This is a no-brainer post, but I just had to share because I love to save money.  I’m slowly adding more All in One diapers to our fluffy stash, as Mr. D. becomes more and more of a wiggle-worm on the changing table.  It’s just easier to put on quickly (and not have to try to work with a Snappi).  As of right now, I have 10 AIOs, 2 hybrid fitteds, and 2 fitteds, in addition to my bajillion beloved prefolds.  I will clarify, I still stand behind prefolds, but some days I just need to go without a wrestling match, and my AIOs, AI2s and fitteds work wonderfully.

With the addition of AIOs & AI2s comes a little more care for my diapers.  With my prefolds, I could pretty much throw them around, soak them in vinegar, have an all out poopageddon…and they would be fine.  Now that I’m working with elastics and finely constructed diapers, I want to take care of them a little more.  And, it’s a little more difficult to shake the poop out.  There, I said it.  We don’t have a diaper sprayer because with prefolds, most of D’s poos came off pretty easily, as it was a smooth and clear fall down and off (more of a peeling off action, if you know what I mean).  Now I’m working with a curved diaper that’s more expensive and I want to care for them a little more (and get the poop out easier).

I had gotten a pack of Bummis fleece liners at the very beginning of our cloth diapering journey, and to be honest with you, they’ve not gotten much use with our almost exclusive prefold use.  I’ve used them here and there, during the very brief period when I used pockets, or with some of the fitteds we have, but I find myself using them more with our AIOs and AI2s.  The 5 pack we got just doesn’t cut it, considering D poops…a lot.  Plus, I would like enough liners to get me through 3 days (I do diaper laundry every third day).

Since I’m super crafty and amazingly creative, with all of the time in the world because I’m a SAHM (insert sarcasm here), I decided to make my own.  Honestly, you can be uber crafty too because fleece doesn’t unravel!  No unravelling means no sewing.  Brilliant, because I’ve not sewn in a few years (the machine is dusted off, I’m just waiting to take a refresher class at the end of the month).  Me being the amazing seamstress that I am (insert more sarcasm here), I Googled my nearest fabric store and set off.

I located the fleece section in the store, making sure that I was checking out no-pill fleece.  I was torn between a black and white Day of the Dead skull print, or a cute brown fleece with cream bicycles on it. I finally decided on the cycles and made my way over to the cutting counter.  I waited.  And then I waited some more.  I started walking around the area, and happened upon a remnant bin with a bunch of different fabric.  In there, I found a roll of fleece in a blue print with dinosaurs, a 1/4 yard marked down to $3.24.  Perfect – the fabric was already cut (no more waiting around, even though D was perfectly contented in his Ergobaby) and it was on sale.  The fabric I had picked out was something like $12.99 a yard (I was only going to get half a yard anyway) plus I had a 25% off coupon.  Anyway, I go to the register, with only the fleece in hand.  The cashier rang up my purchase, for a grand total of $.97.  I couldn’t believe it.  Thank goodness I had cash with me (I usually don’t carry it), or else I would have had to use my debit card for so small of a purchase.  So, double-score with finding the scrap piece of fleece and it being on super clearance.  I mean, let’s be honest – at the end of the day, this scrap of fabric is just going to be peed and pooped on.

Without further adieu, I give you (drumroll please) DIY Fleece Liners:

Bummis likely won’t be happy with me, but I used my existing flannel liner to trace a pattern onto cardboard (I really love Bummis, so hopefully they won’t hold it against me).  The rectangle measures 5x11inches.  I was able to get 6 liners out of the scrap of fleece I had for a final total of $.16 a piece.  Not bad, eh?

What cloth diapering accoutrements have you made for yourself?  Did it work for you, or did you have to abandon it?

*This post contains affiliate links.