I learned about homemade cloth menstrual pads on a Christian Ladies’ message board in 2002. I had just been diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS. Some of my symptoms were heavy, irregular and painful menses which left me feeling very much like the Woman in the New Testament with the issue of blood who touched Jesus’s garment to be healed. I even joked that I had periods of biblical proportions. Financially, we were in a tough spot at the time. Making decisions between groceries or sanitary pads is not a pleasant place to be so I was tickled when another mom shared a link to homemade pads. I ran some simple ones up on my sewing machine that day and have pretty much been a convert ever since.
Before the 20th Century, most women used cloth pads or “rags” during their menstruation. Disposable pads didn’t become common in America until after WW II. Among rural and low-income women they didn’t catch on until the 1960′s. As with diapers, there have always been people who prefer cloth to disposable. Disposable pads do not biodegrade very quickly. Plastic diapers and sanitary napkins are likely to be two of the most common artifacts that future archaeologists will find when excavating landfills from the 20 and 21 Centuries. I wonder what kind of commentary this will be on our present lifestyles? Only time will tell.
Outer Pad with Wings
Cut 2 with flap extended & 1 on fold with flap closed
Inner Pad
Cut 2 of flannel and 1 or 2 of filling or more flannel
Printing Instructions: Set Margins to 0.25 or 1/4 inch each.
To make your own sanitary napkins you need the following supplies: 
- A sewing machine with a zigzag stitch.
- Flannel: Old flannel shirts & baby blankets work beautifully but new flannel works fine too. Be sure to wash it in hot water before using to prevent shrinkage.
- Thread
- Snaps or Safety Pins
- Scissors
The Outer Pad
Begin by printing both of the patterns and cutting them out. The Inner Pad is a large oval. The Outer Pad is actually 2 patterns in 1. With the long straight side extended, it is the topside. You will need to cut 2 of these. With the long straight side folded in, it is the bottom side. Place the straight edge on a fold of fabric and cut 1 of these. Look at the pictures for examples. 
Make 1/2-inch hem down the long straight side of each of the 2 top pieces. Straight stitch or zigzag stitch this hem, as you prefer. Now arrange the 2 upper layers of the outer pad over the lower layer. The front hems should overlap slightly, or by about 1/2-inch.
Zigzag stitch around the outside twice. If desired you may straight stitch down the dotted lines shown on the picture to the right. This allows the inner pad to fit more securely inside the outer pad and also makes folding the wings a bit handier.
Some women apply a snap or button to the wings at this time. Place them at points “A” in the illustration. Velcro is not advisable because it has a tendency to chafe. Personally, I don’t <
like
to go through all the work of applying snaps or buttons so I use a safety pin instead. Large diaper safety pins work beautifully for pinning the wings together. To the right you will see a picture of the pad pinned closed. The wings fit around your underwear just like disposable pads with wings. Some women wear the pad with the pocket seam facing down, next to their underwear. Other women prefer the pad placed with the seam-side next to their skin. Try it both ways to see which you prefer.
The Inner Pad
The inner pad is the absorbent part of the sanitary napkin. It slips inside the pocket of the pad. The beauty of this is that you can use as many inner pads as necessary for the rate of your flow. During heavy times, or overnight, use 3 or 4 Inner pads. For a lighter flow use only 1 Inner pad. For a panty liner, use the outer pad without an inner pad. The reason you use several layers instead of 1 very thick layer is because several thinner layers are easier to wash and have a shorter drying time. Additionally, the many exterior surfaces of the pad layers makes them more absorbent than a single thick pad would be. 
For the inner pad you want to cut at least 3 layers, maybe 4, depending on the thickness of your fabric. Use the same pattern for all of the layers. 
Use flannel for the 2 exterior layers of the inner pad. Use 1 or 2 layers of flannel or terry cloth, cotton quilt batting or another absorbent material for the interior layers of the inner pad. I used old flannel shirts, a flannel baby blanket and an old towel for my fabric. The towel was ripped and had a few holes. I used it as the interior layer of my inner pads. The flannel baby blanket was the exterior of the inner pads, and the flannel shirt was the outer pad, the part with wings.
After cutting out your layers for the inner pad stack them neatly. Zigzag stitch around the edges twice. Trim the edges if desired. I used dark thread in the picture so you could see it against the light flannel. Make 2 of these inner pads for each outer pad. They are very easy to cut and stitch, so you may want to make a few extras for heavy days.
