Tuesday, January 31, 2012

DIY cloth training pants!

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support!

**update: These cloth training pants are now available for purchase at my shop www.etsy.com/shop/theflannellamb

 First of all, I have an important announcement: Abbey slept in big girl pants all night last night!! Yaaayyyy!!!
She slept in these:

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you so much for your support!

We used cloth diapers for Abbey, and have loved them. We would use disposable from time to time, but for the most part she was in cloth so, when we started moving into potty training, we knew that store bought disposable trainers were not an option. As I started looking for cloth training pants (ones with some level of  absorbency and a waterproof liner), I was incredibly disappointed. I don't mind paying $15-$18 for a diaper that will be used for 2 1/2 years, but for training pants? I don't think so!
So, now I was on a mission! I knew I could make something for soooo much less than that, but how to do it? I wasn't really feeling making the training pants from scratch. That's a lot of work, and I knew I would be really picky about the fit, and I just don't have the time or energy for all of that. (If you're feeling ambitious, Elsie Marley has a very cute kids undies pattern HERE) Abbey already had some Gerber training pants , you know, the ones that have a little extra padding, so I decided to just start with those. I grabbed some flannel and some PUL and was ready to go!

What's that? You don't know what PUL is, or where to get it? Well, let me tell you!
PUL is the laminated fabric that is used to make the outer liners of cloth diapers, and you can now buy it at both JoAnn AND Hobby Lobby! Woot!


I started by making my pattern;
I used wax paper, pinned it around the trainer, and traced the seams of the reinforced section.

I ended up with this:

If you look closely, the bottom section is about half an inch longer than the top section. That part ends up on the back of your training pants.

I labelled my pattern, just to be safe.

Then I used my rotary cutters to cut out 4 layers of flannel, and one layer of PUL, leaving me with this:

Quick note: PUL can be a little pricey, about $15 a yard, but you use so little for this project, that it's not a budget buster. I purchased 1/4 yard, and it was MORE than enough. I could easily get 15 of these pieces out of my little bit of PUL. 

I started by pinning and sewing the flannel into the inside of the training pants.
Why flannel? It's soft, absorbent, and not too bulky.
I pinned and then did a zig-zag stitch all the way around. One trip around is fine, since you'll do another trip around when you sew the PUL to the outside.

Flip the training pants to the right side, and repeat this process with the PUL.
(no, you're not crazy, I switched training pants on you! White on white doesn't photo well!)
These two steps could probably be combined into one if you really want. I don't like sewing blind, so I did each side in it's own.

There you have it! Your own (roughly) waterproof cloth training pants for...maybe $3.50 a pair? I will take that discount, thank you very much!
I love these training pants! They are perfect for outings, long naps, and now over night. They catch any "oops" without requiring a change of clothes, which is just what I was looking for. Abbey has had one full accident in these. 4 hour naps will do that. These didn't keep her pants dry in that case, but they did keep her sheets dry, which in my book is a win!
I hope these help all those cloth diapering Mama's out there!

side note: I didn't plan on matching the PUL to the training pants, there just happens to be a pattern in the line that matched perfectly. It makes the OCD "things have to match!" side of my very happy!

**This tutorial is meant for personal use only. Thank you for your understanding!

Be blessed!
Heather

265 comments:

  1. Heather you're a genius!!! Thanks for this, I'm so so so sick of buying pullups LOL

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  2. i am potty training mt little right now and LOVE this.. so going out to buy fabric this week! thank you thank you thank you@

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  3. I was just thinking about where to get something like this! My son is potty trained during the day. At night he rarely wets, but he does have his moments. I'm not interested in continuing to buy pull-ups. Thanks for sharing this!!!

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  4. I might have to do this. Thanx for the tip!

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  5. this is a really great idea! I don't know why it's never occurred to me... I'm on child #4 and have all the materials here already! We tried the plastic diaper covers for nap time and she hated them! thank you!

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  6. I used cloth diapers for my daughter, but couldn't find affordable taining pants/ pull-ups. I will be making these for my son when the time comes (let's hope that's soon!)

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  7. Do you think this technique would work using regular undies as the base, or do you need the extra sturdiness of the trainers? My DD is 2 and just starting Tt.

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    1. you could probably use regular undies, but I like the fact that these already had some absorbency to them. Also, they're a bit wider in the crotch than regular undies, so they can hold more.

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    2. Heather did you buy the gerber training pants then add fabric? I'm a bit confused how they ended up to be $3.50 if you had to add to the gerber training pants.

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    3. I did buy the training pants. They're $8 for a set of three which makes them $2.66 each. I easily used less than $1 worth of flannel and PUL, so that comes to about $3.50. Make sense?

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  8. I need this! I don't sew, but I have to show my mom and see if she can help me.

