How to Sew a Fitted Adult Cloth Diaper

If you need a full coverage incontinence product, a fitted diaper can be a very versatile addition to your incontinence management system. The front closure option allows the fitted to be quickly and easily changed without the need to completely undress. Moreover, you can find the balance between drying time and absorption by starting with a base product and then adding in additional inserts as needed.

In this tutorial, we’ll go over how to sew an adult fitted cloth diaper. You can make your own pattern or to purchase the pattern in this tutorial, go to Little Onion Incontinence Patterns.

How to Make a Fitted Adult Cloth Diaper – Supplies

Fabric

A fitted is meant to be made completely from absorbent fabrics with the waterproof layer as a separate cover. Any absorbent fabric will work well with this pattern. In my Etsy shop, I make this pattern with bamboo fleece or bamboo baby loop, but you could also use flannel, hemp, or even birdseye. 

You could even make the inside layer from microfleece for a soft, stay dry layer against the body. Not to mention that you can easily customize the fabric types for the sew-in absorbent layers. The options are endless!

Notions

Universal or Stretch needles – If you choose a knit fabric like fleece or anything with stretch, stretch needles are ideal. For woven fabrics, universal needles work well.

Elastic – ⅜” knit elastic is best. Knit elastic does not lose stretch when sewn. I’ve also found that ⅜” is sufficient for leg openings and the waist since front closure incontinence items do not rely solely on elastic to hold it up. For an overview of elastic types, check out Seamworks’ guide.

Fasteners – Optional. You can use hook and loop tape or snaps to fasten the fitted adult cloth diaper, but diaper pins, boingos, or snappis can also be used if you don’t have the tools for snaps or don’t want to deal with hook and loop tape. Check out my recommendations here.

Sewing Machine – while just anything can be sewn by hand, it’s much less time intensive to use a sewing machine. All you need is a basic machine to sew an adult fitted cloth diaper. 

A Fitted Diaper Pattern – You can make your own pattern by tracing an existing diaper or purchase my Fitted Adult Cloth Diaper Pattern. I’m using that pattern for this tutorial.

How to Make a Fitted Adult Cloth Diaper – Cutting Fabric 

Start by cutting out your pattern and fabric. You will need 2 diaper panels, one for the outside and one for the inside. 

 When folding the fabric, only fold it as much as you need to in order to fit the pattern. This will help save you a ton of fabric, especially on the larger size of diapers. 

If using more than 2 layers of fabric for the sewn-in insert, I recommend zigzag stitching down the center of the layers before finishing the edges to help keep the layers from shifting when washed.

How to Sew an Adult Fitted Cloth Diaper – Instructions

Once you have your pieces cut out, it’s time to sew! 

Step 1: 

Start by finishing the edges of your insert layers if you have more than one or the fabric tends to fray. A simple zigzag stitch works just fine. It doesn’t need to look pretty since it will be sewn inside the diaper.

To see the different ways to finish the edges of an insert, check out my post, How to Sew Adult Cloth Diaper Inserts. 

Just note, I don’t recommend turning and topstitching for a sewn-in insert as it would add unnecessary bulk around the seams. However, sewing an additional insert to use as a booster for your fitted is a great way to add extra absorbency without increasing drying time.

Done!

Great job. Sewing your own adult fitted cloth diaper is simple and satisfying. Now you can easily and affordably make your own stash of fitted adult cloth diapers to manage yours, or a loved one’s incontinence. 

For more in-depth tips and tricks on sewing cloth incontinence products, join our community on Facebook at Little Onion Incontinence Patterns.