After completing each part of the pad, slip the inner pad inside the pocket of the outer pad. Pin it in place and see how it feels. You will be surprised at how comfortable it is.
Washing and Maintenance
When you make your own pads you have to wash them instead of tossing them into the garbage. Keep a small bucket of water with a lid in the bathroom, preferably out of the reach of children and pets. Add a spoonful of vinegar if desired. Remove the inner pad from the outer pad. Soak the used pads in the bucket of water. Drain the water into the toilet before washing the pads. The water can also be used to water house plants because they like all the extra vitamins and minerals. Make sure you use cold water so that the stains will come out. I wash every morning. Some women stash all of the used pads in a pillowcase or plastic bag and wash them all at once when their period is over. I don’t do this because I have a washer in the house and I find it more sanitary to wash them every day. They can drip dry or machine dry.
If you do not have a washing machine, then they may be washed by hand. Run cold water over them in the bathtub to remove most of the blood. Place the pads in a medium bucket or tub. Add a little soap and cold water. Using a clean plunger, plunge the pads until they are as clean as you can get them. Plunge for a good 10 minutes for the best results. Rinse the pads well and squeeze them dry. Hang each pad by it’s own clothespin and they should dry pretty fast, even in the winter.
If you like, you can iron the pads, but do not use starch on them. Be careful not to use fabric softener either because it will make them less absorbent.
A No-Sew Alternative
If your sewing skills are lacking, or you simply do not want to go through the trouble of sewing your own pads you can try this instead. Purchase absorbent terry-cloth dishtowels. Wash them before using. Fold them into rectangles about 3 or 4-inches by 10 or 12 inches. Use safety pins to pin them into your underwear at both narrow ends (the front and the back). These are a bit bulkier than home-sewn pads. They are quite comfortable though, and are a legitimate alternative. They may be washed the same as home-sewn pads. I’ve also seen washcloths recommended. Fold them into thirds, or quarters (long ways) and fit them into your underwear. Apparently they stay in place without pinning because of the friction between the terry-cloth and underwear. For heavier flows fold together 2 or more wash cloths.
About Fabrics
When I made these, I used fabrics I already had in the house. You may purchase new fabric instead if you like. Use a sturdy double-napped flannel if you go this route. It will last the longest and give you the best results. Cotton quilt batting is very nice filler, but you can also use additional flannel, which is less expensive. Wash everything before cutting or sewing. Flannel will shrink. After sewing, wash the pads again before using. This helps them hold their shape better. Men’s flannel shirts and flannel baby blankets make excellent flannel for your own menstrual pads. They can sometimes be found for 25¢ or 50¢ a piece at yard sales, which makes pads very cheap to sew at home. Brightly colored fabric is less likely to show stains than solid colored or light fabric is. I prefer to use patterns and dark colors for this reason.
About the Pattern
I created this pattern free hand after measuring commercially available, disposable pads. My pattern is a little bit wider and longer than some patterns available on the Internet. This is to accommodate the average woman, who is a size 14 or larger. Standard pads and liners are created for a size-6 woman. Pads made from this pattern are less likely to leak because they are large enough to fit properly. If you are a smaller woman, or prefer slightly smaller pads, there are several other patterns available online. You will find them linked below.
Note: Some of the sites may refer to ideas you do not agree with. Please overlook anything you find offensive and focus on the useful information instead.
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Natural Choices |
Cloth Menstrual Pads |
Instructions for Cloth Menstrual Pads |
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Frugal Baby Pattern |
Museum of Menstruation or MUM |
Okay, But EEEwww . . .
I’ll admit, many people have this reaction the first time they consider homemade pads. It is weird. We never see anything about it on television so that’s the first sign that it’s NOT socially acceptable. Sewing and using homemade pads seems like something that only weird-os and freaks do, probably off in the woods somewhere, or maybe a nice cave in the wilderness where they can commune with nature and get in touch with the moon. Nice women would never use homemade pads. After all, your hands get wet and you have to touch your own body fluids which is kinda gross. Plus you have that icky bucket in the bathroom so everyone knows that you’re up to something sneaky. The whole idea is enough to make some women vomit and make some men run for cover in a sweaty, testosterone filled locker room.
