If you know how to make a diaper stacker, you can decorate your nursery and still keep supplies at “grab” distance.
Make a Cute Animal Face Diaper Stacker
Having diapers out of the box or drawer and easy to reach during changes can prevent messes and mishaps. However, whether cloth or disposable, diapers are unattractive when stacked on top of the furniture, and it is easy to knock them off. If you know how to make a diaper stacker, though, you can combine convenience and décor chic.
Supplies
- Tracing paper
- Tape measure
- 1 yd. cotton print fabric
- 1/4 yd. cotton solid fabric or muslin
- 1/4 yd. fusible interfacing
- Cardboard
- Fabric paint pens
- Child’s clothes hanger
Make Your Patterns
- Measure your patterns onto tracing paper before cutting them from the fabric. Remember the carpenter’s adage: measure twice, cut once.
- Make a half-circle that is 9 inches tall by 13 inches wide. This will be for the top of the stacker.
- Make a rectangle 13 inches by 9 inches. This will be for the bottom of the stacker.
- Make a 23-inch by 22-inch rectangle. This will be for the front and back.
Cut the Fabric
- Fold the solid fabric in half and pin your pattern for the top piece to it. Cut the fabric to make two pieces of this shape.
- With the print fabric folded in half, cut two pieces using the front and back pattern. Turn the pattern so that you cut the 22-inch side from the width of the fabric (which is usually 45 inches).
- Pin the bottom pattern to the print fabric and cut two of that shape, as well.
- From the interfacing, cut one top piece and one bottom piece.
- Use the scraps of the print or the solid fabric to cut four triangles to use as ears. Dogs, cats, tigers, etc., make the triangles about 4 inches wide and 3 5/8 inches tall. If you want a bunny, make taller earpieces.
Prepare the Top
Lightly mark the 5/8-inch seam allowance on all edges of one of the pieces. With the fabric pens, draw and paint facial features for your animal.
Pin two ear pieces together, right sides together. Stitch the sides of the ear, using 1/2-inch seam allowances; trim the seams to 1/4 inch and turn the ear right side out. You do not need to close the third side. Repeat for the other ear.
Fuse the interfacing to the painted top piece. Pin the ears to the piece, with the unfinished edge aligned with the top edge of the top piece and the points toward the center.
Pin the other top piece to the first, right sides together. Find the center of the curve; mark a line 1/2 inch on each side of the center. Stitch the curved edge of the top piece, using a 5/8-inch seam allowance and leaving that 1-inch space open. Trim the seams to 1/4 inch, except for the small opening.
Clip the seam allowance so that you can fold the seam allowance at the opening to make a clean finish hem for the 1-inch space. This will be for the hanger hook to pass through.
Turn the top right side out and press the seams.
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Prepare the Bottom
Pin the bottom fabric pieces, right sides together. Stitch around three sides, using a 5/8-inch seam allowance. Trim the seams to 1/4 inch and turn them right side out.
Cut a piece of cardboard 1/2 inch smaller on all sides. Insert it in the open side. Fold the remaining seam allowances in and hand-stitch the last seam closed.
Prepare the Stacker Bag
Fold 1/2 inch of the long side of one of the front and back pieces toward the wrong side of the fabric. Now, fold the same edge in 1 inch. Stitch along both folds to make a finished edge. Repeat on the other piece.
Pin the pieces together at the unfinished long edges, right sides together. Stitch the center back seam, using a 5/8-inch seam allowance.
Set your sewing machine to the longest stitch length available. Stitch along the top edge of the joined piece 1/2 inch from the edge. Repeat on the bottom edge.
Assemble Your Stacker
Pull the bobbin thread on the bottom of the stacker bag to gather the fabric evenly. Pin it to the bottom piece, right sides together. Stitch around all four sides, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Trim the seams and turn the bag right sides out.
Pull the bobbin thread on the top of the stacker bag to gather the fabric evenly, as well. Turn 1/4 inch on the unfinished edges of the top piece to the inside. Pin the gathered bag to the inside of the top piece and stitch them together.
Now that you know how to make a diaper stacker, you can add a cute touch to your own nursery and give a unique and personalized handmade baby gift to parents-to-be.
