There are several benefits to pullingwool diaper covers over your baby’s cloth diapers. The style of wool diaper cover shown below is called a wool soaker.
This wool soaker is economically sewn from recycled wool. So whether you already love wool soakers, or perhaps want to try them for the first time – you can start with minimal investment by sewing one from an upcycled sweater.
Items needed to sew a wool soaker:
- Wool Sweater
- Elastic
- Polyester thread (not cotton – it absorbs urine)
- Safety Pin
- Scissors
- Sewing Machine
- Serger (optional)
1. First you need a wool sweater. This one is 100% Lambs Wool. Wash it on hot with a little bit of soap then dry on high to felt. This makes the weave tighter and in my opinion, the sweater softer. Your sweater will shrink when you do this, so the bigger the sweater, the better!
2. I chose to use a soaker I already had as a guide for my pattern. it was too big for my new baby, but I liked the design so I am altering it to fit.
3. You need a sewing machine. Mine is almost as basic as they come. (This one is actually a friends because mine went kaput.)
4. A serger is optional. It gives a finished look, but you can skip this step and still have a great cover.
5. I laid my cover on my sweater to find a good placement, but promptly forgot to take a photo until after I cut…oops!
6. Since you don’t have this particular cover to trace I will give you some hints. These measurements are for a small cover. This will fit a newborn to about 12 pounds. To accommodate a bigger baby, add 1.5 inches for Medium and 3 inches for Large. Find the middle of the sweater bottom and mark, measure 4 inches on each side. Measure 6 inches from the bottom of the sweater toward the middle. These will be the sides of your diaper.
Cut making sure there are 8 inches between the sides. Now mark your halfway point; this should be about 8 inches in. Measure off 2.5 inches to the right and left of your halfway point mark. This is the crotch. Now connect the end point of the sides you cut to the end point of your crotch. These will be your leg holes. Fold that part up as shown.
7. Now use this as a template to cut the other side. This is what you should have.
8. Fold in half and make sure you are even (I had some trimming to do).
9. Take your cuffs and cut about 1 inch up from the ribbed part. This is for your seam allowance.
10. After both cuffs are cut, this is what you should have. It is okay if they don’t line up perfectly.
11. Sew up the sides. Make sure to backstitch at the beginning and end. All seam allowances are 1/4 inch.
12. Repeat on other side.
13. This is what you should have.
14. Next take the cuff.
15. Put the cuff inside the body as shown. Note the seams on the body are still inside out; the cuff is not. Keep it just as shown in the previous picture. Line up the edges. Now, if you have a serger, that is next. If not, skip ahead to the next step.
16. Serge the edges. Set dials according to your machines instructions.
17. This is what you should have.
18. Must trim those threads.
19. This is your next step if you serged or not. Stitch around your leg cuffs. I do this several times.
20. Around again.
21. Repeat on both leg cuffs.
22. Peek down at the sweet baby in the sling…yep, still snoozing!
23. Pin your waistband down about an inch all the way around.
24. Start in the middle of the back waistband.
25. Sew around waistband but STOP 1 inch short of the beginning stitch. Back stitch at start and end.
26. Get your elastic. I like the poly braided kind.
27. Measure around the waist of your cover. Now subtract 1.5 inches and cut.
28. Fasten a safety pin to one end of your elastic. The bigger, the better…this was all I had on hand.
29. Thread the safety pin through the waistband channel. Make sure you hold onto the end. You will be really upset if you don’t!
30. Pin your ends together after you thread it all the way through. This will keep the end from slipping back into the channel.
31. Stitch your elastic together. I go back and forth at least 4 times. I do not sew my small opening closed in case I need to access the elastic again. I find it really hard to seam rip on wool. But if you prefer to close it up, go ahead!
32. Voila! A great wool soaker for your baby’s wool diaper cover collection! Easy Peasy, huh?
GUEST BLOGGER
is a follower of Christ, wife, mom of many, and artist.
You can read more about Ashlee at her blog, {let my lifesong sing] and check out her designs on Etsy at Tweet Designs.
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Becca is a part-time Spanish Teacher and part-time Stay-At-Home-Mom. She's a cloth diaper expert who enjoys spending time with her family, crafting and selling her wares in her very own
Julie is a mom to three kids including a set of identical twins. Through cloth diapering her twins she developed a passion for the industry and is an avid cloth diaper advocate. You can also find her on her blog
I love wool soakers! I’ve done a similar pattern (w/out the elastic waist) but your looks so much better than mine :)
That’s amazing! Thanks for sharing! I don’t use wool soakers myself but it’s nice to see a nice cheap way of making them should I ever decide to make the switch! Ha ha! I just shrunk one of my husbands wool sweaters, so I guess it couldn’t hurt to try it soon :-P
I would like to try a wool soaker but I think they cost to much. this is a good way to cut the price down a little. Thanks
Brilliant, I have always heard excellent things about wool pants. But in trying to find them they were extremely price prohibitive. This is a lovely way to use up old clothing and giving it new life! Don’t forget to wash your wool pants with lanolin to help keep it waterproof. I found some great info at http://www.tidbit-couture.com/store/WsAncillary.asp?ID=11
this is great!! i have really been wanting to try wool soakers. you should post some on your etsy for those of us who don’t sew! in the meantime, i’m going to show this to my mother-in-law- she sews :) thanks again!
I do the same thing and have tried a few styles. I think this is my favorite because they look cute, like little shorts, all on their own. I also love that you say,”upcycle.” Another green tip – use the sleeves to make Knee pads for a crawler or leg warmers for an older child. Thanks!
Good tip Jamie!
I have also used the sleeves to make longies from a wool sweater, bought at a thrift store for next to nothing! I love this tutorial and will have to give it a try this weekend :) Thanks!
Great explanation. I have yet to get my sewing machine fixed… as soon as I do I will making myself a few of these cuties!
Thanks!
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Thanks for all the details and pictures! haha! this is the exact sweater I ruined by washing it in the washers at college. Boo! But now my little ones will have a beautiful soaker! Hopefully I can do it anyways!
I just used these instructions today for my very first cover and they helped me a ton. It’s nice to find a how-to that’s so easy to understand. I changed the leg cuffs and added a bird and owl to the butt and am very happy with the results! http://babyfingers.blogspot.com/2011/03/fancy-wool-shorties-for-robert.html
Thanks!