Believe me, I sympathize. I had to get used to the idea before I became a convert. For some women the conversion process happens overnight. For others of us, it takes time. We have to go slow, talk it over with other women, learn a lot more about it, and try it secretly to see if it really does work (it does). If we have always hated pads, then homemade ones may seem like an even more uncomfortable way of dealing with a monthly necessity. Everyone may say cloth pads are more comfortable, but just because it works for them, doesn’t mean it will be the same for us. Besides, the bucket in the bathroom is just tooooo gross. And what if the husband sees them and laughs at them or thinks that we’ve lost our minds. What if the mother in law visits and sees the bucket and we have to explain it to her, or a visiting preacher’s wife, or worse yet, the Preacher?!!! Gee whiz, it all becomes such a statement, and honestly, this is not the type of statement that most of us want to make to the world.
Relax. Take a deep breath. It is less weird than it seems at first glance. Think about women from the past. Our hearty ancestors who pioneered this country; while they rode their covered wagons west, what did they use every month? What did Native American women use back when they owned the continent? What about Eve and her daughters? What did Sarah use? Well, Sarah was barren, so maybe she didn’t need them. But what about other women in the bible? Give it some deep thought. Queens and peasants, Pilgrims and Puritans, they all have one thing in common. They had to use something to catch their monthly flow. If you visit the Museum of Menstruation, you’ll discover all types of articles that inventive women have used over the years. Absorbent sea sponges and baby socks have been used as tampons. Animal fur, dried plant fibers, and various types of cloth have been used for pads.
The truth of the matter is that cloth pads are not weird. Disposable ones are. Disposable pads and tampons have been commonplace for less than 50 years. This means that pretty much all of the women who are currently menstruating have only been exposed to disposable choices for their monthlies. Pads or tampons seem to be the only option. This is very much a comment on our current society. We use everything once and then toss it away. Disposable feminine hygiene products are a big scam perpetrated by manufacturers who want to keep us on a leash so we have to keep buying their products. They are making as much as TEN to TWENTY Thousand dollars per woman over her lifetime. If you think of the millions of women in the USA alone, the profits are staggering!
At heart, I am a rebel. One of my goals in life is to be dependent upon as few manufactured products as possible. My life and my money are more valuable than that. My freedom is more valuable than that. I will not give myself over to disposable pads if there is a free or cheap alternative that gives ME control over my budget and my body. Modern consumerism is a crock. It is an illusion that makes us feel like we have a semblance of power over our lives, but really it’s just newspeak for letting commercialism and it’s attending obsessions consume us. Extricating ourselves from consumerism is frightfully difficult. The strings and layers it encompasses are sneaky little buggers that are hidden in all aspects of our lives. One of the ways that we can achieve more personal freedom and attain genuine control over our circumstances is to snip those strings every time we find a self-sufficient alternative. For me, this means turning to cloth pads exclusively.
I would rather get my hands wet than give Corporate America one more ounce of control over my budget or even more importantly, my body. There are so many things I have to buy that when I find something I can make for myself, it is reason for rejoicing.
Which brings us back to that bucket. An ice cream bucket with a lid works great. I keep mine under the bathroom sink so it’s not a topic of conversation. Most women keep their disposable products in the bathroom, and the bucket is the same thing. Stash it in a private place and don’t give it a second thought. When I drain the bucket in the mornings, I do it in the bathroom while I’m already in there and no one is the wiser. As I start the first load of laundry for the day, I dump the rinsed pads in there and they wash up with whatever else is in the laundry. The wet pads cannot contaminate the other clothes in the washer. Dirty clothes are dirty clothes. Mud, dust, grime, dishcloths that have been used on bloody noses, rags used to wipe up the floor, it all comes out in the wash. The clothes in the washer are getting clean and one type of dirt will not give cooties to another type of dirt. After the washer has run it’s cycle, all the laundry is clean and ready to start its life anew, sort of a fabric version of baptism.
I live in a house with boys. They are blissfully unconscious of what the bucket is for. They don’t even ask. When they help fold the laundry, they just put the clean pads in the “Mommy Pile” and assume it is part of the world of women that they don’t want to know about. When the boys were younger, and I had to wash my pads by hand with a clean plunger, I did it in the bathroom as part of normal, daily chores. They had no idea and no care what I was doing in there. I could have been cleaning the tub or the sink or the toilet as far as they were concerned. It was all the same thing to them. Now that they are older, and one is a teenager, they have chosen blissful ignorance about my pads. Sometimes I have dried them by hanging them individually on a string strung up in the shower. I close the shower curtain and the boys ignore them completely, the same way they ignore my bras and frillies when I hang them up to dry. Fred doesn’t even notice the pads anymore, or if he does, they are just a normal part of married life. He is married to a woman, and therefore there are feminine details he must get used to and accommodate.
