Replacing Hook & Loop on bumGenius Diapers

I bought Refesher Kits for my bumGenius pocket diapers months ago. At a $1 a piece it seemed a better option than buying more pocket diapers for our next baby. But then the Laundry Tabs, Hook & Loop and elastic just sat in the drawer until I got my new sewing machine for my birthday. Since then I have replaced the Hook & Loop and Laundry Tabs on five out my nine bumGenius that needed repair. It’s been a slow process.

The stitch ripping took much longer than I anticipated. To remove the Hook & Loop from nine diapers took me about two hours.

It was especially hard not to snag the stretchy tabs the Hook & Loop is sewn to. Attaching the laundry tabs actually proved to be the easiest part, though some of mine are crooked. But they work great.

Attaching the new Hook & Loop was harder. First of all, you can’t pin through the Hook & Loop so I had a hard time keeping in straight. My first set was quite crooked. I also succeeded in breaking my first sewing machine needle. Apparently I should have used a larger needle to go through two layers of Hook & Loop. Oops.

I finally discovered a trick which has worked thus far. First I sew the loop side of the Hook & Loop (the soft side) onto the diaper. Then I sew the hook side (the abrasive side) to the loop side. This way the abrasive side doesn’t scatch against the throat plate of the sewing machine and the Hook & Loop is much less crooked. I no longer have to try to sandwich the stretchy tab between two pieces of Hook & Loop while trying to sew straight and prevent sewing my own fingers in the process.

Now if only I could figure out how to replace the loop strip across the front of the diaper. I know that the elastic is far beyond my capabilities, though a replacement set was included with the Hook & Loop. Has anyone else figured out an easy and efficient way to replace the elastic and the “landing strip” without ruining your diapers?