Since pulling out my sewing machine a few months back, I’ve toyed with the idea of trying to make my own wet bags and cloth diapers. It’s common for people to say “Why don’t you just make your own?” when they hear you cloth diaper your baby, but the idea has always intimidated me. I wondered where a novice sewer should start in the world of PUL and diaper patterns. I naturally turned to my local cloth diaper store, JoAnns, one of the three retail locations where Babyville Boutique products are sold.
I’d heard about Babyville Boutique products from friends who discovered them at JoAnns over the past couple of years, but only recently moved near a convenient JoAnns location. When Babyville kindly offered to send me some products to sew my own PUL products, I readily agreed. I received three helpful pattern books, as well as fabric, appliques, Fold Over Elastic (FOE), and aplix from their adorable Cowbaby and Robots Collection to try. This proved perfect because the patterns have the primary colors I love, as well as whimsical designs, and the solid is a bold red. Just my style.
After reviewing the patterns and deciding which projects to tackle, I still needed to visit my local store for a few notions and wicking fabric. Since Babyville Boutique products are only available through retailers, I thought it was important to visit their in store display and share my experience.
The Babyville Boutique displayof brightly colored PULs in solids and prints is fairly easy to spot in our local store.The display shows off prepackaged cuts of coordinating fabrics, along with a selection of coordinating accessories, such as FOE, snaps, and buttons. It also holds a selection of pattern books to make an impressive variety of projects using PUL. I was a bit disappointed to see the limited selection in fabrics and confused that wicking fabric – essential for the Babyville diaper patterns and shown online- wasn’t available alongside the PUL. When I asked an employee to assist me in finding the wicking fabric, they seemed flustered by the question and fellow employees didn’t seem particularly familiar with Babyville products either. From a customer perspective, I would love to see my local JoAnns employees become more comfortable with the products and patterns available through Babyville.
I came home and decided to tackle a wet bag pattern from Baby Essentials Made Easy. This seemed like a good project from a novice, since cutting required just a few measurements. I thought the red would make a fun, bright bag and added a robot applique for a design pop. While I would prefer to iron on the applique, this wasn’t an option with PUL. I sewed around the edges, but my finished product left a bit to be desired.
The wet bag project also gave me the opportunity to pull out my zipper foot for possibly the first time. I used a contrasting orange zipper and did my best to follow the instructions. While the project has a functioning zipper, I wished I’d practiced on some scraps with zippers before using the PUL because it isn’t very forgiving of errors. I also added my own touch of boxed seams at the bottom and liked the result. While the bag is imperfect, it will be a useful addition to our diaper bag.
Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned while using Babyville products was this: Practice on scrap fabric first. Your pocketbook will thank you later if you practice first and begin with simple projects until you’re comfortable working with PUL and FOE. I didn’t follow that advice and tried the FOE bound sized diaper from The Ultimate Pocket Diaper Booklet. This project taught me a great deal about adjusting the settings on my sewing machine, but the FOE instructions confused me a bit.
I decided to set that project aside and use the remaining Cowbaby fabric to sew The Aquarius Swim Diaper pattern on Sew Mama Sew I’ve been eyeing for far too long. The pull up version proved to be the ideal pattern to practice stretching FOE. I truly am learning patterns and sewing and I completed this project in under 2 hours. I am happy with the results, although far from perfect, and think this will make great training pants too!
I have a whole new respect for the talented individuals who make cloth diapers and patterns.There is definitely skill, art, and science involved here. I haven’t given up on trying to complete my first diapering project, but I think I’ll purchase some more FOE and practice a bit on scraps first. I also plan to use the Babyville book of baby projects for fun and simple handmade gifts in the future.
Disclosure: Babyville Boutique sent me products to try for this post. No payment was received. All opinions are my own.
It’s harder than it looks isn’t it?!? Yours look great 🙂 I love Babyville Boutique’s products – such great quality.
I made my own wet bags with PUL from Babyville.
Makes me wish I had a sewing machine 😉
I made a changing pad with the PUL. It is unforgiving and has a learning curve.