When I must travel a lot during my period, I bring a few plastic zipper bags to store any used ones until I get a chance to wash them. In hotels they are easily washed by hand and dried by laying them over the tub, or for the more adventurous, by laying them over the heater in the room. Fresh pads can be stored in zipper bags and used as needed. Once we grow accustomed to the idea of using cloth pads, it seems like such a normal part of life, that the details become irrelevant. The details of brushing our teeth or washing our hair are mundane. No one is interested in them and we do them without a second thought. Cloth pads are the same way. Once we get into the cloth pad zone, it becomes abundantly clear that they are the best solution available. Our first thought may be “Ewww!” but our final thought is “Aaahhh!”
The Story Of The Woman With The Issue Of Blood
Mark 5:25-34
(25) And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,
(26) And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,
(27) When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.
(28) For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.
(29) And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.
(30) And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?
(31) And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?
(32) And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.
(33) But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.
(34) And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.
This article may be copied or linked to as desired. Please include a link back to hillbillyhousewife.com. The patterns I made are placed firmly in the public domain. They are not copyrighted and can be used however you see fit, even to sew and sell in your own home business.
I am so glad I found this website <3.
I am a teen girl at my bachlor brother's house and I'm doing the spotting of pre-period. I am under 16 so I don't have a driver's licence yet and the nearest store is about 8 miles away. Walking (unless I want to walk a few hours down an interstate) or driving there are out of the question.
So my two choices are: A: Take one of his torn up shirts that he never wears (and I know he's going to throw out) and have fun. or B: Tell him before he leaves "Hey! Can you pick me up some pads before you come home? Mother nature called!" and prepare myself for a game of 20 questions. UGH MEN!!!
A is sounding damn good! I also think that this is an awesome idea because I always had troubles with tampons/pads. Tampons always make me nauseous and force me to lay down with cramps strong enough to kill an elephant, while pads always seem to slip and lose their sticky (even with wings) so I have to change my panties at least twice a day (on top of the pads).
Thank you once again!
Sorry, bro, that ugly orange, green and blue thing you call a shirt will now become red too.
Hi Aurora –
This is a great idea yet if you ever are in a situation where you absolutely need disposables, don’t be afraid to ask your brother. All of my brothers were taught by both of my parents at a very early age to go to the store and buy maxi pads. It’s a very natural thing. The only way to deal with the discomfort is to address it head on…and treat it like the normal thing it is….just like you would ask for a bag of chips…just say (ever so casually) “hey, I’m on my cycle, grab me some maxis, the one with wings!” and never miss a beat. Believe me, he’ll get used to it. He’ll be like my dad when he found out we were on our cycle he’d say “Hey – you need me to grab you some maxis?” It is what you make it
I use re-purposed cloth from old shirts and/or WASHCLOTHS! I fold them until they are long and skinny and place them in the right area…done. the cloth on cloth prevent too much slipping, but for night time, I pinch up a fold of the cloth and tuck it between MY folds… With cloth, you can add as many layers as you need for absorbancy. I have also found that my cramping is almost completely GONE since I started using cloth. When I go to the bathroom to change my “Pad” I rinse the dirty one immediately with warm water and then let it soak in soapy water in a small bucket under my sink until the next change. then I rinse it once more and wring it out and put it in the laundry hamper for a final wash. and the cycle continues… Good luck!
Hey mama, I know this is an old thread, But you should always wash your pads in COLD water, Hot water makes blood stain. If you have stains, you can use peroxide to get most of it out. Also Fresh lemon juice and laying in the sun will help with the stains.
I finally made some pads and was doing so well for very light days using two layers of flannel for panty liners and four layers a little thicker pad with some nylon in between as a water resistant barrier. I felt so proud of myself! Then my next cycle was heavy! I leaked through 6 layers of flannel with nylon backing and despite using several of my four layer light pads on a base similar to the pattern you used, it did not even last for half an hour. I was in distress. After leaking through everything I had made, I finally decided to put one of my liners on top of the dreaded commercial pad, took the plastic covering I took off the pad and stitched it to four layers of flannel. Only then was I able to breathe a sigh of relief; the plastic barrier allowed the flow to spread over the entire pad and I was able to keep that one on for a couple hours. The I took the base pattern you used and inserted another plastic wrapper from a commercial pad, stitched it down and placed the other pads on top … NO LEAKS for a few hours …whew…. imagine me sitting around my sewing machine leaking through one pad whle trying to sew another. I was not amused at the time, but now I am. Since then I have ordered pul, bamboo and cotton batting and found that the batting worked better than the flannel as a soaker layer by actually allowing the flow to spread more evenly on the pad. Success at last! Ripstop nylon is the nylon I should have gotten instead of regular nylon and some people use fleece which they say is more breathable then pul.