    I'd love for you to share: http://tutusandteaparties.blogspot.com/2012/01/pinteresting-party-week-24.html

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  9. Wow, that was pretty easy! Thanks so much for sharing this!

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    1. Yay! I'm so glad you tried it! I would love to see how yours turned out!

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  10. We used the Gerber trainers with my daughter for a little bit, I wish I had thought to add some PUL to them for a little more waterproofness! When my little guy starts potty training I'll have to try this.

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  11. Thanks so much for linking up...Lisa Leonard Designs giveaway just started on my blog!! Stop by if you haven't entered yet...


    XO, Aimee

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  12. I thought about making some training pants from scratch for my daughter, but these look much easier. Thanks!

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  13. What a great idea. I don't think I wil be brave enough to try making them myself, but it is good to know I have the option considering my little one is potty training right now.

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    1. Hi Robin!
      I'm in the process of getting ready to sell these training pants, so if you would like to purchase some, shoot me an email!

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    3. Heather,

      I would defiantly be interested in purchasing these if you get them going. I'm sooo-o tired of purchasing pullups for my son! lol
      email: hazehaydmom@gmail.com

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    4. Heather I could possibly be too! I sew by hand right now and I think this could be to much work till I hopefully get a sewing machine for Christmas.
      email. larrisaedmisten@yahoo.com

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  14. Good work Heather! Way to go and thanks for sharing your project with me!

    Cheri

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  15. Really excited to try these next week!! I picked up a pack last night of boy colors and I plan to get 2 packs of white so I can pass them on to the girls as well. Thank you for sharing!

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  16. I did something similar but no flannel inside (before seeing this tutorial), and it keeps puddles off the floor but probably will allow the clothes to get wet. Next time I'll do it your way!
    Mine are not cute...monkey PUL on blue striped pants...totally doesn't match!

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    1. Hey...i'll take monkey's and stripes if it keeps the sheets dry! You may still get some leakage if he has a large accident, but for small ones you should be good to go!

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  17. we just purchased training pants and rubber pants, but i have left over pul so will be doing this to the training pants, thank you so much for such a great idea!Paula

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    1. We tried the plastic pants, and my daughter just HATED them! She loves these!

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  18. I found you by way of your guest post at Mess for Less. This is a GREAT idea!! I have just started potty training my daughter this week. I use the Gerber training pants while we're at home, and use Pullups for when she's asleep and we're out and about. I'd really rather NOT use the Pullups. I did try using the plastic covered Gerber training pants and do not like them at all!

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  19. I can't sew. Lol how much you charge ;) I need some boy ones

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    1. I'm actually in the process of pricing that out right now...I'll get back to you as soon as I do!

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    2. Yes, pls add me to your list of perspective buyers! I do little sewing jobs but not to this scale.
      Sueandrealee@aol.com

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    3. Yes, pls add me to your list of perspective buyers! I do little sewing jobs but not to this scale.
      Sueandrealee@aol.com

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  20. Ditto to what the previous poster said! I can't sew, but would love to buy a pair that would be good enough for nighttime use. :)

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    1. Thanks so much for your interest! I am hoping to get them priced out this week. I can't guarantee that any pair I make would be good for nighttime use if your little one is still waking up wet. These are great for the occasional "oops" though!

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  21. Okay, glad I looked these up today... they look awesome! I'm excited for you to start making these and selling them because this momma doesn't sew! Count me in for some boy designs. I LOVE this idea!

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  22. BTW, that was me, Christine M. That's a super-old photo, not to mention microscopic, so you probably couldn't tell it was me.

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    1. oh my goodness, I didn't recognize you! Look how little Sydney and Spencer are!

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  23. I have a 2 yr old BOY and am excited to try this for him. However I am thinking of switching the back and front so he has a bit more coverage in the front. NOT a sewer but I M going to give it a whirl!

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  24. $1.50 a pair??? Did you not include the price of the trainer you bought? I went shopping for trainers today and they are $7.67 for a 3 pack making them $2.56 before adding PUL to them. I would love to know where you got your trainers for that cheap if you did. What brand trainers did you start with? All I can find are Gerber all white trainers, or girly butterflies on them already.

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    1. Oh my goodness, you're right! I think when I wrote the post, I forgot how much I had paid for the trainers (it had been a while...oops!) Thank you so much for pointing that out so I could correct it! I do use the Gerber trainers.

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    2. I bought a 3-pack of Gerber brand training pants at Marshalls for $2.99. Check the discount stores around you.

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  25. Wow, this is a great idea! I'm not very sew savy, I'm horrible at it I'd sure love to buy some?? I have a boy who is 99% potty trained however night times I can't seem to get him to wake up and go so I would love some of these, I am sick of pull ups that don't work at all.

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    1. Hi Jennifer! Thanks so much! I am in the process of putting a shop together right now, but email me at heather.itsalongstory@gmail.com and I will get you details!

