fav things about fitteds?

[lizajane]

ok, i know we don't have too many sew-ers here. but i thought just as good of a question would be...

what do you LOVE about your fav fitteds?

since i don't have any, i don't know what i would or would not want to do when i make them! i will have to test them on friends' babies so that i won't waste my time making a dozen for my babe that don't work well!

i know i want to use hemp, because it is my fav (trim, super absorbant, smell doesn't make me crazy, and i don't care how long it takes to dry- i have a dryer in my kitchen so it is handy, and a clothesline on my deck just outside my kitchen). i know i want to make the inside microfleece to resist staining and to keep him dry. and i know i want something cute on the outside! i have LOTS of great jersey knit for cute-factor. i want elastic legs and elastic on the back. and i will probably use velcro, since i 1) have some and 2)like the adjustability of velcro more than snaps. i will be sure to put it low enough on the front of the dipe so that it won't scratch his tummy. what else do i need to know or do? i will be using my prorap covers.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

I like a trim fit between the legs, especially once she started sitting up, crawling and walking.

I like a bikini rise because her tummy sticks out and without a bikini rise, the diaper tends to fall down below her belly anyway.

Diapering an active walking baby is so different from diapering a baby who doesn't move around much. Had I known then what I know now, I would have based my choices on what works for an active baby since you have 6 to 9 months of a baby who doesn't move around and then 2 and a half years to diaper a wiggleworm with ants in her pants.

...Karen
DS Jake Feb 91, DD Logan Mar 03
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[mudder17]

Definitely velcro--it's been quite an adventure trying to find dipes with snaps that fits DD. I would say be sure to add laundry tabs on your velcro. And use velcro instead of touchtape--that stuff just doesn't stick as well after a while. Also, if there's a way to create some sort of gussets, you may want to do that on your newborn sizes. But I guess you said you use lots of covers, so that's probably not a problem.

You may want to consider crossover tabs, sort of like with the FB's, but with velcro instead of snaps. This allows for more adjustability as well (e.g., chunkier thighs vs. fatter tummy).

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya
born 22 February 2004

http://lilypie.com/baby1/050222/2/16/0/+10/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_garnet_6m.gif Breastfed 6 months and counting

http://www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya

[new_mommy25]

I would sew in the soaker on the top or sides like a Firefly or Righteous Baby. That way they dry really quickly but you don't have to snap in a soaker at every change. I don't care for internal soakers because they take longer to dry and I think they get build up faster because the inner layers are harder to get clean. You can top the soaker with microfleece. I have a few diapers that are completly lined in micro, and while they are soft and snuggly for baby, they are more bulky.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/12676.jpg

[new_mommy25]

I would sew in the soaker on the top or sides like a Firefly or Righteous Baby. That way they dry really quickly but you don't have to snap in a soaker at every change. I don't care for internal soakers because they take longer to dry and I think they get build up faster because the inner layers are harder to get clean. You can top the soaker with microfleece. I have a few diapers that are completly lined in micro, and while they are soft and snuggly for baby, they are more bulky.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/12676.jpg

[jec2]

LIZA, PLEASE MAKE A BOY ABSORBANT DIAPER/SOAKER!

If I had the capacity and wherewithall to get to my diaper making ideas I would, but I since I'm up to my ears in 8 million other projects I emplore you to make a better boy wetzone diaper. It would be as easy as putting a littl more absorbancy at one end of the soaker and/or a little more absorbancy in the front of the diaper. Just a patch more would help. Also, for dS I love the front snapping soakers (think ME Onesize) since they put the soaker where we need it.

AND, I WOULD BE ECSTATIC TO TEST THESE FOR YOU!!!! ;)

[kitmama]

I agree, the fold-out soakers on the FFs are great. No hunting for the snap-in soaker, but they still dry pretty darn quick.

I also agree that a "boy" diaper would be really nice- even with hemp, ds's dipes are always more wet in the center front than anywhere else. At least the fleece keeps that from being irritating, though.

And yup- don't forget the laundry tabs for the velcro! Also a wide "soft" vecro area (like the Bunpy covers) on the front of the dipe is great because it allows for even more adjustability.

My fave fitted so far is the el bee baby. It is just SUCH a beautifully made dipe. Fits well, is pretty trim and the details (like the edges and the serging) are top notch. Do you have one to look at? I'm not sure what it is specifically that I like so much.

[houseof3boys]

I love the way my Sam Fitteds snap vs my Sugarpeas. They look nicer and just lie flatter. I don't like how thick they are, but DH and I both prefer the buttons 2 in a row vertically over the row of horizontal snaps on all of the other dipes.

