Cute Little Feather Bum

Grabbed a few cute pics of monkey this morning.  He is wearing a flannel. And hemp fitted under a blizzard fleece cover (wrap style), baby legs and a shirt I tie dyed at the Metis centre.

Hidden PUL / Fleece info (aio's and hf's)

So let's talk AIO'S,  Hybrids and hidden layers: 

Sometimes people are confused by the multitude of variations in cloth diapers.  This is completely understandable. 

So an all in one (aio) is a fitted diaper with PUL attached to the outside of the diaper.  This is done so you don't have to use a cover, cuz its attached.  Now PUL comes in many wonderful prints and makes the diaper cute and attractive.  But some moms aren't a big fan of the feel of pul or just found a super cute print in another fabric.  So they cover the outside of the pul, this makes the pul hidden.  Its still an AIO weather your pul is hidden. Or not. 
Read more about AIO'S here

Hybrid Fitted's are much like an aio in function.  A Hybrid is a diaper with water resistant fleece on the outside so that you don't need a cover (most of the time).   If your "fitted" has water resistant fleece then it is an HF and not a fitted.  They are generally constructed differently too.  Now much like AIO'S sometimes a mom wants a different fabric on the outside and not the fleece.  Most common reasons being they want a certain print or don't like how fleece pils.  So the fleece is covered by the decorative outer and the fleece is hidden. 

Read more about HF's here 

Just to be clear AIO and HF doesn't imply that there is a hidden layer.  Hiding the pul or fleece is a completely optional choice.  Below is a photo showing two diapers.  On the left monkey is in an HF with hidden fleece.  On the right the fleece is not hidden . 

Hybrid Fitted Tutorial

In this tutorial we will be making a hybrid fitted (HF) cloth diaper. 

Before starting any sewing, prewash and iron all fabrics.  Prewashing shrinks before sewing.  Not doing this can make things wonky after first wash.  Ironing makes any sewing project look better.  Please note I do not use snaps because I prefer pins as they give a better fit.  If you are using snaps, add these before sewing.

You will need: 

•any diaper or cover pattern of your choice.  

• any soaker pattern or cut oval to fit inside your diaper pattern.  

•water resistant fleece

•absorbant fabric

•elastic 3/8 braided

•universal thread

*optional stay dry fabric and decorative outer. 

We will start with the soakers.  For this I make 2 soakers to divide up the number of layers.  For a soker you need absorbent fabric.  A stay dry topper is optional.  The number of layers depends on fabric choice.  The fabric reference page (listed on right side of page) will help.  I have chosen:

Bottom Soaker: 

Hemp fleece, flannel, hemp fleece. 

Top Soaker: 

Hemp fleece, flannel, microfleece (stay dry topper).  

Layer your fabrics with middle layer(s) on bottom, then bottom layer (bottom side up), top layer (top side down). 

Lay all your fabrics with edges matching.  Pin if needed (based on skill and fabric).  Sew around the edge leaving one side (not end) of the soaker open.  Trim off your seam allowance.  Repeat with second soaker. 

Turn your soaker right side out and iron.  Pin open edge closed turning hem in.  Sew around the edge cloaing open seam in the process.  You have now turned and top stitched (t&t) your soakers.  I added contour stitching about an inch in.  This helps distribut wetness.  Vertical stitches do the same.  Set these aside.  

Next we are doing the shell. 

You need:

1 layer water resistant fleece

1outer layer (decorative or 2nd layer of water resistant fleece.

I used Arctic fleece and a decorative layer of 2 prints I sewed together (tutorial on cinbining knit and woven for decorative outer found in January 2015 archive) 

Place right sides together and pin.  

Sew around the edge of these diaper cuts.  Leave the front of the diaper open.  

Next we add elastic.  Turn your stitch dial to zigzag.  Tack down elastic in the seam allowence, stretch as tight as possible and tack down on other end. This gives a tighter elastic then a oremeasured amount.  Stretch as hard as possible.  You need to do this at the back and both legs.  Trim seam allowence except where elastic is tacked.