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  26. I was thinking about doing this, but don't the leg elastics get wet anyway - eliminating the benefit of the PUL?

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    1. You're right. With a larger accident, the leg elastics will most likely get wet. When I was making these for my daughter she was at that point in potty training where she was catching herself, but not always totally on time. These cut down on having to completely change her pants every time that happened. I loved these for running errands, or being somewhere without immediate access to a bathroom!

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    2. Thanks! I might give it a try.... but my son is only at the beginning of our potty learning :)

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  27. Thank you so much for taking the time to post these. I was searching for a DIY option just like this. My daughter is working at training, but those occasional small accidents are really creating lots of laundry! Think I will go to JoAnn and buy some PUL today!

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  28. Question: Do you sew all 4 layers of flannel inside one pair of training pants?

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    1. Yep! I've actually taken them down to 2 or 3 layers of flannel. It's less bulky and just as absorbent.

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  29. Do you wash them in a regular washing machine? I want to try this. My daughter is OBSESSED with pull-ups. Maybe these pretty homemade pullups will work.

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  30. I was just wondering why you lined the inside with the flannel material?

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    1. I just wanted to add a bit more absorbency. Flannel holds a lot of liquid. You could probably do without it, they just wouldn't hold as much.

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  31. Do you sell these for those of us who are sewing-challenged?

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  32. I am! I am hoping to have my Etsy shop open by June first (watch this blog for a n update!). If you would like to purchase some before that, just send me an email! : )

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  33. Found this through Pinterest. LOVE IT! I have loads of handme down cotton training pants. This would be a great way to girlie the older version up as well as add the extra oppsie absorbency for new trainers. This will be my 2nd time potty training. My oldest (now 4.5yrs) was 21mths when she became potty trained. My youngest is now 20mths. Can't wait. :) Thank you!

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  34. What a great idea! I, too, am a cloth diapering mama and thought the same about buying the cloth training pants. I just need to find a friend that sews....I can't even sew a button on and do not even own a needle or thread.

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    1. I'll have a shop set up in a couple weeks to sell them (watch the blog or FB for updates!), but if you'd like some sooner than that I would love to put some together for you!

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  35. This is AWESOME!!!! I wish I'd had this when m,y son was potty training, those Pull-up's were a pain. Thank you thank you!

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  36. Hi, I love your idea! Would you change the amount of PUL in the front if you were making them for a boy? I managed to find some fire-dog PUL so I hope to make a few in a week or so!

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    1. I based my template on the way Gerber designed their trainers, do I figured they were the experts! If you think you might have issues with your little guy going "up and over" you can always make them taller in the front! That would probably be helpful at night time, too.
      p.s. Where did you find fire-dog PUL?! So cute!

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    2. I know this is way behind the curve and your boy is probably already trained, but for other readers, the Gerber boy training pants do in fact go farther up the front. If you just trace the boy's training pants using her same method, it'll work out fine.

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  37. Thank you sooooo much for this tutorial!! They a perfect for my daughter that is on the verge of potty training, and your tutorial made it a breeze for someone with very basic sewing skills. This is going to save us a ton of money over $$$ cloth trainers and allow us to sell some of her other diaper covers. She was so excited about her new trainers, and I was thinking about sewing a symbol or letter on the front to help her out them on right. I'm also planning on writing up a link to your tutorial on my working moms blog. Thanks again!!! I've been sharing it with all of my cloth diaper friends and sewing moms.

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    1. I'm so glad it helped you! I think the idea of sewing something on the front is fantastic! I would love to see your post when you get it written up. Make sure you come back and link me up!

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  38. Oh I'm so excited. My little guy is 19 months and we've been potty training for a while now. He's been in stubborn mode lately and I've really wanted to switch him to the training underwear but haven't been willing to since most of our house is carpet. Life Saver!!!

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  39. Hi Heather! I found you on Pinterest and have to say that you are a freaking genius! My DD is 4 with autism and sensory processing issues and potty training has been a real problem for us. I made up some of your amazing undies and she is actually managing to stay dry in them! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!

    http://beyondthedryervent.blogspot.com/2012/06/big-girl-panties.html

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    1. Oh my goodness, you are so welcome! I'm so glad they are helping!

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    2. Nice blog! Hope these are working out well for you. I wasn't aware of that supplier for PUL, so I'm off to go check them out :)

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  40. Bless you!!! I am also a cloth diaper user that has started potty training. I bought my 22 month old one pack of the gerber undies and she has about a dozen of the 2T regular undies I want to add your reinforcement to those undies as well. Thanks again for your tutorial!

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  41. Do you think this would work with terry cloth instead of flannel? I think I have both, just curious.

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    1. I would think so. I would start with one layer, since more than that could give you really bulky training pants. Since you have both, why not try one of each? I would love to hear your opinion on both!

