How to Sew a Cloth Diaper Stash Fast

How to Sew Cloth Diapers Quickly

You break your cloth diaper sewing down into small steps so that you can quickly complete each step. You can put some of your supplies away after each step and you don’t need to have everything out all at once. It’s convenient, although sometimes it’s hard to wait to see a diaper completed. Usually I plan out how many diapers that I want to sew, then get started.

Let’s say you want to sew 25 diapers. This means that you cut 25 of your exterior fabric first, then you cut 25 of your interior fabric next.

Then you proceed through each cloth diaper sewing step for the entire diaper stash. So you will add your snaps and/or hook and loop to the front for all 25 diapers, take your inner fabric and sew your pocket area, then pin your inner and outer fabrics right sides together, then sew, then flip right sides out, then top stitch, then sew your casings, then add your elastic, then complete your diapers by adding hook tabs and laundry tabs or by adding your snaps to the tabs of the diapers.

Using a Wood Form to Cut Fabric Faster

One thing that has made sewing cloth diapers faster for me is to make a wood form of my pattern. This allows me to cut the exterior and interior fabrics quickly, without worrying about cutting into a paper pattern. I use a rotary cutter instead of scissors with this.

My brother made me my first form, and since then I’ve made a couple of my own when I switched patterns. The ones he made me have a hinge which make for easy storage, but I’ve made a couple of thinner ones that aren’t hinged. They’re fairly easy to make if you have some woodworking tools and I explain how to make these in my book, “How to Sew, Use, and Clean Cloth Diapers.“

How Long Does It Take to Sew a Cloth Diaper?

For this analysis, I was completing 10 pocket diapers with a PUL exterior and alova suedecloth inner. I made a welt pocket like the Baabaababy pattern (what I was using at the time, I don’t believe this is available anymore) uses and used all snaps. There was also a snap down rise because it’s a one-size diaper.

• Cutting PUL for exterior: 3 min per diaper
• Cutting inner fabric and fabric for the welt pocket: 2.75 min per diaper
• Marking snap placements: 1.1 minutes per diaper
• Adding snaps: 24.25 minutes per diaper
• Adding welt pocket: 4.55 minutes per diaper
• Pin, sew right sides together, trim edges, flip right sides out: 8 min per diaper
• Top stitch: 35 minutes: 3.5 minutes per diaper
• Mark and sew casings: 4 minutes per diaper 
• Add elastic… 8-9 min per diaper
• Add last snaps: 4 minutes per diaper

In my upcoming book release, I’ll discuss some additional steps that I take to save time and some short cuts if you don’t mind how those short cuts look. I cheat when I do my pocket openings now which saves me a lot of time, and I’ve found that hook and loop is slightly less time consuming to use for a closure. Some people prefer snaps, but in the end I really liked hook and loop best. 

Other factors: Hyenacart or Etsy charge a fee to list the diapers, you also have to pay a fee to get LLC status, you need to buy labels and care instructions, government regulations (don’t ask me the details, my head starts to explode when this topic is discussed) require careful monitoring and tracking of all materials used in each diaper, and you may want to also pay to advertise.  There’s probably more, but that’s what I can think of off the top of my head right now.

Is the expense of cloth diapers worth it?

Without a doubt, the expense is worth it- regardless of if you sew them or buy them- if you’re committed to cloth diapering.

Resale value is high on them if they’re kept in good condition and often they can be used for several children.

Why sew them yourself?

It’s fun. It’s economical if you already know how to sew. And you can get exactly what you want. It’s also pretty satisfying.  If I had a girl, I’d be sewing a ton of these ruffle butt cloth diapers. I’ve also embroidered cloth diapers, serged cloth diapers, and setup these great baskets to organize them all.

Just getting started?

Are you considering switching to cloth products? Do you love cloth diapering? Curious about cloth products such as cloth menstrual pads, wet bags, and unpaper towels? I wrote a fantastic book that is ALL about using, laundering, and sewing reusable cloth products. It even includes instructions on this project! 

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Please feel free to comment if you’ve ever timed yourself sewing cloth diapers… I’d love to see how my timing compares. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”