KAM Snaps Review & Giveaway

~~~THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED~~~

If you have been using cloth diapers for a while you have heard about snap pliers and presses. The huge craze of using the BG 3.0s also has led many women into converting them from aplix to snaps because the aplix wears out so fast. My BG 3.0 started showing wear right away and the aplix looked pathetic even though I've only had the diaper since January. I knew it wouldn't be long before I would need to convert it to snaps. I had put aside a few diapers that didn't fit Ethan well (mostly wing droop issues) and needed to sell them. It occurred to me that I could use the snap pliers to alter these diapers into fitting him correctly instead of selling them!

KAM Snaps sent me a pair of snap pliers to try out for my conversions and alterations on my cloth diapers. I was really excited to see how these work. I have read mixed reviews on cloth diaper message boards about using snap pliers versus snap presses. Really, the snap pliers were easy to use. Perhaps those on the  message boards were not using a KAM snap pliers! A snap press would be more convenient if you made and sold cloth diapers, but other than that the snap pliers are great (and much cheaper).

I had two diapers that I converted from aplix to snaps: BG 3.0 and a Thirsties DUO. As you can tell from the pictures the aplix on the Thirsties DUO was in much worse shape! I am shocked that the DUO didn't wear very well. Both my BG 3.0 and the Thirsties DUO still had lots of wear left in the diapers so I felt that it was worth the little time that it took to convert the diapers. I took step by step photos of the Thirsties DUO conversion since there is a great BG 3.0 tutorial and video on KAM Snaps site. However, I want to point out that I also sewed tabs to my diapers before conversion because if you simply cut off the velcro and then add snaps to the existing tabs you are loosing valuable space. By sewing on the extra tabs you are not using any width to your diaper and depending on how long you make your tabs you can actually gain width in your diaper. I think the BG 3.0 runs really small in the width anyway so that is why I sewed on extra tabs.

Thirsties DUO Conversion

Upclose photo of the yucky aplix.

First you have to take off the existing aplix with a seam ripper.On the Thirsties DUO the aplix is sewn into the edge of the diaper. When you reach the end, take a pair of sharp sewing scissors and cut very close to the edge. Be careful not to cut the edging or your diaper!

The diaper after you have removed the aplix.

Next you need to decide what size of tabs you will need for your diaper. I did not measure this part. I feel that this is something that each cloth diaper mama needs to decide on depending on the built of her baby. Keep in mind you'll have a little bit used for the seam allowance. You also want to make sure there is enough over lapping the old tabs and doesn't create a thick seam where you want to place a snap. I have leftover PUL that I used to create my tabs with and I also used some scrap fleece inside the tabs just for added thickness. I think that scrap flannel would work just as well for the tabs. You do not need to go buy PUL just for the tabs!

Next step is to sew the sides of the PUL and then slide in the piece of fleece inside.

 Pin the tabs on tucking in the raw edges.

 Sew on the tabs.

 Add the snaps to the tabs. I was sent a few of these cute colored snaps so I thought I would make this diaper extra colorful :-)

 Re-measure your snaps on the tabs to figure out how far apart you will need to have them on the diaper. Measure and mark where the snaps need to be placed. This was my first diaper to convert so it doesn't look perfect by any means!

 Add snaps

The Thirsties Duo after conversion!

BG 3.0 Conversion

I have to admit my second diaper looks better!

Converting Large Sized to One Sized!
I love one sized diapers and often wonder why not everyone uses them. They are great and save money! I have a few sized diapers, but not many. I have 1 large sized Happy Heiny and 1 large sized Mother's Ease Diaper Cover that I wanted to turn into one sized. Did you know that really a large sized diaper is the same as a one sized? I had purchased the large HH diaper over a year ago because I found it for really cheap online and I was also interested to see how a large sized one compared to the HH one sized. Basically it's the same size. If you have snap pliers you can keep your eye out for new and used diapers for cheap and convert them yourself! Another idea is if you like to have small or medium sized diapers you can add more snaps to fit smaller babies. It would be like the concept of the Thirsties DUO that way you get a better fit, but still have the convenience of having a "one size" diaper.

Fixing Wing Droop!
I have several diapers that just do not work on Ethan anymore because of leak issues caused by wing droop. This mainly happens with one row snap diapers, but there are also some designs (like the HH in snaps) that had the same issues. Some of these diapers work fine on infants, but once you have a toddler and they are running everywhere it becomes an issue.  I had these diapers stored away and I said I would sell them, but never got around to it. I was able to fix all of these diapers by adding a hip snap and now they fit and work perfectly! I am super excited about this. A word of advice about adding hip snaps. Check first to see if your existing snaps on the diaper will fit the new ones. I realized that even though they may be the same size, they may not fit into one another. The only diaper that the snaps matched and worked perfectly was on my Sweet Pea One Size Diaper. 

