Mama Cloth - Make Your Own

I have been interested in trying Mama Cloth or Cloth Sanitary Pads for some time now but I have realised that, while a worthy investment, we just don't have the finances to purchase pre-made pads at the moment. I decided to have a go at making my own. There are tutorials all over the web (I'll link to some at the bottom) so I am by no means re-inventing the wheel here. I had a look at some of the online instructions and then ventured out on my own (meaning:no pattern, measuring etc...just the usual Shara sewing!). So here we go:

1. Cut some towelling or similar absorbent material to the length and width of your desired size. (I just used a disposable pad to trace around)

2. Then cut a piece of material to become the top layer of the pad. This will be the side that will lay against your skin, so choose a soft, 100% cotton. This brown material is linen.

3. Then line up the towelling in layers, through the middle of the top layer. For these larger pads I used 3 layers. I then sewed down the midde with a zig zag stitch to secure the towelling in place. You could also just secure on each end if you don't want the line down the middle.

4. Then cut out material for the bottom layer (this will be against your underwear)

5. With right sides together sew around the outside of pad leaving a gap for turning. (big enough to get the towelling through easily). Turn right side out and then close opening and topstitch all the way around and then topstitch around the towelling centre.

This is what the top side will look like:

This is what the underside will look like:

6. Mark on the wings where your snaps will need to go. Following the instructions on the pack, attach the snaps.

I also made some smaller ones with only 2 layers and no centre seam.

et voila! 2 different sizes and thicknesses.

A few tips:

Use dark material or a bright print to disguise any staining that may occur.

You may want to add a layer of waterproof material on the bottom of the towelling for added protection.

Before making a whole set of pads, make a variety of shapes, thicknesses and lengths to see what is going to work best for you.

They can be rinsed off and then left in a tub and washed all together at the end of your cycle, although,  I will just throw them in the wash each evening with the cloth nappies.

Using flannelette for the bottom layer will help the pad to "grip" more to the fabric of your underwear.

Here are some online cloth pad resources:

Hillbilly Housewife

Keeper of the Home

For me, this will be a huge money saver as I have only been using an eco brand disposable pad and they are quite expensive, month after month. I had all the material on hand to make these so only had to buy the snaps, which were under $10 for a pack of 30. I also start to experience discomfort on my skin towards the end of my cycle, so I am hoping this will be much softer.

x Shara