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  42. I love this idea! I sewed the flannel to the inside today. I am having trouble with the PLU on the outside though. Is there a special sewing machine foot or anything that I am supposed to use? Not sure if it's the thickness of the whole thing or just that the PLU keeps sticking to the foot. Hmm. Any suggestions? Thanks a ton!

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    1. I would definitely recommend a walking foot. Mine never comes off my machine! I haven't had any problem with the PUL sticking. Silly question, but you are sewing it with the "sticky" side down, right? Try sewing with a piece of tissue paper on top, that should stop it from sticking!

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    2. I'm sewing it shiny side up. That right, isn't it? I don't have a walking foot, but I'll definitely try the tissue paper trick tomorrow. Thanks for responding to my question so quickly!

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    3. There's your problem! You want the shiny side down, towards the inside of your training pants. You want the color or pattern on the PUL to be on the outside of the training pants.

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    4. The tissue paper worked perfectly! Thanks!

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    5. Just a tip.... if you put sticky tape over the bottom of your foot it will stop the sticking ;-)

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  43. Thanks for sharing this neat idea. :-) I think it's a perfect solution to those of us not wanting to pay an arm and a leg for cloth trainers. I'm so excited to try them out. Do you dry yours on a special setting or hang dry them due to them having PUL?

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    1. I just toss mine in the dryer with the rest of the laundry! : )

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    2. FYI: I've had the PUL on some of my pocket diapers leak right through since over time the heat (even low heat) from the dryer broke down the waterproof-ocity? lol if that word works :) over time. So unless you need your diaper/trainer w/PUL dry to use right away, it is worth letting them air dry if your not in a rush to prolong their use.

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  44. Oh, awesome. I was thinking I could do something even with my limited sewing skills and I was thinking a layer of PUL might work... this is great. I may alter it by sewing the fleece/flannel outside under the PUL though.

    Of course, we're just starting so I need something more absorbent first...

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  45. Thanks so much for this tutorial! I"m going to be retrofitting our Gerber trainers tomorrow. Pull Ups are just not effective and so darn expensive! Wish us luck getting on board the potty train!

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  46. I found you via Pinterest too - I did something similar, although I used the Gerber prefolds (the ones you can't REALLY use for CDing) as the added layer, but it never occurred to me to add PUL! I've got another one who will potty train in the next few months, and a new one on the way, so I'll be able to put that idea to good use. Thanks.

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  47. I just purchased the PUL & am trying these tonight, my PUL was white ( that was all they had) can I add another piece of flannel to cover the PUL on the outside?

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    1. You can do whatever your little heart desires! ;) My one recommendation would be to sew the PUL on first, and then the flannel, as they could be slippery otherwise. That or LOTS of pins!

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    2. Sew the PUL to the underwear on the outside then add the flannel to the inside & outside? Sorry.... The PUL wasn't very cheap @ Hancock fabrics!! Just trying to avoid any mess ups!! Thanks for replying!

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    3. Are you just trying to make them cute on the outside? I would follow the tutorial (flannel on the inside, PUL on the outside) and then, once that's done, add some decorative fabric if you want. Does that make sense?

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    4. Yes thank you so much!! I will try to post a picture when I'm done! I'm very excited. I just purchased 1 pair of blueberry cloth training pants! That one pair was as much as I spent on buying all the material for making about 6 of these!

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    5. For what it's worth: You need to use 100% polyester thread when sewing PUL to keep it waterproof. If you put a nonwaterproof fabric on top of the PUL it will also wick moisture.

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  48. Ok, dumb question here but it says you cut out 4 flannels and one PUL did you sew only one flannel in or all 4?

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  49. Just made three pair and love them! I linked this tutorial on my blog. Thanks!!

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  50. Thank you Heather for sharing ...So far I made three panties but I don't know what I am doing wrong , Whenever my daughter pees it still leaks bad...please help...

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    1. I'm so sorry you're frustrated! You're going to get some leakage with these. I mention in the post that they really aren't designed to contain full accidents, just small ones. Don't worry, potty training will go quickly!

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    2. Thank you Heather ....At this time this is all I wanted to hear from everyone..lol

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  51. We're not ready for potty training yet, but this is a great idea! I will be pinning for future use. Thanks!!!

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  52. I can't wait to try this! My daughter freaked out when I put the plastic pants on her!

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    1. Mine too! They're horrible. And I'm not quite sure how they're supposed to fit under clothes...

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  53. just want to make sure i understand. the 4 layers of flanel go on the inside & the one layer of pul goes on the outside???

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    1. Yes, that's the way I did it. I've also found that 4 layers of flannel can be a bit bulky. 2 or 3 layers is a better, and just as absorbent!

