This will be a trouble shooting post as the topics here have been (or will be) covered in depth in other posts.
1. Not Understanding the function of your fabrics:
It is important to understand the function of each fabric. I have covered all these in the "fabric reference page". Example: Use a poly fleece in the absorbent section of your diaper and it wont absorb, cuz its the wrong fleece. Likewise some fabrics have a right and wrong side.
2. Improperly sandwiching MF, zorb or cotton batting:
First off non of these are fantastic diaper fabrics, but if your going to use them they need to be sandwiched. These "fabrics" are actually fills, well MF isn't but functions as one. Now MF and zorb (because it contains MF) can't touch babies skin so needs a layer between them and baby. Plus fills need support. That means it needs another fabric on either side of it, sewing quilt lines through the sandwich increases support. So that's: one "bread layer" (flannel for example), one "meat layer" (zorb, MF or batting) and one more "bread layer". Doing: flannel, zorb, zorb, flannel, is incorrect.
3. Wrong Stitch Length:
Most diaper fabrics have stretch to them. If yours does you need a long stitch length otherwise your stitches will break when stretched.
4. Using Mystery fabrics:
If you don't know exactly what a fabric is, you don't know the function, proper use etc. Most fabrics cannot be accurately guessed by pics (to many are similar).
5. Pre-washing:
Washing fabrics before use removes dirt, germs, oil and shrinks the fabric. Don't pre-wash and your diaper could end up to small, or wonky (different fabrics shrink different).
6. Use The Right Needle:
Make sure the needle your using is the correct needle for your fabric. Also make sure you change it often. Needles get burrs on them which causes sewing problems.
7. Keep Machine in Good Repair:
You should clean your bobbin run frequently (q-tips are awesome for this), oil regularly and have your machine tuned yearly.
8: Poor Thread Choice:
Cheap thread is a nightmare, the wrong thread also is. Your best bet is gutterman universal, universal meaning all fabrics.
9: Too Many Layers:
This is a 2 fold issue. First you don't want any part of your diaper being thicker then 4-5 natural, thin layers or 3 thick layers or synthetic layers. Doing so will lead to washing issues (ammonia) and drying issues (time and mildew).
The second part is too many layers. Cloth diapering is about changing baby when baby pees. If this is an issue for you then cloth diapering might not be the right choice for you.
10. Understand What Your Sewing:
You can't sew an AIO, HF or WIO (for example), if you don't understand what that is. Try and you'll likely make it wrong and wonder why it didn't work. The 3 examples I gave; they all sound similar, function similar but HF's and WIO's are actually are constructed like an AI2. This is cuz they won't function optimally if constructed like an AIO.
Check the "diaper styles review page" for starters, then watch a tutorial, look at pics etc. The other side of this is not understanding your options means you might not be choosing the best style for you.
11. Using 4 absorbers or 2 barriers: I see this often. There is no need and only a few reasons to use more then one absorbing fabric. Absorption is created by number of layers, not number of fabric choices. And some are nearly identical. There is also no reason to use more then 2. Read "how do I combine my fabrics".
Less often, but still often enough I see the use of multiple barrier fabrics. Adding pul to an HF means its not an HF, and you've just wasted the fleece, it no longer serves its purpose.
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