Cloth Diapering -- Making Cheap "Daddy Flats!" -- Guest Post

When I began cloth diapering, I relied mostly on pockets because they were easy; stuff and wear! As my cloth diaper journey progressed, I slow began to understand covers, fitted, and prefolds/flats, and if we do have another baby, I'll consider using prefolds and covers because those are more affordable than purchasing pockets. And Sarah Goodrich has provided an even more innovately cost-saving method for flats -- "Daddy" Flats!

Disclaimer: I can barely sew, so please excuse all the mistakes.

I wanted to try some "daddy flats" but couldn't find much info on them, or a pattern, so this is how I made them. I used DH's (dear husband's) old t-shirts, and love how they work as diapers. Soft, a little stretchy, absorbent, and free! Can't beat that! The wash-and-driability of flats with the convenience of a prefold. And did I mention free?


Trace a diaper on posterboard. This is a MEOS (Mother-Ease One Size). I traced it generously and stretched out the tabs. Cut down diagonally to make wings. The tabs are cut a little lower so they fit into the diaper when it's all folded up.

Now you have a template.

Turn t-shirt upside down (for easier cutting) and spread flat. This is a men's x-large, which is a great fit on my 24 lber. I've also used men's large and youth large; these are very forgiving so you can use just about anything and tweak it.

Borrow your kid's washable marker and trace template onto shirt.

Take off the template and this is how your shirt looks.

Cut along the lines. Now you'll only be working with the bottom half of the t-shirt.

Pin now while it's all flat. If you want to turn and topstitch and make it all pretty, you'll want to turn it inside out before pinning. Put the pinheads on the cut side of fabric so you don't stick yourself while sewing.

I can barely sew, and didn't care how these looked, so I just zigzagged around the edge, and used up random colors of poorly-wound bobbin thread. This material won't fray anyway. Use a ballpoint needle and poly thread if you can! That made such a difference for me.

All sewn together.

Trim to neaten up.

Ready for a baby! Fold in sides (this makes the soaker-6 layers when folded).

Fold up the front. If the rise is too long, just fold it down. This is pretty much a one-size diaper.

The wings are nice and long...I really like it pinned with one pin in the middle. It also Snappis well. Now you have a basic white diaper.

Or you can dye them and make beautiful diapers

So if you have a sewing machine, internet access, and old t-shirts, you can have fairly convenient diapers for the cost of your time. The hardest part is threading the machine and winding the bobbin. Like I said, I really can't sew, but these only took a half hour each to cut out and sew. If you have any skill, you could knock out a whole stash in half a day! And you can theoretically use any material, and sew in soakers, add snaps, whatever (I haven't actually tried that yet)

Have fun!