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  54. Cute idea, but Ive got big strapping babies. they're not fat- the were just almost 10 pounds at birth. My son was satge 1 diapers and 3 month clothes at birth. My 2 1/2 year old is in 4-5Ts, and wears the small size in goodnights. She s aso exceptionally tall for her age. I dont think they even MAKE cloth training pants that would fit her....

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    1. Flips Trainers by Cotton Babies may fit your children. They are for 20-50 lb kiddos. http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?products_id=3105

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  55. I just finished making 6 pairs for my 75% potty trained little lady! These are such a smart idea instead of Pull-ups. I think it will make the transition to undies easier and it's way more cost effective! Thanks you for posting this :) I can't wait to try them out this afternoon!!

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  56. For anyone wanting to make these, the training pants are half off right now at the Gerber website, under clearance.

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  57. What a great idea! I sewed pieces of prefolds into my son's briefs for training pants. Since the girl's undies are so much narrower, I wasn't sure what to do for my daughter. Have there been any problems with moisture wicking through the training pants just outside of the PUL in the leg area?

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    1. I'm so sorry, I'm just seeing this! These will leak a bit with a full accident. I wasn't shooting for 100% waterproof with these, just enough to catch those "oops" moments, you know? ; )

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  58. These are great! I made up 6 pairs for my son using this tutorial. I linked back to this post. Check it out here: http://craft-love.blogspot.com/2012/08/big-boy-underwear.html

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  59. I really want to attempt these underpants for my son hopefully with the help of my mom but I was wondering about how many yards of flannel you used and how many total pants did it make even using the 1/4 yards of PUL?

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  60. Really Great idea!! Even better than I can purchase and let you have the fun of making them. So quick question, my daughter is special needs and we are about to run out of the size 6 diapers. And I don't want to go to the Adult small diapers. If I sent you the underwear, could you make her the waterproof pants?? email me, tsallis_98@yahoo.com

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  61. I notice that the Gerber trainers shrink after the first wash since they are 100% cotton. Do you wash them before adding the flannel and PUL??

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  62. Do you put all four layers of flannel in one pair of trainers? That wasn't clear. Thanks!

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    1. When I made this tutorial, yes I did. Now I've taken it down to 2 layers because 4 seemed a bit bulky. 2 is still plenty absorbent!

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  63. I LOVE this idea!!! can't wait to make some. Do you think it would work to put the 2 layers of flannel and PUL all on the outside and sew them all at once?

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  64. Thank you so much!! I just bought everything and started sewing :)
    Geneviève

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  65. Thanks for the tutorial! I used the fuzzi bunz with both of my kids at some point! I'm getting ready to potty train my daughter because I think I'm just going to have to take diapers away altogether. I knew I wanted to use the same fabric as the diapers on these underwear so I was so excited to find your tutorial. I'll be making these and linking back to you! : )

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  66. Is PUL the same as rubber sheeting? I found your tutorial a while ago and just now got around to going to Joann's. I did purchase some rubber sheeting and some flannel. I came right to your blog as soon as I got home, but now I'm thinking I read it wrong the first time. Does your flannel have the print and your PUL white? Or is it the other way around? The rubber sheeting I bought is white. It's got soft fabric on both sides and a plastic through the middle. It's like the crib mattress saver pad. Does that make sense? Thanks for your help!

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    1. PUL is different than rubber sheeting. In the pictures, the pink and brown floral print is the PUL. Joann's should have about half an aisle of cloth diaper supplies. The PUL is there. You could probably use the rubber sheeting, but it will be a bit "crunchy" sounding.

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    2. Thanks for clearing that up for me! I will be able to put that rubber sheeting to good use for other things. I want to make these the right way. Comfort wins in this case. Thanks again!

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  67. Please.....before I try these I could really use your opinion if this would work. Do you think it would work to put the flannel layers on the outside under the PUL and sew them all with one step? I'm so ready to do this but could use your thoughts. Thank you for this.

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    1. That should work, I would just use lots of pins, and a walking foot!

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    2. It worked!! I was able to sew them with all the layers on the outside just fine. After a few I made with flannel and PUL then I made about 5 using a material called Zorb which is kind of like that Sham-wow cloth. It sewed great under the PUL but it needs to have a trial run now!

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    3. How did it work?

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    4. They worked great! I like the ones with the Zorb material better. Really does hold more pee.

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    5. Kim, I haven't seen it in stores, but I believe it is available on Amazon!

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  68. Thank you for sharing this, I just found it on Pinterest and def want to try it. Have you tried using fleece instead of the flannel?

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    1. You could try fleece. I know some people who have used it for cloth diapers. Personally, I would hesitate to use it because I'm not sure how well it breathes.

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    2. Ah I see and after I though about it I don't know how that will be if there's an accidental #2. I also read that it's not as absorbent, it tends to repel water. Thanks for responding.

