Pattern Review: Under Wraps Cloth

This is the first pattern for a reusable menstrual pad that I paid for, instead of creating myself.  I decided to get it because I wanted a nice, long pad pattern for right after this baby comes, during that very beginning postpartum time when you bleed the heaviest.

The Shop: Under Wraps Cloth

The Pattern:  Under Wraps Bundle 9, 10, 11, &15 inch Overnight Post Partum Mama Cloth Menstrual Pad Sewing Pattern (Sorry, I don't have a current link for the bundle, but her patterns are available in the Etsy shop linked above.)

I'm going to tell you right up front that this one was a bummer.

 

As described in the pattern name, this was a bundle purchase, with several sizes of pad patterns.  They range from 9" long "liner" to a 15" overnight/postpartum size.  I had looked at several different shops, and this one looked like the best option available for my needs at the time I purchased it for about $13.  I liked that it had so many sizes, because within the first few days of having a baby, there will be a lot of bleeding, but by the time the bleeding stops, you really only need a liner. 

My favorite thing about this pattern bundle is that for the topper, the designer has created a way to incorporate two different fabrics (as you can see in the pictures).  A softer, wicking fabric is a really nice idea during that postpartum time, when you're more tender.  So this pattern shows you how to create a window of that softer fabric, like minky or velour.  That saves a little cost, so that you don't have to use a really large, odd-shaped piece of that more expensive fabric.  I chose to use athletic jersey for that part.  Now, the downside of this is that it's really hard, at least for me, to keep that piece of fabric attached, and really hard not to mess up the overall shape of the topper once it's all cut.  After trying a few different things on a few different pads in this pattern, I discovered that the easiest method for me was to attach that window piece to the outer piece using Wonder Tape.  Just a little tip if you decide to try this pattern.  I also liked the shape of the finished pads that were pictured on the pattern.  I tend to prefer a rounded pad.

Okay, now for the not-so-awesome.  The fact is, this pad is way, way too wide.  As you can see, the snapped pad measures approximately 4 inches across. Four inches! Mercy!  Just for reference, most people find a comfortable width to be between 2.5" and 3".  Most postpartum pads measure about 3" across for a snapped width, and some as much as 3.5".  Unfortunately, I didn't realize how terribly wide this pad turned out to be until I had made multiple pads.  I wondered if I was just over reacting to the size, so I tried it on, and the bunching that happened was a story by itself. 

And no matter what I tried, I just could not get the pad to look as pretty in real life as the pictures looked.  That's probably because I am definitely not an advanced sewer, and I think this is a more advanced pattern.  So keep that in mind when looking at purchasing this one.

As you see in this picture, this is a loooooong pad.  15" is almost the length of my hand and forearm together.  Good for postpartum, but it would be much too long for me to use again as an overnight pad once a regular cycle returns.  

Overall, this was more of a "lessons learned" pattern for me.  I learned that I really need to look into the gusset width of the finished pad before buying anything.  Oops.  I learned that some pads are harder to make than others, and if it looks "fancier," that means more advanced skills.  I learned that I really, really do like the idea of that window of softer fabric, so I found a way to change the way it's attached to incorporate into a new design that I made for myself.  I learned that Wonder Tape is basically magic.  I learned that I'm more interested in making pads that are going to be a good overnight length for me, so that I can use them again in the future, and not just as a one-time deal.  I learned that I don't like making pads that take a long time and have a lot of details.  And I learned that I was okay with paying for patterns instead of designing my own, once I had done my own research into the patterns.

If you like a wider gusset (snapped area), maybe this pattern would work for you.  Or if you're comfortable with manipulating patterns to better suit your needs, this could certainly be adjusted to be more narrow.  I just didn't want to bother, and felt like I shouldn't have to manipulate and adjust a pattern that I'd paid $13 for.  There are some really ingenious ideas in this pattern.  It was very professionally put together with lots of good pictures and clear instructions, and a digitally created template for cutting and taping together.  (Sometimes you'll get a hand-drawn scan when you buy a pattern, which was not the case here.)  If you're interested in learning to add that window of additional fabric, this might be a good choice for you.  But in all honesty,  because of that monstrous width, I will probably never use the pads I made from this pattern, and I feel like I wasted a lot of good materials on it.