Make your own Cloth Wipes
Cloth wipes are versatile, gentle on your child, easy to make, and save you money! They can be used for sticky hands and messy faces as well as dirty bottoms, and can be laundered with your cloth diapers or towels. Wet them with plain water or a homemade wipe solution before use. Two dozen wipes is a good number to start out. It sounds like a lot, but once you get the hang of making them you’ll have a stash of cute wipes in no time!
Making cloth wipes is very easy, even beginning sew-ers can make them! They can be made out of almost any fabric you want, as cheaply or luxuriously as you choose. I started making cloth wipes over 14 years ago after receiving a dozen commercial cloth wipes from a friend when I was expecting our second child. I took one look at them and thought “I can make these”, and I did!
First you need to decide what kind of fabric you want to use. I started out cheaply, by cutting up an old towel. You can also use flannel, terrycloth, velour, and diapering fabrics like sherpa or hemp fleece. For really luscious wipes try organic velour, yum!! Two fabrics that don’t work well are fleece and woven fabrics. Fleece just smears the poo around and wovens are too thin to absorb. If you use a thicker fabric you can make one-layer wipes, but thinner fabrics can be used in two-layer wipes. Two layers are cushier and more absorbant, so that’s what I prefer.
Next you need to decide what size to make your wipes. I like 8×8 or 4×8, but you can make them any size you want. My 4×8 wipes fit in an old commercial wipes container without folding, and the 8×8 wipes fit when folded in half once.
Finally, choose the level of sewing you feel most comfortable with. If you’re a beginner, try Easy first and progress to Tricky.
Easy: One-layer wipes are the easiest to make!
- Cut your fabric into squares or rectangles the size you decided on. You can round the corners by tracing a quarter if you don’t want square corners.
- Zig-zag or serge all the way around the edge, removing the pins as you go. Be sure that the “zag” of the stitch goes a little over the edge to keep the fabric from getting raggedy.
- Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of stitching, or finish the serge stitch, so the stitching won’t pull out.
- Trim the threads close to the fabric, and you’re done!
You can use different colors of thread or variegated thread for a more decorative look. When I make wipes for my son I like to use up odd spools of thread that I have leftover from other projects.
Medium: Two-layer zig-zag/serged wipes are a little more difficult, but will get easier with practice.
- Cut both fabrics into squares or rectangles the size you decided on. You can trace quarters to round the corners if you’d like.
- Lay one layer with the “right side” down so you’re looking at the back of the fabric.(The right side is the front of the fabric, the side you want to look at and use.)
- Place the other piece of fabric on top of the first, with the right side up and facing you.
- Check to make sure you can see the right side of both pieces of fabric on the outside.
- Line up the edges of the layers and pin all the way around the wipe.
- Zig-zag or serge all the way around the edge, removing the pins as you go. Be sure that the “zag” of the stitch goes a little over the edge to keep the fabric from getting raggedy.
- Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of stitching, or finish the serge stitch, so the stitching won’t pull out.
- Trim the thread close to the fabric and admire your work!
If you want a more decorative look, you can use different colors of thread or variegated thread.
Tricky: Two-layer “T&T” (turned and topstitched) wipes are a little tricky, but with practice you can do it!
- Add 1/4 inch to each side of the wipes when you cut them out. (That means that if you want 8×8″ wipes, cut the fabric 8 1/2 x 8 1/2.)
- Cut both fabrics into squares or rectangles the size you decided on, remembering to add 1/4 inch. Leave the corners square, it’s easier than rounded corners.
- Lay one piece of fabric with the “right side” up and facing you.(The right side is the front of the fabric, the side you want to look at and use)
- Lay the other piece of fabric on top of the first with the right side down.
- Check to make sure that both pieces of fabric have their right sides together on the inside.
- Line up the edges and pin all the way around. Be sure that you can see the WRONG side of the fabric on both sides of the wipe.
- With a straight stitch, stitch almost all the way around the wipe, about 1/4 in from the edge.
- Stop about 2 inches from where you started sewing, backstitch and cut the threads.
