making covers

[Zada]

can someone tell me what is used around the edge of pul covers? the white strip stuff:o
and to make them would i just need a nappy cut of pul, edge it with that stuff some elastic in the legs and done?

[jessgray]

ive never made a cover but it sounds like your on the right track.have you got a pattern, paterns ussually recomend types of fabrics to use:thumbsup:

[Zada]

no pattern lol was just gonna trace something like bbh cover:thumbsup:

[Little_Toad]

It is called Fold Over Elastic. FOE

[Zada]

thanks toad :thumbsup: can i ask, when im sewing the elastic on the legs, do u sew it sraight on the pul then put the foe over the top?

[ks23]

When I have used FOE I pull it as tight as I can around the legs. There is no need for 2 lots of elastic. FOE is very Exy at Spotlight and they are getting rid of it at my local spotlight.($4 per metre!) So with the leg work out where elastic bit starts and stops and stretch elastic (FOE) out as much as possible between those two points if that makes sense?

[Zada]

ah ok...just seen some on nappiescovered $1.55 p/m:thumbsup: also is 1 nappy cut of pul enough to make 1 cover?

[H&B'sMum]

Try Bubba earth. I just got an emails saying they were back up and running.

[cheezelkat]

I brought my FOE from nappies covered - just fold, stretch and sew.

I used double sided PUL to make one cover from one nappy cut.

[Zada]

yea was just looking at the sandwich pul thought that might be the go....Do u only stretch where u want the elastic to be? and how much foe would u use?

[mama anne]

the foe is like stretchy binding - it will sit nice and flat where you don't stretch it, and will gather the fabric underneath where you do stretch it (if that makes sense). Most patterns will have marks on them where to start/finish stretching the foe.

i generally get 2 covers/pockets out of 3m of foe - but then i make smalls or mediums.
so APPROX 1.5m per cover - every pattern is different though, so could be a little more, could be a little less.

when i order different foe i generally order more than i need just to be sure, eg. if i wanted to make 4 covers, that would be 6m of foe but i'd order 7m just to be safe.
but its easier to do this when its about $1-$2 a metre - not $4 like that spotlight stuff :eek:

[Zada]

im not using a pattern although u could just use a nappy pattern yea?

[mama anne]

yeah any pattern would be fine.
the main thing is the cover needs to fit over and around a fitted (or flat if thats what you're using).

So when i make covers i generally add about 1cm around the pattern of the nappy i want to cover ..... make sense?

hmmmm even i'm confused.
so i use a nappy pattern to make a fitted.
and then add 1cm around the pattern to make a cover to go over the fitted.

clear as mud?

[Zada]

yup i get ya:thumbsup: add extra around the nappy:thumbsup:

[Zada]

:fingerscrossed: nappiescovered get more pul soon

[mama anne]

bubbaearth has reopened apparently - they have lilac or white pul by the metre, and also two different patterned pul nappy cuts.

their web address is in the nappy section of the bubhub directory :)

greenbeans (nz) sell LOTS of colours of plain pul by the metre ..... pm me if you want their web address.

[Zada]

is post dear from greenbeans? like i need hemp & stuff and is it in aus $?

i looked at bubbaearth but i dont want white or lavender

[mama anne]

i think its pretty good - its only a little more than you pay for the same weight within aus. but to me, the rest of the prices are so much cheaper, it's worth getting it from nz.

there is a currency convertor on the bottom left hand corner of the website :)

[mama anne]

if the cover is for the wee weka one-size fitted - i wouldn't make a one-size cover myself. might be too prone to leaks.
at the moment i use the one-size with the top folded down, and i just use a cover i made to go over a small fitted nappy.

[Zada]

oh ok....maybe ill trace my bbh cover?

[mama anne]

yeah whatever cover fits well over it will work :thumbsup:

[Zada]

if u dont mind me asking, what do u make the nappies out of?

[mama anne]

the fitted nappies?

[Zada]

yep

[mama anne]

okay .... it changes depending on what i have.
but generally ....
from the outer layer -----> inner layer next to bub:

1 layer cute outer fabric (flannelette, 100% cotton velour)
1 inner full body layer (hemp fleece or terry, microfibre)
1 hidden sewn in booster layer sewn to the inner body layer (hemp if the inner body layer is microfibre, or microfibre if the inner body layer is hemp)
1 staydry layer (microfleece or suedecloth).


sometimes thats generally the nappy. i change bella every 3 hours, that lasts us fine.


other times i've done
1 layer cute outer fabric
1 layer inner full body layer
1 hidden sewn in booster
1 layer cute/snuggly fabric - not staydry (generally cotton)
then i do a hourglass shaped booster to snap/sew in (snap in for me) which is:
one layer cute/snuggly fabric sewn to one layer hemp,
and one layer microfibre sewn to one layer stay-dry fabric (suedecloth/microfibre).
there's a pic of that here if its hard to understand
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g37/mama_anne/DSC00041.jpg
http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g37/mama_anne/DSC00040.jpg

[Zada]

kool thanks...
i was going to do:

outer layer of flannelette
hidden layer of flannelette with sewn in booster of 4 layers of hemp
inner layer flanelette

wish i had an overlocker, make it much easier lol

with the leg elastic, do u sew the whole lot in or do u tack the ends & do casing?

[mama anne]

hey
those layers sound good, can i make a suggestion about drying times, if you put all of those layers in the middle of the fitted it could take awhile to dry properly on the inside. you could do even 2 hidden soaker layers and then sew an external booster onto the nappy so it hangs down off the nappy to dry, make that 2 hemp layers and a layer of flannelette?

obviously if has worked previously then go for it, but the biggest drama i have with fitteds is drying time!

[mama anne]

i find it easier to sew the whole elastic in, doing 3-step zig zag, and sewing back and forth over the ends to secure them down.

ive done casings for pockets and found them to be a bit fiddlier than sewing the elastic down - but some people prefer them! maybe do it both ways and see which you prefer sewing.

[Zada]

is it possible to do the external one without an overlocker though? spose it could just be turned and top stitched hey?then i gather it just gets sewn onto the inner layer?

i have made a few before with the pattern out of my old terrys lol turned out good though

[mama anne]

you can definately do it without an overlocker - your sewing machine should have some stitches that sortof look like overlocking ...... have a play around and see which ones work for you. the stitch i do to pretend overlock sortof looks like this
l><
l><
l><

the right hand side of this i put to the very edge of the fabric. i sewed and topstitched one once, but it turned out too thick for my liking personally.

the external soaker i sew to the top back of the layer of the nappy that goes next to baby, just underneath the elastic

[Zada]

thanks heaps for ure help:thumbsup:
ill be going to spotlight for the flannelette & get the rest online!

[mama anne]

thats all good :)
while you're looking online, have a look at the microfleece/suedecloth - always good to keep bubs bottom a bit drier. its fairly cheap too :)

oooh little tip - spotlight have velcro and elastic, but i've found generally it is WAY cheaper online for that stuff - most online places you buy velcro from will also sell you the right ratio of hook(the scratchy side) to loop(the smooth furry side) that you need - a nappy generally takes 3x as much loop as you need of hook.
so some places will sell you (eg) a metre of loop, and 30cm of hook.

that way you won't end up with masses of hook tape you don't need.