If you already have a stash of cotton prefolds, those make great inserts for pocket diapers. Just tri-fold them, stuff them, and voila- no more (or at least fewer?) leaks. The one drawback to cotton is the bulk- these will not be trim diapers.
Hemp inserts are much more trim, and there are many options for hemp inserts out there. Thirsties and Joeybunz are the ones that I have tried; both feature several layers of hemp jersey knit. (What is jersey knit? Think of it as your basic t-shirt material.) These hemp inserts are very absorbent and incredibly trim! The material is also smooth and soft- no rough quilting up like prefolds. However, they're somewhat pricey.
If you have some basic sewing know-how and can't find exactly what you want in a store, you can easily make your own hemp inserts.
Fabric choices
I purchased my fabric from Nature's Fabric. I had heard great things about Hemp-Bamboo fleece, so I tried that for my first go-around. For my second purchase a few months later I tried the Hemp-Cotton fleece. I honestly haven't noticed any difference between the two in absorbency. One thing I wasn't expecting from either fabric was rather large fibers sticking out (they eventually washed out), and there really are 'variations in texture and color' as it says in the description.
I personally avoided the Hemp-Bamboo knit, only because I am new to sewing and stretchy knits can be difficult to sew. Be aware that the fleece is also stretchy!
How much fabric?
When deciding how much to purchase, keep in mind this fabric will shrink up several inches in either direction. You'll be washing it on hot several times to pre-shrink the fabric, as well as reduce the natural oils in the fabric.
The biggest thing to consider is how many layers you want your insert to be, and what the dimensions will be. I sometimes get into the 'bigger is better!' mentality, and have several inserts I've made that are too wide, too long, and too thick. Too wide means that the fabric will bunch up oddly between your child's legs- doubly so if it's too thick. Too long and they won't easily fit inside your pocket or cover. Too thick means that when you fold it over (because it's too long) it doesn't fold very flat and ends up being quite stiff. Not to mention increased drying time.
What size insert?
My widest inserts are 5.25" wide. This is the width of a typical microfiber insert- but because hemp fleece is a little thicker, this width becomes stiff- I'd go no wider than 5". You can go even narrower; my favorite inserts are 4.5" and I have a few made from leftovers that are barely 4" wide and work just fine.
The longest you'd want to go is 15.5". This is about what a typical cover or fully unsnapped pocket can handle without folding over. My favorite inserts are only about 12" long.
Three layers of fleece works great for a larger insert. It dries easily, folds over without becoming too stiff at the fold, and if you double up you'll have 6 layers of hemp fleece, which should be plenty absorbent. 4 layers can be thick but works well for a narrower insert that won't bunch up between your child's legs.
I sewed mine fleece-side out. You'll get some fuzzies in the dryer the first few times you wash them, but eventually they stop giving off fuzz and get slightly pilly, like your typical sweatshirt material. I'm not a fan of the one I sewed knit-side out. Because all the loose fuzz is trapped inside, it may get a tad lumpy. It also seems to curl more around the edges and corners. However, the knit side is not as rough as the fleece side (after many washes.)
Sewing tips
Confession: I'm not that experienced at sewing, and diaper inserts were one of my first projects. (Can't you tell from the photos?) I figured- they're just rectangles, how hard could they be? Joke's on me!
- Fold and cut your fabric into the desired size. Try to stack your layers and then cut them into shape for even edges. (Measure twice, cut once. Draw a diagram- it helps!)
- Because this fabric is stretchy, you'll want to do a straight stitch about 1/4" in from the outside to hold everything together.
- Once that is done, you can trim any layers that have shifted. (After these are washed a few times and continue to shrink, any wrinkling or diagonal pulling is generally gone.)
- Next, overcast a wide zig-zag stitch around the outside edge to keep the edge from fraying.
If you don't have anything besides a sewing machine and some thread, consider borrowing or investing in a cutting mat, a metal ruler, and a rotary cutter. These items make cutting your fabric a breeze.
Stay-dry liners
Adding a stay-dry liner to your inserts is simple. If you primarily use pockets you can skip this, but if you use plain covers and want the stay-dry feel of a pocket, just add a liner! JoAnne fabric sells Alova Suedecloth and Hancock fabric sells 'Buttersude.'
Cut a piece to match your insert. I suggest laying it on top and cutting it along with the fleece. Attaching it to the thicker fabric keeps it in place. The backside of this fabric is slick, so it will shift around if it's loose. I prefer to add liners only to the larger inserts and lay them on top of the smaller hemp doublers.