Hopes this helps someone in the construction of their cloth menstrual pad. Peace
I suffer from PCOS as well, so I completely understand when you say cycles of “biblical proportions”! It’s lovely to spot one day, nothing for three, only to start spotting in the middle of the store w/no protection AT ALL! Or when you finally do start, you don’t stop for three months. That’s how I figure my regularity.. . . every spring, I bleed from April-June. Then nothing for nine months. Obviously heavy duty bleeding for three months can get rather expensive. I have been known to go through a 36 pack of disposables in a day and a half. My mother found this pattern online and suggested I make a large batch of them in various absorbencies. I LOVE this! I intend to make some pantiliners as well as the heavier duty pads. Like you, it is only boys in my house, but I think washing them in with the clothes would be easier to explain than the package of Kotex sitting on the back of the toilet (no cabinet space). Thanks for sharing!
This is MARVELOUS! I hate the feel of “plastic” and whatever else goes into the commercial pads and I’ve gotten to where I don’t like tampons. On the other hand, I have periods which are HEAVY for at least three days of the cycle and go through supplies like water. I don’t like paying for discomfort! I looked at the Gladrags site and felt there was no way I could justify spending that much money when I can sew. Then I found your site! I can’t wait to try this out. I’m going to hit the thrift stores for flannel things and use some of the old towels I’ve hung onto. Thank you so much!!!
I love your pattern and have been making them for a couple of years now. I too have a long flow that can last 4 months or 4 days I never know. I then go many months in between. I don’t like spending money I don’t need to. I am on a tight budget. I put cloth on my son. Other people put cloth on there kids. Why not on your own bottom? My mother thinks I’m crazy. This from the woman who taught me to cloth diaper my son? She is the crazy one. Go cloth! go us!
4 months is a very long time for a menstrual cycle. Ensure that your iron levels are being monitored by your doctor as they may be low with that much blood loss. Also, I’m assuming you are receiving regular check-ups by a medical professional and that the heavy, irregular blood flow is caused by fibroids and not something else.
I hear you with the Biblical proprotions too! I have fibroids. I used scrap quilt batting from a quilt group I made some from. I was paying almost $6 for the always purple super overnights. I’ve had some stress incontinence since I gave birth 12 years ago so always use a pad..
I love being able to make them really long. i stil l have leaks but I had that with regular pads too. One thing I really like is beign able to change them frequently on the super super suerp heavy days without thinking about wasting $. I was using 4 pads before every time. If you have any friends that quilt – ask them for scrap batting. I’ve been a reader for years! God Bless.
To make mine – I wrapped material around a rectangle quilt batting and then sewn 2 strips down the middle. One of these days I will try a “real” pattern.
I have made my own pads and loved them. I used a flannel baby changing pad on the bottom of mine to prevent leaking and it seemed to work very well. Walmart has carried the flannel changing pads in the past, I don’t know if they still do. You could probably find them on line. And I used cloth diapers for absorbency and cover with cotton fabric. They felt comforting when warmed from resting our bathroom dehumidifier!
Loved the entire post! Started making mine today.
I have also started to make my own cloth pads, but I am not using them for my periods as they have been gone for a long time now. I wear them for bladder issues…….you know when you sneeze or cough, and ummmmmmmm ooooops there goes a splitz of water in your undies…….they work wonders for that. Thankyou for this site as I now have another pattern to add to my collection. My friend is also interested because she has the same issues……..and I have made her a girlie pack of 4 pads for her to check out.
Thanks Ruth! I was just looking into making cloth diapers to talk the younger women and my own children around me into using cloth diapers like I did.
THEN, the thought of cloth pads came to me and I started looking for patterns. THEN< it came to me that these could also be used for bladder problems for me! I LOVE IT! I just hope I have the energy to make some for myself! I have a dog who I have to keep 'wrapped' or he marks all over my house! I use breast pads for him and am being convicted of throwing them away too, besides spending the incredible price! So, I'm off to figure that one out too! THANKS for this page! I enjoyed your ramblings!
i was wondering how well does this work with heavy i have a pretty heavy cycle a few days and im a busy mom student and full time worker and i dont want to have to worry about being embarrassed if you know what i mean. so please help me out because i would love to try this. i get soooo irritated by commercial napkins n i just know tampons are like the devil with all the chemicals in them. be blessed.