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  69. Heather, these sound great and I want to make them for my g-girls (ages 2yo & 3yo)...doing the shopping tmw! Question though...in the tutorial it says you cut 4 flannel pieces, but sewed in 2. Is the tutorial for 2 pair? Also, do these hold up (the PUL) through several washings OK?

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    1. With my original pairs I cut and sewed in 4 layers. Since then I have discovered that 2 is just as absorbent, but not as bulky, so that is my go-to amount.

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  70. hey heather,

    Do you know where they keep the PUL at Hobby Lobby and how many yards to get of the flannel? Thanks for sharing my 3 year old refuses to do anything with the potty this may help. Weve been training for awhile an shes being so stubborn

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    1. At my Hobby Lobby it is in the fabric section, but against the aisle wall with all the needles/notions. They only have maybe 8 bolts.

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  71. Thanks so much for this tutorial! I made these today for my 28mo twin girls. They have adorable PUL at Joann's. My girls took to them right away and told me they needed to potty as soon as they felt a drop. I cloth diaper too but they are happy to pee away in them. Oh, And I recycled old receiving blankets for my liners. BONUS!! :)

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  72. I have some extra cloth doublers, do you think I could use those in place of the flannel to increase absorbency even more?

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    1. You could, but I think they might end up very bulky. What you run into when that happens is the trainers start to gap in the crotch, which doesn't help at all!

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  73. Do you think these would work for an older child who still wets the bed? My kid is 5 and still has to wear a pull-up at night, and I fear this may go on... for a while. If I can find trainers big enough, do you think these will hold in 5-year-old pee at night?

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    1. I agree with Patti. These are really geared more towards catching those little "oops" moments, not full blown accidents. I would go with something with more absorbency, especially if you think this will be happening for a while.

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  74. Jessica I would thin the peer would wick through the rest of the trainer. Coolabay makes a side snap adjustablle pocket trainer that might work for what you need. I got mine through a co op.

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  75. this is GREAT!!! I found the tutorial on pinterest!! My daughter potty trained really early BUT still wets some nights... I am hoping maybe having something otehr than a pullup she would feel she is wet and it might help... :/ I am going to try it! Then i can make some for my son too! IM SO EXCITED HAHAHAHA :)

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  76. I got shot down by my husband when I wanted to cloth diaper for my second daughter, but I'm sure that he would be receptive to this now that he's paid for two years of disposables! :) I'd love a big 'I told ya so'. This may be a novice question (as I am VERY inexperienced in the sewing dept) but since you used 1/4 yard of PUL, and 2-4 layers of flannel, would I only need a yard of flannel?

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    1. Silly husband ;)
      you should be totally fine with 1/4 yard of each fabric. Maybe 1/2 a yard of flannel if you're planning on making several pairs.

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    2. Great! I hope mine turn out as adorable as yours! I'll send you a picture when I complete them!

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  77. I made several pairs of these yesterday. Thanks SO much for a very easy to follow tutorial. I'm sewing challenged, but I was able to make these. My daughter was so excited, she had to sleep with a pair in her hands last night. It was very cute.

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  78. I'm thinking I need to try these to get my "no underwear, Mom" boy excited about moving beyond diapers. Do you think I could sew a layer of Spider-man or something flannel or cotton over the PUL on the outside? Then he could have something a bit more exciting than stripes and dinos, but still absorbent.

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    1. You could sew some Spiderman flannel on the inside so he can see it when he pulls down his undies to go potty. I know the new Best Bottoms trainer has printed inserts, so you could take some inspiration from them.

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  79. I just made these for my daughter, and they are absolutely fabulous! Even with a full bladder accident, she only just soaked through to her pants, there was no puddle on the floor. I am so so happy. Thank you for posting this! It's such a simple, brilliant idea.

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  80. I don't sew but I know some WAHM CD makers buy printed PUL from these two sources:

    http://www.diapersewingsupplies.com/pul-fabric-prints/

    http://kidsinthegarden.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=4_11_28

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    1. Oooh, thanks so much! I will be checking those out! Thank you for all of your input!

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  81. I just made a few of these for my 19 mo daughter--and she *loves* them. After I made a batch, I got to wondering: is there a reason you couldn't put the plannel layers on the *outside* of the underwear (ie, between the underwear and the PUL)? It would make the sewing a one-step process, which is appealing!

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    1. You can absolutely do it that way! I'm so glad your daughter likes them!

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  82. My lil JO JO is potty training now and our problem is #2. I was reading your post and think it is awesome. My question to you and other wonderful mommies is "What do you think about putting something inside so that the inside isn't stained?" The white ones stain terribly. I am so tired of cleaning and bleaching panties. IF you have any tips on getting my girl to poop in the potty, please share! She is 2.3 btw.

