Swim Diaper TutorialTutorial - with hack for using mesh.

Swim diapers are fantastic.  Back when my oldest was little (19 years ago), you had to have your swim diaper inspected and some pools were uncertain about them.  Time has proven the cloth swim diaper though and now some pools are banning the disposable swim diapers (cuz of the weird stuff they leak) in preference for cloth swim diapers.

My first swim diaper was pul lined in one layer flannel with a Velcro strip.  Now they are lined in athletic wicking mesh.  Much lighter when wet.

To make today's swim diaper we used the Aquarius swimmer pattern from sewmamasew.  (This was a project at the metis centre today).  You can use any swim pattern you like though.  (Note these fit smaller then a cover as they are not going over a diaper).  That link takes you to the tutorial, but I've made a small change.

You will need:
Pul
Athletic wicking mesh/jersey
Universal thread
Foe (fold over elastic)
Ball point needle
Snaps and snap press (or velcro)

So start by tracing your pattern onto your PUL on the back side.  Use a bright marker.  I used blue, wish I'd used red.

Now lay your mesh over top of pul (on back side) **no cutting has happened yet!

Pin like crazy.  Normaly you don't pin pul but swim diapers sole function is holding in poop, so its ok to pin.  I pinned inside and outside the diaper outline.

Next straight stitch the two fabrics together about 1/8th- 2/8th inside the outline.  Now you can cut out the diaper.  This way that stretchy mesh hasnt gone wonky while cutting and is the exact same size as the pul.  Awesome right?  It's also going to make adding the foe easier :)

         (This has 2 traced and pinned)

 Next place your fold over elastic (folded over) on edge of diaper (leaving a tail.  The tail is for finishing).   Your going to sew this down with a narrow width zigzag (at edge of foe).  You do this just like bias tape.  Your pattern has areas where you don't need elastic so dont stretch the foe.  And areas that do need elastic stretch (legs, back & front waist) so do stretch foe (to the fullest) in these area .

Sewing foe un stretched around tab
(Pin marking elastic)

Sewing foe fully stretched through legs and waist.

Since this is for a swim diaper I marked the elastic placement with pins, points sticking towards foe.  This way when I folded the foe over the edge of the fabric the needles stuck through and were not in my way.

Now when you have only and inch- inch and a half left tie off your thread (back stitch).

Then measure to see how much foe is needed to finish.
Pin together the foe (right sides together) using the tail you left at the start.  Straight stitch them and clip close to seam.  Now fold back over edge of diaper and finish sewing (zigzag stitch).

Now add the snaps.   

And your done.