- Trim each corner near the stitching so it’s not bulky when you turn it right-side-out.
- Carefully turn the wipe right-side-out through the opening you left.
- Fold the edges of the opening in so they’re inside the wipe and the outer edge is straight.
- Pin the edges of the opening to hold it closed.
- Straight stitch all the way around the wipe less than 1/4 inch from the edge, making sure to close the opening. (If you stitch too far away from the edge you won’t close the opening and those edges will flip out and get raggedy.
- Remember to backstitch when you begin and end stitching.
- Trim the threads and admire your work!
You can also try zig-zag stitch or another decorative stitch instead of straight stitch on the outside of your wipes. Variegated thread doesn’t work well for straight stitch, but using coordinating or contrasting thread colors makes the wipes look nice.
Have fun making lots of wipes for your child! If you make clothing or dipers you can make matching wipes for your child with the fabric scraps.
23 Responses to “Make your own Cloth Wipes”
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On June 4th, 2006 at 8:11 am
amthomas718 said:
thanks for the great directions. just might have to search for some organic velour and make some wipes.
On March 5th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Angil said:
Thank you… so many sites have things all over the place, and every time I search it I get something different… but you have everything in one place!
Now if I can only get better with my zig-zag.
On March 5th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Amy Sue said:
All it takes is practice.
I’m glad you find the directions helpful!
~Amy Sue
On March 11th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Sarah said:
I’m a sewing flunkee! I tried very hard to make some cloth diapers this week with a sewing machine I got off freecycle and they looked awful. Now granted I’ve never sewn in my life so just threading the machine and sewing at all was a miracle. I think the pattern I was using was just too complicated for me to begin with (4 layer diaper out of a tshirt with 4 layer soaker pad, zigzag and straight stitched, added elasticat the legs and back, then turned right side out and stitched in the front, added velcro for closing since I hate pins.) But they looked horrid so I threw them away. Maybe I’ll try making these simple wipes instead and try diapers a little later.
On March 13th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Amy Sue said:
That pattern does sound complicated for a beginner. The best way to learn how to sew is to start with simple projects that are quickly completed – like cloth wipes or prefold diapers. Then as you get more comfortable with the machine you can try more complicated projects. Instead of throwing away the diapers you made, maybe you can cut them up and make them into cloth wipes. Good luck!
~Amy Sue
On April 19th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Tipnut’s Picks: 50 Free Projects For Baby » TipNut.com said:
[...] Make Your Own Cloth Wipes: Easy project for beginner sewers, this set of instructions will walk you through making a bunch of cloth baby wipes (for bathing, wiping faces and dirty bums). [...]
On June 24th, 2008 at 7:24 am
Learning to Sew? - AmityMama.com said:
[...] Fern and Faerie online shop free pattern Fern and Faerie Online Shop how to sew cloth wipes Make your own Cloth Wipes Easy Cloth Diaper Wipes Sewing Instructions free bib patterns Free Bib Patterns how to sew bibs [...]
On July 3rd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
This Simple Life » Blog Archive » Say Goodbye to Disposable Wet Wipes said:
[...] serged around the edges. If you’re like me and you work best from instructions check these out. This lady seems to be an old pro. Imagine all the cute designs you could have by [...]
On July 5th, 2008 at 8:52 am
Debbie Brinley said:
My daughter-in-law sent me to your site. The directions were easy to follow and in three evening I had made three dozen. I used flannel on one side and terry cloth on the other. Some were just flannel and some were just terry cloth. Very easy. Fun to make and gave me a chance to pray for my future grandson while I was working on the project.
On July 6th, 2008 at 1:17 am
Nicole said:
thank you for the instructions, I was trying to decided if I needed double layer of my flannel and how I was going to work my edges. I have a serger, just not real comfortable with it, (At least not where you will see my stitches.) so I decided to turn and top stitch. (If I can make diapers, I can do these.) I already preshrunk and cut out my 8 x 8 flannel, but my question is will the fabric shift while in the wash or stay nice and flat?
