Diapers per meter (lil more then a yard)

Ever sit there starting at a fabric order wondering "how much do I need". Well here is my break down for you if your making a butterfly fitted (the diaper I most recommend making). 

Flannel:
If your making a butterfly fitted from flannel (which tends to be more narrow then other fabrics) I can get 4 diaper cuts per meter (2 across, 2 down) with a little left over.  So out of 10 meters I get 14 butterfly Fitted's that are 3 layers thick.  (That's 9 layers folded). 
20 meters flannel = 28 diapers

Fleece, Terry and CV:
Using hemp or bamboo-rayon fleece (HOBF, SHOBF) paired with cotton fleece, terry or cotton velour (CV) I need one layer each.  Its wider then the flannel and I can get 3 across.  So 1meter hemp or bamboo-rayon fleece + 1 meter CV, terry or cotton fleece = 6 butterfly Fitted's (folded that's 3 layers hemp or bamboo-rayon, 3 layers CV, cotton fleece or terry),
4 meters fleece + 4 meters CV, terry or cotton fleece = 24 diapers (5 each = 30 diapers)

Fleece and Flannel:
This one is more tricky (math wise).  Ok so if you want to pair 1 layer hemp or bamboo-rayon fleece with 1 layer flannel.  Then 2 meters hemp or bamboo-rayon fleece is 12 cuts and 3 meters flannel is 12 cuts.  1 cut each = 12, 2 layered diapers (folded that's 3 layers hemp or bamboo-rayon fleece with 3 layers flannel).  
4.5 meters fleece + 7 meters flannel = 27 diapers

* this applies to solids, vertical prints and universal prints.

Ethics - DSS vs Wazoodle.

In a previous posts I've talked a fair but about my love for simplifi fabrics.  Today I'm going to talk about two more mainstream online fabric shops that specifically target cloth diaper sewing moms.  Absorbency advice at the end.

Options:
DSS (diaper sewing supplies) and wazoodle both focus in mainstream modern cloth diapers.  There main selling is people making AIO'S, AI2's and pockets. 

•DSS heavily touts their PUL.  If you didn't know better (any many moms initially don't), you'd think you need PUL to cloth diaper.  Fair enough, it's their product.  And its not like they claim it's better then wool or fleece, they just don't mention them as options.  On my scale I rate this 6/10.  But I'm an idealist, 8/10 might make sense to more people.  Hey DSS, offer up some variety :)

•Wazoodle offers a bit of each option.  The wool is in the higher price end (like simplifi. Unlike Nature's).  I'm giving this a 9/10 for giving their customers options

Product descriptions:
•DSS gives really good product descriptions.  You know what you are buying on each and evey fabric.  The descriptions are acurate. Descriptive and helpful all around.  Ethics- 10/10. 

•Wazoodle not only gives poor product descriptions they slant they buyer towards the fabrics they invented, zorb and its sister fabric (invented by the cleaning industry), MF.  To make it even worse they use loop holes to avoid giving full fabric content on zorb (proprietary info).  Luckily the blog Dirty Diaper Laundry interviewed and hounded for an answer....zorbs secret fiber content is MF (microfibre).  Ethics 2/10

Bamboozled:

•DSS has to be given credit here.  When it comes to bamboo-rayon descriptions they are completely honest.  No false claims of being antimicrobial.  No misleading naming of bamboo fleece (they omit the word organic).  They call it bamboo from viscose (ie rayon).  Ethics: 10/10.  Really they need extra credit for this. 

•Wazoodle touts the diaper fabric party line with names like "heavy organic bamboo fleece".  They make all kinds if claims in the properties if bamboo, which bamboo has...until it's made into fabric (linen excluded).  Considering their famous zorb invention contains bamboo this isn't a huge surprise.  Ethics 4/10

Product advice:
•DSS offers average advice on fabric uses.  I disagree with them advising you don't have to prewash.  You'll be happier with your finished product if you do.  Otherwise they offer vary good advice on how to sew and use.  They compare bamboo-rayon, cotton and hemp in a vary accurate way with the pros and cons if each and what's best for different families.  Ethics: 8.5/10 * the don't "have" to prewash really disappointed me especially since so many moms sewing CD's are new to sewing. 
 
•Wazoodle offers a calculator to decide number of layers.  It is the MOST inaccurate thing I've ever read.  Just don't read it!  They drastically underestimate layers if fabrics needed.  Additionally they tout their MF/Zorb horn again by claiming its most absorbent.  It absolutely isn't.  OK it can absorb lots...but it can't hold what it absorbs so that's irrelevant.  I think when moms ponder absorbency they mean absorbed and held.  On top of that, while they mention lint etc can become trapped inside MF (and so zorb) while in the wash. They neglect to mention it also traps dirt and germs.  Yuck!  Ethics 1/10

Overall:
• DSS gets an 8.6/10 on ethics if your a major idealist, otherwise they get 9.1/10.  I would consider them a company worth shopping from.  If they decide to carry wool in the future that would be amazing.  (In colour variety hint hint). 

•Wazoodle gets a failing grade in ethics here with a mere 4.25/10.  I would not (do not) shop from this store. 

Absorbency advice:
Ask moms who know and not anyone trying to sell you something.  Under recommended posts I have my "fabric reference page".  Read it.  Follow long time CD using and sewing moms, join a cloth diaper sewing Facebook page (or several really).  Learn who the experienced moms are.  Really an absorbency test isn't that accurate (sorry moms awaiting baby to try CD's).  Absorbency needs testing in the field.  If not on baby's bum, try what I did, test out those inserts inside your undies while pregnant to catch those pee sneezes.  Talk to moms who have used variety.  Rocket bums has a fb group run by the RB inventor and she has tried many styles and fabrics too.

Common Cloth Diaper Sewing Mistakes

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. 

Minky, Velour & Sherpa - absorbers with stay dry effects

The use of these fabrics can be confusing.  They are absorbing fabrics, but they are generally used for their stay dry effect.  They are not stay dry in the same way as suede cloth or microfleece.  But they do have a stay dry effect, and that effect preforms well enough that they are worth using as a staydry layer. 

Sherpa is alone in this group as it is a super absorber.  4 layers would give you a soaker that both absorbs and has stay dry effect.  Its stay dry effect is very different then the others as its the pilling from washing that leaves the top feeling dry.  Also its 100% cotton.  

Minky on the other hand is 100% poly.  It absorbs about the same as flannel but some minky's are lofty and so it would be way to thick as an absorbent set of layers.  Also being 100% poly having many layers of Minky would be a laundry nightmare.  Then there is cost, it would be a pricy choice.  However as a super soft topper or lining with stay dry effect it will be a fabric you fall in love with. 

Velour (cotton,  hemp, bamboo-rayon).  These generally have a poly backing to add durability.  Without it these fabrics will not last.  So what you have is a fabric that would absorb well but the poly backing interferes with that making it not the best absorber but it does have a stay dry effect and is nice and soft.  The pile of this fabric is why it preforms the way it does.  This is why we see it as a topper or lining inside a diaper. 

So there you have it, sometimes a fabric breaks the rules, understanding this can help with your fabric choices.