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Beginner sewing pattern for cloth menstrual pads

Here's a PDF with instructions for basic sewing steps for cloth pads. These have wings and plastic snaps to hold them in place. The instructions are for the turn and topstitch method of sewing cloth pads.

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This is the beginner sewing pattern to get started. If you don't know what shape you like, you can sew a test pad with this pattern, try it on, and then decide what to make next.

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If you'd like to see ALL of the pattern options, you can find them in my Etsy shop, Versodile. These are designed to be mix & match friendly for a customized fit. Make one end longer than the other, or swap the wings for a different shape. 

Info about cloth pads:

Discussion about some of the common concerns about using washable pads.

Step by Step Overview

Get a quick glance at the steps, and then go to the expanded page for more info on each step.

cutting out paper pattern templates for sewing cloth pads

1

print pattern

sewing machine stitching core to topper fabric

6

stitch core

trimming pointed wing tips of the pad

11

clip corners

three colorful cloth pad parts laid out on a cutting mat

2

gather fabric

pinning fabric layers with sewing clips and pins

7

pin layers

hands turning fabric pad right side out

12

turn out

hand using a washable marker to trace sewing lines

3

draw line

sewing around the pad shape with a small gap left open

8

stitch layers

smoothing out corners of turned fabric with a blunt tool

13

poke seams

cutting muslin fabric with a rotary cutter

4

cut fabric

cutting down seam allowance on a fabric pad

9

trim seam

pad aligned with presser foot for topstitching

14

topstitch

core centered inside stitched guideline on fabric

5

center core

scissors clipping curved seam allowance

10

inner snips

applying snaps to fabric pad wings

15

add snaps

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