Turn right sides out.  Set your stitch dial back to straight stitch.  Pin opening closed turning hem in.  Now you are going to top stitch.  But as you get to the start of each elastic come out to the side of the elastic.  Lower needle into fabric.  Stretch area holding behind start of elastic and in front of the end of the elastic.  Keep the fabric pulled taunt, elastic fully stretched.  Sew along side the elastic but not through it.  You have now cased the elastic.  Come back in close to edge where there is no elastic.  Do this up one leg, across back, down the other leg.  

Your almost done! 

Sew the bottom soaker to the back of the shell, below the elastic.  

Sew the top soaker to the front of the diaper.  

Love HF's but cant afford the switch? Make HF shells

So you love HF's (hybrid Fitted's) or think you will,  but you already have a full stash?  Or you just can't wrap your head around the added cost.  Well its not a lost cause!  You can make an HF shell to put over your flats, prefolds, Fitted's, daddy flats, butterfly's or mini's. 

What's an HF shell?
Its basically a fleece wrap with or without a decorative outer.  You can also use it between diaper and cover at night to boost leak protection. 

What do I need to make a hybrid shell?
•One diaper cut water resistant fleece
•One diaper cut decorative outer (Minky and upcycled t-shirts are popular)*optional
•one water resistant fleece soaker cut *optional
•3/8th inch braided elastic. 
•universal thread. 
• follow any turn and topstitch cover pattern / tutorial.
•pins, snappi, boingos, snaps or velcro

There you have it.  2-4 will do.  I have 4.  I can get 3 fleece wrap cuts from 1/2 a meter, same with Minky outer.  I don't add the soaker layer but many like too. 
Bellow:  hybrid shell, diaper in shell, an OTB (on the bum). 

Hybrid Fitted Diaper

A hybrid fitted (HF) is basically a fitted diaper with a water resistant outer fleece.  This makes it similar in function to an aio.   The water resistant fleece is a good cover for around the house worn with leggings or CD clothing that isn't tight.  I find that diaper shirts will cause compression leaks.  Some people find an HF on its own good for overnight.  Others use an HF with wool for over night.  I think it somewhat depends on your fleece.  Windpro is the top of the line for water resistant fleece.  That said I use blizzard fleece and just add a wool cover if the situation calls for it.  The construction is a little different then a regular fitted too.  You have two layer's t&t together in a diaper shape.  One or both is your water resistant fleece.  I use blizzard and minky for a decorative outer.  This is the most common way to put this part together.  Its the cuddly softness people love about an HF. Another popular decorative outer is up-cycled t-shirts, below is a pic of my chunky monkey and one of his older sisters in matching tahirt and HF.   Some add an additional fleece layer to the wet zone.  At that point you have an HF shell.  You can leave it as a shell and use like a cover over your diapers if you like.  Or you can make a full HF.  The absorbent layers of an HF are made from absorbent fabrics as snake style soakers or petals.  They then are sewn in the  ends like flaps or snap in.  This is done because sewing them down all the way around as a soaker pad would lead to compression leaks.

To buy an HF you will need to find a wahm (work at home mom) who makes them because for some reason none if the commercial CD companies do.  This makes them pricey to buy because a wahm has to charge enough to cover fabrics and time.  

Pros:
• don't usually need a cover
• layered snap in or sewn as flap absorbent layers make for easier to wash and dry
•HF shells dry super quick!!
• softness and cuteness, part of the love for HF is the cuddle factor
Cons:
• more expensive to make and buy.  ($5-$10 to make, $25-$40 to buy) - I look for sales when making HF's to bring down cost.
• thick fluffy bums, these are not trim diapers.

To make you need:
•water resistant fleece, elastic, absorbent fabrics
Optional: minky or other decorative outer, soft inner fabric for the shell (velour is popular), wicking, minky, or velour to top petals. 

**note you do not use any pul in an HF, that's the point, no pul

Below is some pics of an HF I made my chunky monkey for Christmas. I used blue snowflake minky, red blizzard fleece, 2 candy cane flannel soakers, one stitched to the front, and one to the back.