Although I don’t use these pads for periods, I do find them good for an overactive bladder at night. I would suggest maybe putting more padding in for your heavier days, and if you are nervous on how the outcome (no pun meant) would be, try using them on a day that you are going to be home all day and close to a bathroom. I think that with more padding, and obviously checking perhaps a little more frequently would be the trick to getting by with the cloth pads. They are soooooo much more comfortable. I am not a pro by any means on this, only passing on what would make sense to me. For the record, I never liked those tampons either…..Good luck
I was very concerned that I would leak through or “have accidents with these. But actually they are WAY better!!! I also used an old flannel baby changing sheet for the outer cover and then used an old baby blanket for the inner pads. They are SUPER soft and comfortable, I was not anticipating that (even though every one said it). Tampons also never worked for me I felt crampy with them and ended up taking them out immediately. And pads are usually pretty uncomfortable. I am so glad I decided to go with these – on my heaviest day I did not have any issues at al!
I’m definitely not embarrassed about this topic and I can’t WAIT to start making pads. So glad to have found your site!
Dear ladies….you will be surprised to hear that using home made cloth napkins is a regular practice here in India even NOW!!! and even this is affordable only for middle income (or richer) families. According to a recent study in India only 12 % women use sanitary napkins (the plastic ones as we get in supermarkets) or tampoons. Worst still in rural India women can not even afford cloths so they use things like ash, husk etc. and suffer innumerable health issues. Infact few non-profit organisations have started providing cheap, affordable and healthy napkins (same as you suggested here) to poor women at dirt cheap rates. I stumbled upon this blog while searching for some ideas on how to make cheap S. napkins for rural womens, one issue i feel strongly about. I would love to hear more ideas and also I myself am working towards making use of new technology (I am a scientist BTW) to make cheaper (remember in India and many other poor countries the meaning of cheap is very different than what it is in US) alternatives available.
Hi What scale do you use to print the pattern? Thanks!
Hello! I was wondering if using pre-fold cloth diaper material would work for the inner absorbent layer of the pad? thanks!
Sure. I’ve heard of cloth diapers being repurposed for this.
I haven’t made these ones in particular but what I did do, is laid out one of my pads that was using, stuck it to a piece of paper and traced around the outside of it, leaving it a bit larger for the sewing seam, also making the wings a bit longer in order to go around my underwear……..I just played around with it until I got the pattern that worked for me. Then when I was satisfied that this what I wanted, I traced it onto a piece of lightweight cardboard to help keep the pattern longer. Hope this helps out.
Glad to see comments here are recent and not ancient.
When I learned how much I could save by making my own comforts, I did. I created my own pattern according to my preference and realize that this is not only an investment economically, but for health of me and the environment.
I used a cheap pack of white terry cloth rags that I found in the automotive department at WalMart for the inner layer (painters rags are jersey material and a bit more difficult to sew, I think). Then I used 100% woven cotton in attractive prints that I found on sale in the fabric department at WalMart. I made a template 13″ x 8″ and cut 1 piece of terry cloth and 2 pieces of printed cotton, then sewed the layers together, leaving an opening, turned them right side out, and did a finishing stitch around the edge. Terry cloth frays easily, so I allowed up to a 1/2″ seam to compensate, resulting in a finished comfort around 12″ x 7″. Next, I straight stitched three 7″ lines, every 3″ across the length of the comfort. These lines made folding the comfort into a pad shape easy. To fold, bring the two 7″ edges in to the center line creating a double layer, then fold in half creating a quadruple layer of protection.
This design is very convenient and hygienic since there is only one piece that can be unfolded into one layer for washing.
After use, a comfort can be rinsed until the water runs clear, then placed in soaking pot filled with cold water, and a little bit of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Waiting several days to drain and empty the pot risks a lingering odor, so I find it best to drain every morning and refill with fresh, cold water, and baking soda and hydrogen peroxide, however, I don’t find it necessary to remove the comforts from the day prior. Rather by following the rinse, soak and drain method, comforts can be added to the pot daily. Upon the final draining of the pot, the comforts go into the washing machine, by themselves, as a small load, with a biodegradable detergent and a quarter cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle. Fabric softeners will degrade the comforts’ ability to absorb moisture by creating a moisture repellent surface on the cloth, but vinegar does not leave residue. The comforts can be dried in the dryer on permanent press.