Just Adding More Snaps! 
I'm not too fond of fold-over one sized diapers and my husband is just totally confused by them. I took my Mommy's Touch Aplix diaper and added snaps because it is a fold-over type. I love my Mommy's Touch diaper because it is large like a HH and have never had leak issues. It's really a fabulous diaper. However, knowing it is a larger sized diaper like the HH I want the convenience of having the snaps. I added a few rows of snaps to my Mommy's Touch. I also added one more row than I typically would because this diaper is so large and I would like it to fit smaller than an 8 lb baby (if I'm so lucky to have one that small next time :-)

Final Advice and Thoughts!

I am convinced now that every cloth diapering mama needs a pair of snap pliers! Look at all the changes you can make to a variety of diapers? Purchasing snap pliers is very economical and you can change your diapers to fit your baby better. I didn't even mention what a great tool this is for a variety of craft or sewing projects!

Advice:

• Practice a few times on scrap material before you start on your diapers.
• Pocket diapers that open at both ends (or sleeve diapers) are the easiest diapers to work with. The other types just take a little longer, but the end result is well worth the time spent.
• Please consider sewing on tabs for the diapers you are converting from aplix to snap. You are loosing precious room in the width if you don't!
• Make sure when you are adding snaps that there is 2 to 3 layers of material where they will be placed. There is 2 reasons for this: 

1. I've experienced that you need 2 layers for the snaps to tighten down properly.
2. Your material won't stretch as much (or threaten to tear!) if you have 2 layers. If you don't have 2 layers then just cut out little scraps of material to use behind the snap. It just needs to be slightly larger than the size of the snap. I prefer fleece because it will not unravel with an unfinished (not sewn) edge.

I hope my photos and instructions were helpful. If you have any questions or problems drop me an email (smell_the_rose@yahoo.com) and I would be happy to help!

Buy It! You can purchase directly at KAMSnaps.


WIN IT! KAMSnaps is giving away one $20 Gift Certificate to a Take Time to Smell the Rose Reader!  

Also check out their blog for their series of Holiday Giveaway Marathon that is going on until December 19th! Over $3000 in prizes will be awarded. The first giveaway ends September 26th so go enter now!

 

You have the chance to enter several entries by the doing the following. Each one counts as 1 entry unless otherwise specified. I am now making it a requirement to follow my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect to enter my giveaways.

• MANDATORY ENTRY(You also must be following my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect)-counts as 1: AND visit KAMSnaps and tell me what colors of snaps you would like to try. Also please share what diapers you plan on converting.  

• Subscribe to my blog via email with Feedburner (on right side bar).
  

• Blog about my giveaway before Sept 28th, linking back to this giveaway. Leave the URL where you blogged.

• Grab my  Take Time to Smell the Rose button. Leave URL where it is posted.

• Grab my Take Time to Share Your Giveaway Sunday button. Leave URL where it is posted.

• Grab my Bump 2 Baby event button. Leave URL where it is posted. 

• Follow Smell_the_Rose AND KAMSnaps on Twitter AND tweet about this giveaway. After initial "tweet" you may gain an extra entry each day. Limit 1 tweet a day.  Leave URL where you tweeted in your comment. Please use this copy & paste tweet:

Win a $20 GC and convert your cloth diapers from @KAMSnaps and @Smell_the_Rose. Ends 10/04 #giveaway #clothdiapers http://tiny.cc/KAMSnaps

• Follow the KAMSnaps blog through Google Friend Connect. 3 entries!

•  Grab the KAMSnaps button for your blog. Leave URL where it is posted. 3 entries!

•  'Like' KAMSnaps on Facebook and write on their wall that I sent you (even if you are already a fan). 3 entries!

**Leave your email on each comment. You must do this in order to win!**

Giveaway ends Monday, October 4, 2010 at 9:00 p.m.(CST) Winner will be drawn by the random number generator at Random.org and will be notified by email. Winner will also be announced on this blog. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn.

This giveaway is open to USA residents ONLY . Must be 18 years old or older to win.

The thoughts and opinions expressed on my blog are my own and are not swayed by any monetary or product compensation. I received a snap plier set with snaps and no other compensation was received. 

 

~~~THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED~~~