Pattern Review: Mamma Can Do It

Next up in this series of reviews for reusable cloth pad patterns is a quick and easy one.

The Shop: Mamma Can Do It
The Pattern:  Cloth Menstrual Pads Sewing Pattern

I was pleasantly surprised by this pattern.  Honestly, maybe I'm becoming a pattern snob (?), but this one looked overly simple.  Like, so simple it can't possibly be any good, right? I was also leery of the wrap-style wings, having only ever tried tab style.  But the way this pattern was designed made for an incredibly fast pad to cut and assemble.  Another reason I was hesitant to buy this one was that in the description for the pattern when I was looking at it, the best thing I could see about sizing was "3 pattern sizes from light days to overnight."  This didn't give me a whole lot of information.  I contacted the seller to ask for more specifics, and it did take her a few days to get back to me.  (*She has since updated the description for more clarity.)  Since the pattern was pretty inexpensive, I decided to go ahead and get it while I waited to hear back.  I was shocked to discover that the pattern actually included nine sizes, from a 7" pantyliner, to a 13" overnight size!  Hooray!

I loved that while this pattern grew in length, the width of the core didn't change.  That makes it consistent for fit in the gusset area.  Also, the size of the wing didn't change considerably from the smallest pad to the largest pad, and that will definitely help with any bunching issues with the undies.  The rectangular core for this pattern does not extend all the way from one end of the pad to the other end.  I actually liked this, because it makes the pad a little less bulky.  And it was a breeze to just cut the core with a rotary cutter.   I also liked the way the curves were designed on the pattern, because they decreased the amount of adjusting I had to do with lifting and lowering my presser foot.  It would be a great shape to serge, if I was more proficient with my serger.  And that would make for an even faster, leaner pad.

The pad measures just about 2.75" across when snapped, which is a really comfortable width for most women. 

I actually ended up giving this specific pad away as a gift, just because I'm still not sure how I feel about wrap-around wings!  But I'll end up making more for myself so I can give this style a shot.  

Overall, I was impressed with this pattern.  I was really pleased with how fast and easy this pad was to make.  It's a great design for stash-building for someone who is just starting out, because it's so quick and simple.  Really pretty much a no-fail design.  The instructions were clear and easy to follow, and you can't beat the price ($5) for a pattern with such a large range of size selection.