk to absorbency ratio just sucks imo.

I haven't used any terries, so if anyone has any thoughts on that, please weigh in here!

I haven't had any coffee yet, so if there's any clarification needed, please ask -- I won't feel bad!

Roxie5739

Perfect timing!! I am about to embark on this project myself. Thanks for posting this!!!!!!!

stoneycakes

So, if I use fleece or jersey, they won't fray at the edges, right? I wanted a serger to do inserts, but if these don't fray, I can do them now! I hate finding threads in the laundry.

Bemyselfandi

I have used both terry and fleece for hemp cotton blend. I think I prefer fleece. Same absorbaancy and softer. Seems to sew up easier. I use them as doublers under my bamboo or mf inserts. I am going to try making a pf out of the hemp fleece. Wish me luck.

Into+the+Kitty

stoneycakes:

So, if I use fleece or jersey, they won't fray at the edges, right? I wanted a serger to do inserts, but if these don't fray, I can do them now! I hate finding threads in the laundry.

Correct. I don't have a serger (yet!) and have never had issues with any of my inserts fraying.

sarenu1

Where does everyone get their fabric?

 

Into+the+Kitty

sarenu1:

Where does everyone get their fabric?

I like kidsinthegarden best. Diapersewingsupplies, amazon, naturesfabrics, and I'm a member of a co op too.

ETA ^^^ I have a fabric buying addiction.

KatelynEA90

Yay!

I'm just waiting for my hemp to get here... 

sarenu1

Into+the+Kitty:

sarenu1:

Where does everyone get their fabric?

I like kidsinthegarden best. Diapersewingsupplies, amazon, naturesfabrics, and I'm a member of a co op too.

ETA ^^^ I have a fabric buying addiction.

My mom's the same way. On black friday she came home with about 10 bolts of flannel from Joann's.  This year I requested flannel sheets for my daughter and a pair of pj's with a tie at the waist.  The other two I have only have elastic and I've had at least one incident of loosing my bottoms when my daughter gets ahold of them.

Into+the+Kitty

margaretkaye1:

Stoney, I've found anything I would use a serger for I can use a zig zag stitch on. So I got hemp fleece. Do you make the doublers the same size? I'm not sure how many layers to make them. I want them easy to get clean but absorbant enough that its worth it.

For doublers I use 2 layers. I would have made them the same size, except they were the first thing that I made, and I made them too long so mine actually fold over for a couple of inches. I like the two layers, it's super trim and adds quite a bit in terms of absorbency.

grangerize

I love this, thanks so much for posting! There were a few fabric stores listed above, but do you think that I could find the fabric at a Joannstype store??

I can't wait to start this project!

KatelynEA90

grangerize:

I love this, thanks so much for posting! There were a few fabric stores listed above, but do you think that I could find the fabric at a Joannstype store?? I can't wait to start this project!

I couldn't find hemp or bamboo fleece at Joanns.  

Into+the+Kitty

margaretkaye1:

Ok now I'm wondering if I should have gotten bamboo instead of hemp.... Can anyone tell me about this "hemp stink" I keep seeing on google? Will hemp give me issues ON?

Well, anything stinks if it isn't getting cleaned deeply enough. That's why I suggest using only two layers, or three at the very most. I think most peoples' problems are because 1) hemp is so absorbent that the inserts they buy are too thick, and 2) #1 combined with that a lot of people use it overnight so they're dealing with a lot of pee. My two layer doublers have never had a problem. I would much rather use two thinner inserts/doublers than use one thicker one that ends up giving me problems.

Into+the+Kitty

margaretkaye1:

Into+the+Kitty:

margaretkaye1:

Ok now I'm wondering if I should have gotten bamboo instead of hemp.... Can anyone tell me about this "hemp stink" I keep seeing on google? Will hemp give me issues ON?

Well, anything stinks if it isn't getting cleaned deeply enough. That's why I suggest using only two layers, or three at the very most. I think most peoples' problems are because 1) hemp is so absorbent that the inserts they buy are too thick, and 2) #1 combined with that a lot of people use it overnight so they're dealing with a lot of pee. My two layer doublers have never had a problem. I would much rather use two thinner inserts/doublers than use one thicker one that ends up giving me problems.

This is what I was thinking. Thank you, O wise one, for your words of wisdom.

Lol! Although I will add too... After making your hemp doublers, you'll probably be buying bamboo anyways!

Into+the+Kitty

margaretkaye1:

Into+the+Kitty:

margaretkaye1:

Into+the+Kitty:

margaretkaye1:

Ok now I'm wondering if I should have gotten bamboo instead of hemp.... Can anyone tell me about this "hemp stink" I keep seeing on google? Will hemp give me issues ON?

Well, anything stinks if it isn't getting cleaned deeply enough. That's why I suggest using only two layers, or three at the very most. I think most peoples' problems are because 1) hemp is so absorbent that the inserts they buy are too thick, and 2) #1 combined with that a lot of people use it overnight so they're dealing with a lot of pee. My two layer doublers have never had a problem. I would much rather use two thinner inserts/doublers than use one thicker one that ends up giving me problems.

This is what I was thinking. Thank you, O wise one, for your words of wisdom.

Lol! Although I will add too... After making your hemp doublers, you'll probably be buying bamboo anyways!

Probably lol. I keep eyeing that green and orange stripe bamboo obv on kidsinthe garden that's on sale, will that work? Are bamboo and hemp comparable absorbency wise?

I'm still waiting on my OBV from a co op, so I haven't worked with it yet. I don't know how it would work making a whole insert out of it, I have plans to put it on the inside of my fitteds. The two are pretty comparable in terms of absorbency, but I think that hemp holds onto it better imho. I feel like when I change her out of a diaper with a hemp insert versus a bamboo insert, the bamboo always looks wetter than the hemp. Plus, the one time I tried switching out the hemp on her overnight diaper for bamboo, we had a small leak, but a leak none the less. The hemp really just seems to pull the wetness right into the core. Thats actually the reason why I always put a hemp doubler behind my bamboo is because even though we've never had an issue with the bamboo on its own (except for her morning diaper where she floods her diaper -- that one I either wrap a bamboo or hemp insert up in a prefold to stuff her dipe with or put two hemp doublers behind a bamboo), I like having the extra wetness pulled away from her.