Free reusable sanitary towels sewing pattern!

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We're giving you a free sewing pattern for you to make reusable sanitary towels to donate to charity!

Whether you’re trying to be more environmentally conscious, want to donate something useful to charity or even make sure your daughter is never caught unprepared, our free reusable sanitary towels sewing pattern is a sustainable and sensible solution.

These reusable sanitary towels fold up into a subtle pouch making them perfect for keeping in your bag for emergencies – an ideal choice for young women who are still getting used to their menstruation cycle.

You could also donate them to charities or food banks, as no woman should ever have to struggle with being able to afford sanitary products. The fact that they’re reusable and can be easily washed means they’re both a sustainable and economical alternative to disposable products.

If you’re new to sewing, you might find it helpful to explore our tutorials for beginners. Check out our sewing for beginners and sewing kits for beginners guides.

How to make reusable sanitary towels

You will need

Outer fabric (cotton/ jersey/ flannel or fleece)
Bamboo 3D diamond Zorb (or towelling)
ProSoft bamboo fleece with 1ml PUL (alternatively another layer of cotton/ jersey/ flannel/ fleece and a single layer of PUL)
Snap fasteners: 2 per pad
Snap fastener tool
Matching thread
Basic sewing kit

Notes

Seam allowance is 1cm, unless otherwise stated.
Download the templates here.

Suggested fabrics / Materials used

You need a fabric for the top and bottom and the inner pad layer/s. We used cotton for the tops and ProSoft bamboo fleece with PUL for the backings but you could use regular fleece and a separate leak-proof period-proof pad backing like PUL, TPU, or wool backing.

Natural fibers are great for absorbency, like cotton, hemp, or bamboo for the inner pad. Towelling could work well and you can layer up 2 or 3 and sew together for extra absorbency. Some synthetics also absorb well and do resist stains a bit better. They can be less breathable though, so keep that in mind.

As for layers — if you need a thicker pad, use more layers. If you just want liners, use less.

You can buy specialist fabrics at Cuddle Plush Fabrics but this is also a great stash busting project if you have any of the above fabrics in your stash.

Cutting out

Print off the template twice or trace off the dotted line section onto a separate sheet of paper, this is the template for the inner pad.

Cut one of the main pad template in your top fabric (cotton) and one in the Prosoft bamboo fleece with PUL. Cut the inner pad from bamboo 3D diamond Zorb.

If you are using a separate PUL backing you will need to cut this out from the main template too.

You can zig zag stitch or overlock around the inner pad to prevent fraying but it’s not essential.

Making the pad

Step 1

With the cotton top right side (RS) down, place the Zorb pad in the centre, pin in place and stitch around with a 0.5cm seam allowance. Turn over so the top fabric is RS up.

Step 2

Place the fleece backed PUL fleece side down on the cotton top so RS are together and the PUL backing is facing out. Clip in place (pins will create holes in the PUL which can increase leakage). Sew around the edge with a 1cm seam allowance and leave a 4cm gap in one of the wings to turn the pad through.

Step 3

Clip the corners, snip into the curves carefully making sure not to cut through your stitches. Trim back the seam allowance to 0.25cm except in the wing with the gap you turned through.

Step 4

Give the pad a good iron and turn the seam allowance at the open wing to the inside. Topstitch all the way around the pad with a 0.5cm seam allowance.

Adding snaps

Step 5

Mark the holes for the snap fasteners on each of the wings, centering it and measuring in approx 1.5cm from the outer edge(if you don’t have snap on fasteners you can use sew on snaps or hook and loop tape).

Step 6

Apply the snaps according to the directions for your snap tool making sure that one popper faces up and the other faces down. These pads fold up nicely into a little parcel which is great for once they are used!

Sewing to soothe you

If you’re someone who struggles with period pain, many people find heat pads can help, and you can save money and make your own with our free DIY heat packs sewing pattern.

Ingrid Devaux

Ingrid is a former Production Editor of Simply Sewing magazine, blending a passion for crafts with an eye for detail. She is curious and always eager to learn.

Outside of work she immerses herself in the world of crochet or jewellery-making, bringing her creative visions to life. Aside from her love for crafting, nature and animals hold a special place in her heart.

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