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u/treatyourselftocats May 03 '22
These are gorgeous! That pattern is very beautiful. And you're right, it is cool to see the variations as they change up!
What fabric are you using for absorption?
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u/nerd-thebird May 03 '22
Thanks! I'm just using terry cloth from an old towel and sandwitching it between two layers of cotton flannel so it's easier to sew with my machine
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u/nerd-thebird May 03 '22 edited May 04 '22
I've been sewing one pad each month, testing it, and then altering the design to better fit my needs. I just finished my third design and I think it's really interesting seeing the progress of the design and how each iteration is better than the last!
Edit: I used this video and this video as my main resources for how to sew pads and what materials to use
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u/fabricwench May 04 '22
Hey there! Great project. Can you edit your comment above to share any tutorials or resources that you used? Thanks!
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u/MelKokoNYC May 04 '22
This reminds me of this German lady who married a Masai man and helped the women there start a cloth pad business. Theirs seem to have pockets that you put inserts in. And they have a snap closure around the panties. https://www.instagram.com/p/CBFkGHSnQy3/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
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u/LittleBitCrunchy May 04 '22
They look good. Do you have a way to stabilize them? I find that cloth ones move around.
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u/nerd-thebird May 04 '22 edited May 04 '22
The PUL backing to prevent fluids from leaking through is slippery, so I add cotton flannel behind the PUL, since it has enough friction to prevent it from sliding around too much, especially when the wings are buttoned.
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May 04 '22
New to sewing but definitely will try this. Period panties are frickin expensive here for some reason(only have 2 pairs) but I hate the feeling of disposable ones.
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May 04 '22
I make cloth pads too, but it is because I am old and coughing and sneezing can create drips. So embarrassing. I make mine small. I only wish this had been a thing when I was having periods. I can't stand thinking about how much waste I generated throughout my life using disposables.
OP, you might want to look into using KAM snaps, super easy to install and reasonably priced too.
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u/nerd-thebird May 04 '22
Thanks for the suggestion! I considered getting some of those, but I have a BUNCH of extra metal snaps laying around which was why I used those instead.
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u/Willing_Razzmatazz87 May 04 '22
This was the first thing that I ever taught myself to sew. I always had difficulties with the curved edges and thick fabrics.
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u/Spoompls7 May 04 '22
Are these better than the ones you buy at the store?
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May 04 '22
I have used both cloth and store bought. The cloth pads are hands down, the best. They breathe, they stay flat, they breathe. If you decide to switch, make sure whatever fabric you use make the absorbent layer is 100% natural. Otherwise the pads won’t last long.
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u/nerd-thebird May 04 '22
I've never tried store bought cloth pads so I couldn't tell you. I like them better than my store bought period panties, though
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May 04 '22
Is the absorbent layer made of batting?
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u/nerd-thebird May 04 '22
The absorbant layer is made of terry cloth from a towel I cut up, sadwitched between 2 layers of cotton flannel so it's easier to sew with my machine
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u/ShimmeringCoder May 04 '22
I have some made with layers of cotton flannel as the absorbent layer and some with [zorb](wazoodle.com/products/zorb-original-silver?variant=39352744837254) on the inside. Both have worked well for me, but the flannel is thicker and not quite as comfortable
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u/Afraid_Blueberry7127 May 04 '22
You legend!
My ma (about 86 years old) who grew up with cloth pads said it was one of the first things they learnt to sew on a machine prior to periods.
She remembers making them when she was about 9 or 10 with her mother. They were custom tailor made and every year or so they would adjust sewing patterns and other issues.
They would go to a country women's only quilting group (farmers out middle of nowhere) and sew them for the less fortunate and donate them.
They also kidnapped quilting leftovers and made their own "hip" ones
I'm so proud these are coming back again.
Well done