Depending on how often a comfort is changed, 4-8 comforts per day is recommended. My supply contains 18 comforts for a 3-day cycle at an average of 6/day. I have a dainty cosmetic bag that I use to carry clean, fresh comforts on the go, and a waterproof lined matching bag to store used comforts, though I would still prefer to rinse first.
If anyone saw these bags in my purse, they could assume it was my cosmetics, tissues, nail file, or even a pouch full of paper, coupons, mini notepads, pens, etc. At home, my clean comforts are stored in a decorative, plastic box that could be used for hair accessories, photos, or odds and ends. If anyone notices my soaking pot on the floor beside the toilet, it looks like a bunch of cleaning rags waiting to be washed. Even the design of my comfort is non-descript, so that if a guy saw and inquired about it coming out of the dryer, it looks like a homemade hot pad that could be used to remove bakeware from the oven. I enjoy my privacy and worked hard when I made my comforts to conceal them, which is one of the reasons I didn’t hesitate to switch to cloth, because I so hated buying disposables in public.
One last cause for switching to cloth…manufacturers heap chemicals into their disposables that when in contact with moisture (i.e. your flow) release DIOXIN, a cancer-causing substance. This is true for diapers as well. Reasons to go cloth far outweigh the relative convenience of continuing to support the disposable industry.
I forgot to mention (as if I haven’t said enough…) that for greater overnight protection, two of the single layer, 12″ x 7″ rectangular comforts I made can be laid overlapping so that when the 7″ edges are folded to the center and then in half to make a 4-layer comfort, it will be extra long with an extra absorbent center.
Nice post, I like the cloth pads for the environmental aspect. For women who think cloth pads are not sufficient, I’d suggest a menstrual cup. It’s a one time investment and the cup lasts for years on end.
But what surprises me is how many problems American women have with their menstural cycles (well, or anything related to body & body fluids). Why is it all seen as ‘eeeew’ and ‘icky’ and ‘gross’?
It’s something very natural and imho it’s also a bit silly to try to make it one big secret and hide it from everyone. Every woman has a cycle and you bet that most men have heard about it.
Personally I don’t see anything wrong with explaining the kids what’s going on in a human body. Seriously, the man who “runs for cover in a sweaty, testosterone filled locker room. ” would be quickly shown the door! There’s nothing gross, icky or eeeww about a woman’s period.
And my boys are told what all that female stuff is for and told that this is nothing to be grossed out about.
I hope more women will start more natural menstrual products like cloth pads and menstrual cups and reconnect with their own bodies and stop being grossed out by themselves. Bye, bye to plastic napkins or scented pantyliners. We don’t stink, we aren’t dirty, we don’t need this stuff.
They put FORMALDEHYD in tampons! It is a poison gas. It is forbidden to use in some materials, but not in tampons….
Don´t use the commercials. They are poisoned. And we pay for that *bleep*.
I am so glad I found this post! Thank you for all your ideas!
I have been looking for an alternative to tampons for the longest time and I finally sat down and put more time into researching it tonight and I am so glad that I did.
Recently I have discovered that something is not right during my periods. I am a very active college student who tries her best to eat healthy (although ice cream is my weakness) and I have always had a very normal menstrual cycle until recently. I won’t go into specifics but BASICALLY using tampons has created a huge issue for me (not TSS) and I still have not discovered all of the ramifications yet, so I am being hopeful.
SO… Not happy. I run, swim and am just a very active person. I have never used pads because I hate the feeling of wearing a diaper throughout my day. Plus it is impossible to wear a pad and do a 3,000 yrd swim. Sorry it just is.
I have also looked into different menstrual cups, however I have found a couple postings from women who used them for a long period of time and then found out they were developing vaginal ulcers from the suction creating extra moisture for hours. Needless to say their gynecologist’s told them to stop using their cups immediately. So that scares me as well.
But I guess what I am trying to get to is that I am thankful for your post… I think I am going to try to make my own cloth pads and try it out just overnight… and then if I like it I will try it during the day… however I just cannot see me using it during my workouts, or even traveling. & I need to find something other than tampons or menstrual cups that works for me.
Question:
HAS ANYONE HERE WHO EXERCISES VERY VIGOROUSLY FOUND A GOOD OPTION THAT WORKS FOR THEM THAT DOES NOT HAVE SUCH A HIGH RISK OF INFECTION AND/OR EXPOSURE TO CHEMICALS?
Thanks again!
I don’t know if these are along the same line as the cups…I have, and have used, one. I’ve also used these:
http://www.softcup.com/
But…I also wear a panty-liner as “security”. Not environmentally friendly. But, then again, you can used a home-made pad as a backup.
