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How To Make a Homemade Diaper 

Babies are expensive and there is no way to get around it, but making your own homemade cloth diapers is an easy way to save a lot of money. 

Just a few, simple materials are needed:  a soft, absorbent material such as burly terry or cotton, a soft, breathable material like cotton knits or flannel, and thin elastic.  Extra towels, old flannel shirts, fleece, or baby blankets also make great diaper materials, and save you money by recycling! 

An easy way to make a diaper pattern is to trace a disposable diaper, flat on a surface, adding ¼ inch around for the seam allowance.  The pattern will resemble an hour glass, with extra tabs in the back that should reach comfortably around to the front—cutting these a bit long will allow for more use out of the diaper as Baby grows.  You will cut two of these shapes, one out of your inside material and one out of your outside material.  Feel free to make your outer material a cute pattern. 

The soaker material should be cut rectangular and cover nearly the entire length of the diaper; also, stitching the edges quickly will help keep the material together through washes.  It will be placed between the interior and exterior fabrics and doesn’t need to be more than two or three layers.  Once this is cut, lay it on the wrong side of the interior layer and sew it in place around the edges. 

Measure your baby’s thighs, leaving room for growth, and cut two pieces of ¼ inch elastic (or wider if your choose) of that length to be sewn into the wrong side of the exterior fabric.  Be sure to stretch the elastic the full length of the diaper.  Measure Baby’s back and repeat this step, except with ½ inch elastic, for the full width of the back of the exterior fabric. 

Place the exterior and interior pieces together, right sides in, and sew along the edges, leaving a small opening to turn the diaper right-side out.  Turn the diaper right-side out and fold and sew the seam allowance in the front closed.  Velcro or snaps may be added if you desire, otherwise, you’re finished!