On July 7th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Sarah said:
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! This is awesome!
On August 15th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Yvonne said:
That sounds nice!
Where can I find organic velour?
Would flannel & cotton fleece work since you mentioned that while fleece isn’t good hemp fleece is…
On August 15th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Amy Sue said:
Yvonne,
I purchase organic velour through co-ops – search Yahoo groups for “organic velour” and you’ll find some. Be sure to research any group well before placing an order as there are scammers out there.
Honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary to use organic velour for wipes, regular cotton velour like you can find at your local fabric shop is just as nice for wipes.
Flannel and cotton fleece – like sweatshirts are made of – would be fantastic! I’d put the fuzzy side of the fleece on the outside. Cotton terry is super too – it’s the same as fleece except the loops haven’t been cut and combed.
Have fun making your wipes!
~Amy Sue
On August 15th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Yvonne said:
Hello Amy,
thanks so much! I am a part of the co-op that and it will be my first time ordering from a co-op. I was referred there from a well-known person who helps people decide what fabrics and how to make cloth diapers.
The co-op is doing bamboo velour, bamboo terry, bamboo fleece & bamboo french terry. The velour and terry does have 2% of poly in it…it also has 70/28 bamboo & organic cotton…
The fleece is 70/30 bamboo/organic cotton.
They are all under $9/yard…
Is this good? Or should it be just cotton velour or cotton fleece?
Thank you for your time! :0)
Yvonne
On August 15th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Amy Sue said:
All of those fabrics will work well for cloth wipes.
And under $9/yard is a good price for those fabrics, especially the bamboo velour.
Good luck!
~Amy Sue
On August 29th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Yvonne said:
Tehe, thanks, Amy!!
I so look forward to those fabrics!!
On December 11th, 2008 at 8:45 am
The Mom Crowd » Living Without Toilet Paper?! said:
[...] soft flannel from the fabric store and a sewing machine. You can read about how to make your own here and here. The latter tells you how you can make your own by reusing all those extra flannel [...]
On December 25th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Bequin Lapwing said:
I make P-dabbers [vaginal pee wipes] with colorful printed cloth on one side and terry cloth [used towels] for the other with a loop to hang.I wash them by hand in a bucket with essential oil and hang them to dry. My grandaughter and friends all made and use their own. If you do some research you’ll find there are serious toxins in toilet paper and we are using up our forests at an alarming rate.
On January 22nd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Navine said:
I used to buy wipes then suddenly I figured why buy when I can make my own. Thanks for all the information.
On December 11th, 2009 at 10:45 am
what i hope to accomplish this weekend « two smiths and a dog said:
[...] wipes (some will be terry/flannel and some will just be flannel/flannel). i found a nice tutorial here (third set of instructions). i keep thinking that if we’re going to skip out on the [...]
On March 4th, 2010 at 2:07 am
Jessica Keller said:
Hello,
Can I make these without a sewing machine? I don’t really know how to sew, but I bet with a little help, I can do it!
Thanks!
Jessica
On March 4th, 2010 at 11:33 am
Amy Sue said:
Jessica,
You could make them without a sewing machine, but it’d be a lot of hand-sewing which in my opinion isn’t worth it unless you’ve got tons of time on your hands and nothing better to do.
You could do one-layer wipes by just cutting the fabric into squares and not finishing the edges, BUT you have to choose the right kind of fabric. Flannel, terrycloth (like towels) and wovens (like button-down shirts) won’t work because they’ll all fray terribly.
Polyester fleece, microfleece and suedecloth won’t work because they tend to mush the poo around instead of collect it.
The best bet for no-sew wipes would be a knit (like a t-shirt) or cotton fleece (like a sweatshirt). The edges may roll but they won’t totally unravel. Just cut them into squares and you’re ready to go!
~Amy Sue
On March 5th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Building Up My Wipes Stash « Curiositys said:
[...] made the wipes using these instructions for two layer, turned and top-stitched wipes, and nothing could be easier, or quicker to put [...]