TotsBots Mamas looooooooooove their TotsBots, especially their EasyFit V2s, with bamboo inners and thick PUL. Why TotsBots switched to a thinner PUL and minky inners is beyond me, especially given the ongoing demand for their V2s on the second-hand diaper market.
Because V2s are no longer made, you can only acquire them used, which may mean they need repairs. The aplix and PUL on these little Bots are epic: I’ve seen a lot of these diapers in various conditions, and the thick PUL is so durable and the aplix so rugged! However, sometimes the elastics need some lovin’.
My buddy Maman Butt holds the key to replacing diaper elastics, and she didn’t even use a sewing machine!!
Here is a picture tutorial:
You will need:
- 9 inches of 1/4″ poly braided elastic (4.5″ of elastic for each side)
- 2 safety pins
- Needle & thread
- A seam ripper
- Nails painted to match diaper being repaired (optional)
Here’s the diaper pre-surgery:
1) Turn the diaper inside out:
2) Find where the seam is sewn over the elastic on one side of the leg casing, and use your seam ripper to expose the start of the elastic:
Note that Maman Butt does not remove the old elastic. Doing so would take more time, and also risks ripping the PUL because the elastic is sewn all along the seam (contrary to BumGenius elastics, which are only sewn at each end).
3) Attach a safety pin to either end of the new elastic and feed it through. Attach one safety pin to the start of the old elastic so you don’t lose that end inside the diaper, and use the other safety pin to guide the new elastic through to the other side.
4) Sew the new elastic to the old one on either end, grabbing a little bit of material along with the old elastic. Make stitches back and forth until it feels nice and secure. If you are going for function, don’t stress about how it looks, just make sure it’s secure! No one will see the inside of the diaper except you!
At this point, you’re more or less done! For cosmetic purposes you can use the same colour thread as the diaper to close up the small opening you made in the seam. If all you’re going for is function, or you’re just lazy, this isn’t really necessary.
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