I would love some new wetbags, my old ones are shredded
I don’t know how well I would do making my own wet bag. I’m sure I would have a lot of mistakes haha.
i would use it for a baby blanket
I would make my own wet bag. Definitely need one!!!
I love the Babyville PUL and embellishments! I make wetbags, bibs and diaper covers with their products. My first project was a robot AIO, followed quickly by an Owls bib and wetbag. 🙂
I would probably make a wet bag! You can never have too many!
I’d like to try the pliers and snaps.
I’d love to try the stay dri fabric to make my own “semi fitted” night diapers with customizable stuffing. I don’t know if my skills are up to the task however…
I’ve been thinking about the Aquarius swim diaper pattern too (and I even have had some cut out for a few months)! This gave me the push to finish them and I like knowing I can find cute cute cute materials at JoAnn Fabrics. The fabric you used is great. I appreciate your idea to use home-sewn swim diapers as training pants too. I had honestly never though of using them in this way. Smart!!!
ps. I would definitely use the materials to make swim diapers and training pants. It looks like I will be potty training two children at once. *sigh*
Sewing with these cute fabrics and accessories looks like so much fun! I love their products and even love to just browse around their web site!
Oooo I would love to try my hand at a cover in the cupcake print!!
I’m not sure yet! These fabrics and notions have so many different possibilities! I’d likely make a diaper for my youngest, or possibly one (or three) to give away!
Cute! I’d use mine to try my hand at making fitteds and pocket diapers.
-Ariel C.
I would use them to make pocket diapers 🙂
I’d like to start with something easy, maybe a diaper cover?
I would use the materials to make a large wet bag or pail liner 🙂
Working with PUL is a pain. I love sewing and tried sewing my own diapers before, but I stopped because I didn’t have any great patterns or quality fabric that I liked working with. I’m going to have to give it another shot. Maybe… 🙂
Little one on the way in June and just starting to think about cloth diapers as an option. Love to sew, so this may be a fun new challenge!
yeah hand sewing pul is a pain in the bum… i really need to get my sewing machine working! you’ve inspired me to finish a few projects!
I’d make some Mama cloth
We would use the fabric to make diapers.
You did a great job! I’ve been sewing for almost 30 years and I still find sewing with FOE and PUL challenging. I would love to make a couple of covers!
I WOULD MAKE A SWIM DIAPER
If I won I would probably have my mom help me make some covers and possibly some bibs and wet bags.
I would love to try to make an AiO. I think though, that I would need to hold the materials in my hands before I decide what to do with them 🙂
I’d make diapers for my little one
I’d make cloth diapers and wet bags for our soon to be LO!
I would love to try Babyville PUL – I’ve heard lots of good things, and they have such cute prints. I would make a diaper cover… I’m working on a pattern for it now.
I think I would love the robot stuff – including the appliques!
I’d make a couple diapers and a craft apron I think!
I would love to try their PUL I’m dying to attempt to make my own pocket diapers!
Id make a diaper cover
I’d love to try making an AIO or a diaper cover. Could always use another wetbag too!
It would likely get made into diapers..but I would be donating it to the local cloth diaper charity for low income families in my city!
I’d probably try making a diaper or wet bag.
I think I’d try to make a wet bag or maybe a diaper cover.
I’d try making my first cloth diaper cover!
I would attempt to make a cover.
I would probably try a wet bag or maybe do some fabric covered letters for the nursery with my son’s name.
I would try a diaper or bib
Id make a wetbag and/or cloth dipes
I would make custom cover for baby-wipes travel case.
I would make some diapers from them. I have a friend that is thinking about trying cloth and would make her a few.
I’d make a wetbag (we need a new one anyway) or some pocket diapers. Or both 🙂
I’d make some cloth diapers 🙂
I’d make some cloth diapers 🙂
I would love to make a wet bag and diapers.
I *LOVE* making BabyVille diapers for my nephew, and now for our soon-to-be baby!
I can’t sew…