[calebsmama03]

I think you're talking about for personal use, so you may not care as much about the "finishing touches", but just in case, I will say that my fave fitteds are BY FAR my ElBee hemp knit terry. I love the no elastic (except in the gusset) and the bound edges - no red marks. The fabric is also super stretchy. ITA with the rest about the quick dry soaker style - especially ALA Firefly, as you don't need to hunt for it. I just got one of these and love, love LOVE it! Wish I'd gotten them sooner! I also love dipes that have the fleece liner sewn in. That would be my one change to the FF - line the top wing with fleece.

Let's see, snaps vs. velcro - I don't really have a preference. I've had move issues with velcro scratching DS's thighs than tummy, though. For sure add laundry tabs with velcro. I think the RRIIIPPP of the velcro will likely startle a wee one, though. We used sposies at that time and just that little rip noise would send him wailing :(
Good luck!! Oh, and congrats on the new blue one :-) I haven't been to the lounge yet, and last I saw was your pre-u/s post.
Lynne
Mommy to Caleb 3/3/03
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_emerald_18m.gif[/img][/url]

[lizajane]

ok, so here is what i am thinking (and still for me at this point, but with hopes to sell in the future- so i will be sure to use only my own ideas or ideas that are totally generic!)

trim fit between the legs
low-ish rise (works best for us and to fit well in covers)
two layers of hemp in body with thin "cute" jersey knit outer
fleece lined inner
3 layer of hemp in soaker, sewn to the back only
for boys, extra long soaker so you can fold it down in front to add extra layers in the wee wee zone (fleece arranged so as to not cause extra bulk.)

possibly sewn so that the soaker can be tucked inside the fleece liner for a super easy-on dipe. definitely sewn on either way because i hate finding all the puzzle pieces to a dipe!

velcro closure, not too close to the top to avoid scratching tummies
alternative idea to laundry tabs- testing this first- fold over fabric sleeves- you just "turn inside out" the closure tabs to cover the velcro... WHY?? because my guy is skinny, so laundry tabs make it so that the velcro ONLY catches in the center of the dipe. then the edges of the front of the dipe (imagine the pointy tabs on an FB) slide down and stick out. (and then schuyler yells "diaper! diaper!" as it starts to fall off!)

if the 2 layers of hemp plus the jersey outer plus the fleece inner seem waaaaaaaay too bulky, then i might go with one layer of hemp in the body and 4 in the soaker. maybe even do the soaker as two total layers and two "targeted" layers to reduce bulk even further.

whatta ya think?

[mudder17]

LOL on the "diaper! diaper!" :)

I like the idea of a trim fit between the legs. DD's legs are always splayed outwards so much I often wonder if that's interfering with her ability to learn how to crawl.

low-ish rise...I think now that she's starting solids, I would definitely prefer a lowish rise, especially with regards to fitting inside of covers.

if you're worried about the combo being too bulky, you could make it so that the soaker can be removable (maybe with snaps?) and that way people could use the soaker for nights, but leave it off during the day. That's what I do with my Benjamuffin ND when I occasionally use it during the day. It has a snap-in soaker + doubler, and I'll often just use the doubler during the day.

For the fabric sleeves, you'll have to find some sort of fabric that doesn't adhere to the velcro. But I could see why you would want to do that with a skinny-mini. That's a creative solution. If you can figure out a way to make it work well, it could be a real winner. I would still suggest a wider velcro soft area in the middle to allow for more adjustability.

Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya
born 22 February 2004

http://lilypie.com/baby1/050222/2/16/0/+10/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_garnet_6m.gif Breastfed 6 months and counting

http://www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya

[mudder17]

Okay, since you're in the diaper making mode, I have a question for you. When people say "crossover tabs" are they talking about having a soft part of velcro on the outside of one of the tabs so that the tabs can overlap each other? I can see how that would help with a large diaper that was just too large in the waist/thighs, but might be just right in the rise. What about having a wider soft swatch so that the tabs could fold across and down at an angle so that if your babe has chunkier thighs, you could still make the waist snug, but not make the thighs too tight. Does that make sense? We did this with the Bumpy wool cover.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya
born 22 February 2004

http://lilypie.com/baby1/050222/2/16/0/+10/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_garnet_6m.gif Breastfed 6 months and counting

http://www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya

[lizajane]

yes- that is what cross over tabs are! that is why we have trouble with our large FBs. we have to pretend they are cross over snaps and just tangle them!

the applix i have isn't very wide, but i will look for the wide kinda like bumpy and litewraps. i do like the wide patch on my two litewraps!

thanks so much for all the help and great ideas!

and i will need some chunky thighed testers at some point! :)

[mudder17]

>and i will need some chunky thighed testers at some point! :)

You know I'm there for you! :)


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya
born 22 February 2004

http://lilypie.com/baby1/050222/2/16/0/+10/.png

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_garnet_6m.gif Breastfed 6 months and counting

http://www.chemicalgraphics.com/kaya