So the disasters, well... mini disasters were many! The first was the crazy sewing with the material glued together (still holds the scars of that one) and the hours of unpicking that followed!! (Although I have read that a hot wash will close the holes in the PUL - but I'm not totally confident, some are rather large sewing holes!!) I had pinned the two layers together before I received Nat's great advice to use paper clips to hold together to avoid more holes. Another saving grace was the advice that I'd read in a forum to use baking paper to stop the laminated side of the PUL sticking to the sewing machine foot. I think another problem with my crazy sewing was the microfleece getting stuck on the foot too!!
After first sewing attempt - unpicked and pinned!
I then had problems with the elastic! I think I may have pulled it too tight to measure it in its full stretch for the legs and back. Its definitely a 2 person job - one to hold one end while the other person does the other end and marks the stretched length. When sewing it on, I sewed it completely on the inside of the seam, but am wondering if it should go over the seam (any advice??). But the legs are so gathered, that they look fine!!
I had made a 4 layered booster (with a possibility of another 2 layers). I sewed the 4 layers (really a 2 layered doubled over) with a top layer of micorfleece. But then decided I really should have 6 layers, to added the other double layer so that it folds out in 2 directions. That all worked really well, but it wasn't until I started with my first attempts at the snaps that disaster struck. I was silly not to have a play first but just wanted to finish my nappy!! I attached the snaps to the back of the nappy where the booster will attached - all good! Then I attached them to the booster itself. They went on really well and perfect distance, yet when I went to attach the booster, realised I put them on the wrong way and my microfleece layer, that should have been on the top, was in the middle. I quickly got online and tried to find a way of getting them off, and got a few ideas. They one I first tried was to put the snap back in the press and try and snap it with the press. It worked for the first one, but did put a lovely hole in the bamboo. I tried the old nail clips trick, but it didn't work. So due to the hole, I thought I may as well cut out a strip where the snaps were and sewed the booster back together!!
The finished product showing snap in, fold out booster
The middle
The outside
So a very valuable lesson to learn on my first nappy. Check the snaps are facing the right way!! I then finished the snaps on the nappy and tried it on! Very chuffed with myself!! Not a wonderful specimen, but a great first attempt (if I do say so myself).
The cheeky model!!
The front
And the back!!
A big thank you to the cooperative model!! She has just learnt the cheeky 'head on the side' pose!
Not sure about the calibrating of the snaps machine - not really sure how you know - I think its a time thing. If the snaps fall off prematurely, its not calibrated right!!
But the proof will be in the pudding... or should I say... the weeing!!
Fantastic!! What an awesome job for your first nappy - I am soooo impressed! Looks like it fits Bella perfectly. Have to agree though, the elastic does look a bit tight, so don't think anything is going to escape! I remember making my first nappies, I used fleece and flannel & I too was so enthusiastic to just finish 1 that I put the snaps on the wrong way and sewed the flannel on the wrong side of the booster - but they are still been used with Q and work a treat! And how annoying is it to get the snaps off - that's when my darling husband comes into play! I think he uses a screwdriver & hammer until the snap cracks, but yes can leave a nasty hole! Beth, welldone - you are on your way to been a super duper cloth nappy making mumma!
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