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    1. Pooping is notoriously more difficult to train. Don't worry, she'll get it. I can't think of anything that you could put on the inside to prevent stains that wouldn't impact the absorbency. Sorry!

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    2. I recently read about a mother making washable CD liners out of thin fleece scraps. She cut the fleece just big enough to lay inside the CD and then the poop mess lifted out to be dumped into the toilet, then she could rinse and wash and reuse the liners. I haven't tried that method, but I was considering it with potty training my 2yo. One-sided fleece could work, but I imagine birdseye cloth would work well for lifting out the poopie accidents.
      Sincerely,
      Randi

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  83. I just made a pair of these! So easy! Thanks so much for sharing this, I was dreading the pull ups... so expensive! I was hesitant to put all 4 layers of flannel, seemed like it would be thick for my machine. It went fine though, hope this helps my daughter WANT to use the potty! :)
    @Brandy, with my limited experience (2 kids) they will learn when THEY want to. The more we want them to learn the less they seem to. She will get it and this will all become a distant memory... with lots of funny stories I bet! :) Hang in there!

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  84. I'm not trying to be mean, so please don't take this the wrong way. If it only cost you 3.50, why are you selling them for 30.00? I'm interesting in buying some when my twins start to potty train.

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    1. Hi Chrissy,
      Great question, I'm glad you asked. That $3.50 amount is per pair, and I sell them in sets of three. I also factor in my time (no one likes to work for free), which includes not just sewing, but taking/editing photos and creating listings. My price increase actually falls right in the middle of the recommended range for retail sales. Does that help?

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    2. Think of it this way: She sells three for $30, so 1 for $10. Costs her $3.50 to make. When I made mine, it took me an hour to do each of the ones I made, so at her price, I'd be making $6.50 an hour. Now, she's probably a lot faster than I am, but even if it's half that time, she's still not over-charging for her time. For someone who can't sew, $10 per pair is still a fair price.

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  85. Thank you for the wonderful idea! I've been wanting to buy cloth training pants for some time, but couldn't quite stomach the cost. I might leave the PUL out and use a wool cover instead. Wool is unbelievable for keeping sheets dry! :) Thanks again, and Happy Thanksgiving!

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  86. Thank you for this information! Made two pair this afternoon for my little granddaughter. I'm excited to give them to her and get her interested in starting to potty train. Couldn't get any Gerber trainers so used WalMart George brand ones instead. My only concern about these is the girl ones I bought seem rather narrow in the crotch. Hope that won't be an issue.

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  87. What about using Zorb II as a soaker? One or 2 layers? I have tons of it and its so trim.

    Thanks.

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    1. oh and did you wash them first before sewing? I worry about shrinking.

      I know if I use Zorb II it will shrink too with it's first wash so they could shrink together since they don't recommend that you prewash Zorb.

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    2. I had never heard of Zorb until you mentioned it, but I think it would be a good option. I have done some pairs pre-washed, and others without and both have worked out fine.

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    3. I used the Zorb and it worked great. 2 layers were kinda stiff but one seemed to work great. I don't think I washed the Zorb, but I did the undies. Anyway, they turned out great! The Zorb and PUL are both sewn on the outside layer together.

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  88. May i ask what Zorb II is? :-)

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    1. Anon - Think ShamWow. Lol. Which is basically original Zorb and Zorb II is much more thin. It's very absorbant material.

      Straight from their website http://wazoodle.com/index.php/fabrics/super-absorbents/zorb-ii-dimples-20-yard-roll.html

      Zorb II takes up moisture 20x faster than cotton, bamboo or hemp, and has a much greater holding capacity than any other product on the market. 1 layer of Zorb II will replace 2 layers of most microfiber terry and up to 4 layers of cotton or bamboo French terry.

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  89. I am just a little confused... Did you use 4 layers f flannel and then the layer of PUL per trainer? Or just one layer of PUL and one layer of flannel. How much flannel did you buy and how many did it make? I love this idea because we also are using cloth diapers and I am planning on making these for my daughter

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    1. Originally I used 4 layers of flannel and 1 layer of PUL. Now I use 2 layers, and it is just as absorbent. A 1/4 yard of should get you several pairs of trainers!

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  90. When we potty trained my daughter (now 6) we used the Gerber panties during the day and covered them with a pull up at night. That way we were able to reuse them when she had a dry night. Saved a lot of cash. Plus, if she did start time wet at night she would feel it and get up to go potty. I love these, tho. Will probably do this for my son when we start the process with him.

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  91. Thank you! We have been cloth diapering three children for the past two years and there is no way I'm going to pay for cloth trainers. I'm going to make these right way. Our 2yo son is potty training now and we need an overnight option.

