Hello everyone, I'm glad many have found this video helpful. Many folks have given constructive criticism and help about proper and more productive sewing methods. I am not a seamstress or an expert in sewing. I have created this pattern and process from scratch based on my beginner sewing experience to simply create a result and product that works/does the job and helps others do the same. This cloth pad worked for me well and had no issues such as spilling. Yet of course every pad design is unique and every person is unique--so not every tutorial will be a good match for everyones purposes. Take bits from this tutorial and tweak it in a way that works for you. Share your knowledge here! This is a community space and it's great people have given insight. I hope whoever watches this also scrolls through the comment section to take advantage of advice from many people with more sewing experience than me! Best of luck with creating your own sustainable products~ :)
First of all thanks for uploading the detailed video. Feels like I can do it. Hi , I am a guy, dad of my daughter. She is very open with me than to her mom because I am a good listener. She became woman this week. I decided to stitch pads after she is extremely uncomfortable with the store bought mambo pads.I like the idea and appreciate the video. I like to have upholstery fabric at the bottom of the pad, that way the moisture will get into the panty when there is a heavy flow.
Hi! I'm glad you have found this tutorial helpful. Wow, it's great to hear about a dad involved in this area- many guys shy away from anything that has to do with menstruation! Best of luck with this project, it's really nice that you're helping out your daughter with this. :)
Nice video, however, you don't want to stitch through all layers like that. It encourages the liquid to go all the way through the back, which defeats the purpose. Also, it's less fiddly to just sew the core layers to the wrong side of the topper. It adds a step but it's worth it in the long run. Great idea to repurpose fabrics to save money!
Hi my name is Crystal and I'm reaching out to everybody on RU-vid and Facebook that has made their own menstrual pads I am trying to get together several hundred women for each of us to maybe make 10 and I'd like to donate them to a school in Uganda these young ladies due to not having products usually end up having to quit school as soon as they start menstruation any small thing we can do will be a big thing in their eyes
@Crystal case. I am new to making cloth pads. I would definitely join you to stitch cloth pads and send them. I will reply here once I am done. Then you we can contact each other. What say.
Just as information you can skip the hassle of the last step by first attaching the interior to the back of the top layer plus sewing over everything when it's done allows blood to leak out of the back layer. Step on cut out top center and back Step two turn top layer face down and pin interior to the back of the top layer Step three sew all the way around the interior to secure (no x no shape no crazy stuff just a straight stitch all the way around ) Step four place the to pieces RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER,meaning the nice side you want to see on the finished product place those sides facing each other and pin along the edge not through the center . Step 5 sew all the way around the outside leaving a small gap to turn as she did. And lastly close the gap by folding in the sides and top stitch all the way around the edge
Nicely done🙌 I been making cloth pads for four years for myself and family members. they are so comfortable🤗 and pay for themselves within a couple of months and plus if you treat them well they last you for a lifetime.
Hello Miss Malone, many thanks! It's great to hear how long you've used this alternative and that you shared it with people you care about! Most definitely-Cloth pads are a real money saver in the long run!
Hey Jessica, that's right! The flannel part should be facing down toward the underwear and the cotton side should face upward since it's softer and breathable for the skin. :)
Can I use buttons instead of snaps? Or would buttons not be strong enough? I'm planning on spending no money for this because I have lots of fabric scraps I can use but I have no snaps. I got lots of buttons, but I feel like buttons would have a higher chance or coming undone
Cloth pads can be made from a variety of materials. If you want completely leak proof you could include a layer of PUL which is a laminated fabric originally designed for use in cloth diapers. Polar fleece is also leak resistant (note that I used the word resistant, also it's specifically polar fleece not all fleece). Other fabrics can be used as a backing, as long as you change the pad often enough and don't have a dangerously heavy flow. Really what you want is for it not to slide around which PUL tends to do sometimes. Some people will put a layer of PUL in between the core and the backer, to take care of both issues. As far as that goes, PUL costs a bit more since it's a specialty fabric, whereas basic polar fleece is very easy to obtain. If you want a more absorbant pad overall there are a variety of other core fabrics that are better at holding blood than terry cloth (terry cloth is a decent and often cheaper option for home sewn pads). A more absorbant core fabric could mean that it doesn't need as much resistance in the backer. That's just a basic overview. I think there are a few videos about it. I know the girl from Precious Stars Pads did videos about the different fabric options.
Hi Machaela, yes! you can use a microfiber cloth instead of terry cloth fabric or towel fabric. Most microfiber cloths are about the same thickness as regular towels, so you can use the same amount of pieces to layer up as the absorbent part. They are highly absorbent (from experience of using microfiber cloths in the kitchen), so it should be fine to use them for this project.
Infact I am used microfibre 400GSM which is super absorbent.It is much better than terry . Since microfiber will stay inside will not come in contact with skin.
You can reuse them as many times as you want after each wash. So far, my set of cloth pads has lasted me about 3 years. I can't say exactly how long these pads will last, since different factors come along with each person. But they're meant to outlast disposables~
Elli sch. They are zero waste because you don’t have to use 2-3 pads per day for about 5 days every month for 30 or so years. That’s something like 20 or so pads a month, I’d go on with the calculations but.... you see how much waste is saved
Kawaii Gothic Yeah it is less waistfull but the Threads that were cut and the fabric that was cut of , were not reused so this project was not zero waist 🤷🏽♀️in a few months it is definetly zero waist, so my complain is that she could have atleast shown what to do with the Little waiste she produced while making this pad
Hi Elli, very true! This project is not 100% zero waste, and thank you for your constructive criticism- it only helps us improve. In the future, I will keep in mind to mention within this video or create a separate video letting viewers know what options they have with properly disposing of excess waste. The intention behind zero waste practices is to be as environmentally responsible as possible, therefore, thank you for your feedback~
And Kawaii Gothic, thank you for highlighting the sustainable factors behind this project and its longterm benefits to the environment. We're glad you've found this tutorial helpful!
It pains me to see you sewing wrong. You don't pin the way you sew you pin towards the insides and remove as you go. Trace at the same angle or it'll be uneven.
Thanks for your critique. Other viewers have also commented on flaws with the sewing process in this video and made suggestions on proper/efficient sewing methods. I don't claim to be an expert sewer/seamstress or a professional in that field. All of the sewing tutorials I provide on this channel are meant for inexperienced, beginner sewers who are trying to produce a product that works for their personal usage. From cloth pads, liners, to napkins- I've personally tried all the things I create and share here. The intention is to provide an easy and clear tutorial for other people who simply want good, not perfect results. Granted, I'd love to have more knowledge in this field! I hope you find another video tutorial that is helpful to you.
Yamkaza 1. Are you the sewing police? Keep your negative comments to yourself. Find another video that shows the perfection you want. Carry on with being a sewing martyr and being perfect.
