Available on YouTube: ArmindaHeart's "How to sew a cloth diaper"

Check out ArmindaHeart's YouTube tutorial on "How to sew a cloth diaper."  It's based on an easy, beginner-friendly sewing pattern with 1-inch wide velcro closures.  The soaker cloth is folded in half, lengthwise, then encased into the nappy. First, sew a waterproofing, eco-PUL fabric for the exterior, with flannel-backing.  Then, sew the velcro closure system onto it. Next, you'll attach your absorbant layer, such as a 500 gsm weight bamboo and organic cotton soaker liner into the middle. You may need to fold it in half lengthwise to make it more leak-proof. Last you'll sew two layers of smooth flannel to the interior of the entire nappy, to prevent chafing with flat, elastic-encased seams. Cover-stitching is more stretchable for the nappies in this last step. Some sergers don't have this feature though. The velcro closure is easier than a metal snap system for beginners, because it doesn't have to be lined up perfectly. Try to find old flannel, flat bed sheets and cotton terry towels at the thrift stores, to make this on a tight budget.

You can always ask at the local arts centers if they're offering beginner sewing lessons, with sewing machines available for rental.  Groupon and Living Social websites also offer discounted sewing lesson packages for beginners too. Sometimes it's more economical to get a membership to the arts or sewing centers, in order to finish your new baby layette projects with an experienced sewing instructor, and not buy the expensive equipment until you aquire the basic fabric cutting, pinning and interpreting sewing pattern skills. The seam allowances are necessary to keep in mind when interpreting sewing patterns too. Also, pressing all seams with an iron correctly is a challenge for beginners without experienced instruction.

Look for reconditioned sewing machines, with a 1 year free parts and labor warranty from a Better Business Bureau member.  You can get a better machine, with more features (500 stitches vs 200) than new that way.  It needs to be recalibrated, so the stitches actually run true. Over time the needle holding parts can actually warp with high volume use or heavy fabric. If it's over five years old, try to negotiate for a new foot pedal attachment for it also. That can wear down over time and affect the machine's motor speed not running consistently for you. For beginners, it's especially important that you can use the foot pedal to go at a slower, controlled speed, and have that extra time to pull the sewing pins out.

Plug it in, auto-thread at least one black thread spool, and sew a quick, white, standard-sized pillowcase to see how straight the stitches are, in each stitching mode, using both the foot pedal and the auto modes.  Bring junk fabric along (like an old, white, flat bed sheet) and black thread for testing your used sewing machine before you actually purchase it. Assign one half of your junk fabric to the foot pedal test and the other half to the auto mode to check for straight, consistent width, non-dropped stitching. Try to stitch two full circles, with a 10-inch circumference on the free stitching mode too. One free-stitching circle on foot pedal mode and the second free-stitching circle on the auto mode. Make sure you get a free instruction manual, that's well-written and clearly illustrated with the reconditioned machine.