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  92. I just made a couple of pairs for my daughter after finding you on pinterest! Thanks so much!! I am done buying pull-ups, but we just aren't ready for panties all the time yet. This is a great middle step! (If you were ever interested in selling a pattern or the rights to sew for resale, I would be interested! :) )

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  93. I was SO excited to read that you are now offering these on your Etsy store, I am not a crafty person and don't know how to sew but will be potty training my daughter after the holiday and love these! Will be ordering soon!

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  94. i made these for my son and loved them, but noticed that when he had an accident it was on the upper half of the undies. so to fix that i sewed the flannel and the plu right under the waste band instead of first sew line and it worked grate for covering the top half as well as the lower half. thanking you for pinning this saved me on pull-up. love them!

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  95. I saw this at a linky party and while my kids are way beyond the potty training stage, I had to come see because I used cloth and sewed many myself. Great job. I love the flower print!

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  96. So my daughter has been potty training and still hasnt figured out about going #2 on the potty but she has figured out going #1. Has anyone had any problems using these in that type situation? or even night time accidents?

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  97. I just went to the fabric store yesterday and I picked a print after staring at all the choices for a long time. Today I came back to this web page and realized I bought the same fabric you used in your example above. :) So I must have made a good decision. I'm really excited to try my crafting skills on these trainers. Thanks for the idea!

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  98. Hey there! Just wanted to let you know I asked for (and received) several pairs of your training pants for my daughter from my MIL for Christmas. I absolutely love them! I was going to try to sew some using your tutorial but didn't have time and you did a WAY better job than I would have. LOL I just wrote a post on our potty training experiences and linked up to this post and your Etsy store. =) Thanks for your awesome handiwork and for sharing a tutorial!

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  99. Going to try this same idea on my own panties, hate wearing a pad all the time just incase I sneeze or laugh.
    Thanks for the idea

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  100. Do you need to pre wash before you make these?

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  101. Well...I got one pair made...whew! If you don't have a walking foot, get one or order them pre-made! Also, I bought 6 pairs, 3 white and 3 pink prints from WalMart. Each one of them are a different template size for the crotch! Luckily, I didn't get too many cut before I realized. My first attempt was with the inserts and without a walking foot...what a mess! With the PUL layer I used the walking foot and it was so much easier!

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    1. Thanks for the tips about the walking foot and the different size crotches! I'm planning to make these soon and am glad to know those!

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  102. I am so excited to give this a try! I just started training my 22 month old son, well actually he started training himself. I will definitely be making up a few pairs of these after a trip to the fabric store. It will really cut down on little puddles :)

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  103. Love these and I'm attempting to make some today. Thanks for the tutorial! Do you use 4 layers of flannel for each training pant? Thanks!

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    1. I read through the comments and she said she originally used 4 layers, but has now switched to 2 layers and it works just fine.

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  104. Hi hun. Just wanted to let you know that I featured this on my blog today. I would love it if you could go and check it out :)

    http://mammymade.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/mint-stuff-ive-seen-29.html

    - Adele @ Mammy Made

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  105. So cool! I saw this on Pinterest and gave it a try. My first pair, I think I cut the PUL a little short, as they kind of make the undies stick out a little in the front. Next go around, I think I will cut the PUL maybe an extra inch longer so it will go further up the front. Thanks for this amazing tutorial!

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  106. very smart idea, I will try on this for sure.
    Thanks for sharing

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  107. Hi! Thanks for the super easy to follow tutorial. I just made a pair and am very new to sewing. My problem is that I've had a lot of skipped stitches. I was using a new 80/12 needle and polyester thread. What do you think is causing this. My tension is set between the 4 and 3. Thanks for any help you can give me!

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  108. Okay, I'm totally new to sewing and have a question about the flannel. You say you cut out four layers, does that mean four separate pieces? Or did you fold the flannel so that it was one piece, but four layers thick? I plan on making these this week at my beginners sewing class. Wish me luck!

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    1. Liz, I'm so sorry to just be getting to you! I had a bunch of messages go to spam! Ugh.
      I cut 4 separate pieces of flannel, but I cut them all at once. Does that makes sense?

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  109. Heather,
    Thanks so much for sharing this tutorial. I have included the link on my FB page here www.facebook.com/embellishbyandrea. I'm sure my customers will be thrilled to whip some of these up for their potty traning little ones. :-)

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  110. could you use plastic sheets instead of pul

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  111. Hi, found this on pinterest and just at the right time..i'm having 3 yr old stubborn little boy issues!He knows what to do, but i think is just completely unamused by the process and a tad lazy (he says he likes diapers, ha!)! Anyway, I made a pair and had him try them on and realized that the front was way too low for a boy! If their little whizzle is perhaps pointing north, then the pee would go right up and over the PUL. So, I suggest for boys, that you take the flannel AND PUL up closer to the top of the trainer and slightly wider (at least in the front). It's a great idea and very easy to do, thanks for the inspiration!

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