Wet bags are great for people who have kids. They hold wet or poopy clothes (what baby doesn’t have blow outs?), dirty cloth diapers, or any other messes that kids leave in their wake! The also make great snack bags (although you may want a much smaller size!) We cloth diaper 95% of the time, but still use disposables while we’re out. I’d like to start using cloth when we’re out and about more often, especially once I have TWO kids in diapers, so I made myself a wet bag! It turned out to be pretty simple and quick to make. Most small wet bags I see have zippers, but I figured snaps would work just as well. If you don’t have either, you can also use velcro. (Please excuse the blurry pictures!)
Start off with 2 pieces of fabric that are the same size. You’ll need one later of PUL, and one layer of a cotton fabric. Our small Joanns carries plain white PUL (in the utility fabric section), but some of the larger stores have colored and patterned PUL. The cotton fabric actually isn’t necessary, but I didn’t want a plain white bag, so I used it. If I had some patterned PUL though, I’d only be using one layer.
The size of the layers will depend on how large you want your bag. Mine is meant to accommodate wet cloth diapers, so I made it large enough to hold 3-4 diapers. The measurements were roughly 12 x 25 inches.
If you’re using a zipper, I can’t help you! I’ve never sewed a zipper on an item before, since I’m still relatively new to the sewing world. For velcro or snaps, you’ll need a fold over flap. I cut the corners of my flap, but that’s a matter of preference.
Lay your pieces of fabric so the pattern side of the cotton is facing the shiny side of the PUL. Sew a seam along the top and bottom.
Flip the fabric pattern side out and sew a top stitch.
If you’re adding velcro, sew it on now. You’ll want the sticky side of the velcro on the inside of your flap, and the soft side on the opposite end on the patterned side of the fabric.
Fold your fabric in half, so the pattern side is on the inside. My flap ended up being about 2 inches longer than the body of the bag. Sew a seam along the two sides. PUL can be tricky to sew with, because it tries to stick to the foot of your sewing machine! To avoid this, guide the PUL through your machine by pulling from the back, and guiding it through with your other hand.
Flip the wet bag right side out. If you’re using snaps, add them now.
Run your wet bag through the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to seal the holes you made with your sewing machine and thread. Your wet bag is now water proof and ready for use. These materials hold up great in the washer, so don’t be afraid to wash it after every use.