I think if you use a cup while you exercise and a cloth pad when you’re not; you’d probably be okay. I personally have not seen any statements on cups causing problems, and I haven’t had any problems with mine.
Vivian, what you need is The Keeper, The Moon Cup, or The Diva Cup. I have been using one for the last 10 years and I love it! They last up to 10 years and you never have to worry about not having enough supplies with you. It is similar the soft cup above, but you reuse it over and over. It is by far the best thing for active women that I know of. It does have an upfront cost of 30 dollars or so, but after that you don’t have to spend anything for YEARS. Perfect for swimming, camping, foreign travel, and regular exercisers. I prefer The Keeper slightly over the others, but they are all similar.
siduri, you are right that we should be honest about what’s natural, however it is difficult or nearly impossible for someone to be reprogrammed as to how they were raised regarding private matters, and those boundaries remain for some of us.
I have been sharing the trend to convert to cloth with many of my friends but am amazed at how many disregard the environmental issue citing that their Christian values make them unconcerned about disposable waste since the Earth will come to an end anyway. They don’t put much stock into the health angle either since their physicians won’t tell them that disposables are unhealthy. And as far as expense goes, most of my friends tell me that they spend about $50 a year on disposables ($4 a month on a generic product) which amounts to $2,000 over a 40-year period, which they don’t find to be too much.
I wish I had an indisputable reason to present as to why cloth is better than disposables because my friends have shot down every reason I have given them.
I’m really glad I saw this article. I currently use a menstrual cup (best purchase I’ve EVER made!), and when I told one of my friends about it, she was completely grossed out at the thought of a reusable menstrual product. On the other hand, another friend of mine can’t use tampons or cups and gets a lot of irritation from the disposable pads, and was very happy to learn about cloth options. I’m going to be making her a set from this pattern!
Men don’t mind it! They are proud to have a woman taking charge of herself. Only women seem to mind but once we talk together we see how much sense this makes. Thanks for the detailed instructions!
So glad I found these. Thank you for posting. I made some today
)
about the cultural part of this discussion. i was raised by a practical mother who felt that, for instance, forewarmed was forearmed, so we kids were given a lot of information about our bodies. monthly ‘issues’ were moot. i was the only daughter with brothers, but i was not ashamed of bodily functions and the boys just had to deal. fast forward many years, married to a man from a much more conservative culture and our third child is a girl (after two boys). when she hit puberty, her dad wanted all evidence of monthly feminine products ‘hidden’ from the boys. nothing doing! i made it clear to him that, at least, in her own home, she did not have to hide. she had to take care of her own ‘stuff’, but it isn’t shameful or anything to be hidden. she has no interest in non-disposables and i won’t force it on her, but the example has been made. eventually when she is really paying her own bills, i bet she’ll opt for the less expensive, more responsible option.
Any ideas/patterns for an incontinence pad for a bed? I have a 7 yr old who sleeps so soundly that he doesn’t wake to go pee. Can’t tolerated steam cleaning his mattress or my couch one more time and Chux and the like are expensive and not covered by insurance…
As I told a friend of mine quite recently (as in, within half an hour ago), I’m honestly shocked at how long it took me to make the switch, given how heavy my periods were while I was using disposables. Granted, I grew up in a home where that time of the month was a huge hassle, and body image was a No-No topic. I’ve been using reusable products for almost a year now, and I’m not going back to disposables. Not even if I have to choose between the darn things or turning some of the clothes I’m wearing into a pad. I’d go naked before I’d ever use a disposable feminine product ever again.
Jacki:
For a reusable incontinence pad, take two layers of flannel (old flannel sheets would work great for this) sandwiched over a vinyl tablecloth. Cut it to whatever size you need for adequate bed coverage. You should be able to get at least two (maybe three) from each sheet set/tablecloth. Sew around the edge of the sandwiched layers to hold in place. If the tablecloth layer shifts around too much, you may need to sew an X from corner to corner. The flannel will be comfortable to lay on and the vinyl will keep the urine from leaking through to the bedding. I would also make an initial investment of mattress protectors on all the beds. Even though most of my kids (I do have one handicapped daughter still in diapers at 12) are beyond the bed wetting stage (and hubby and I as well!) all of our beds have waterproof mattress protectors on them. You never know when someone may get sick and vomit on a bed. I spent a pretty penny on our mattresses and want them to stay clean and odor free for life =-)