Bramblestitches

So much to learn, and not enough space to write about it

One of the benefits of completely immersing yourself in a pursuit is that you learn so much about it. As a matter of fact, you can learn so much that you might start to think of yourself as somewhat of an expert. An authority, even. You might get the idea to spread the word about said pursuit, and while writing an article about it you might do a little research in order to locate studies to backup your claims and opinions.

This is where we pause to discuss the ramifications of this step.

My "intro to sewing cloth diapers" article has exploded into an eight page and counting thesis.
My instructions for sewing a basic fitted diaper now have a bazillion options for turning the pattern into a contour, an AIO, a stay-dry, a pocket diaper. Turn and topstitch, serger edges, FOE binding.
The section on washing diapers now has info on detergents, pH, additives, pure soap (and why it's baaad), and how to take care of "problems."
The section on cloth diaper benefits now includes a "myth buster" section to dispel all the nasty rumors you've heard about cloth, and all the dark secrets disposable diaper manufacturers don't want you to know.
Now I have realistic figures to show how much money one can save by cloth diapering vs. disposable diapering, even factoring in the cost of the diapers, the utilities, and detergent for washing them.

Not all of this information will fit into my article. Much of it will remain as a supplement online either here on my blog or on a website I'll be launching shortly (don't worry, there'll be a big huge link to it from my blog). It's hard to decide what important information to cut, but when it comes right down to it, I have to keep in mind my original aim: an article to make cloth diaper sewing and using accessible to EVERYone. Not just people with sergers. Not just people who can order hard to find fabrics on the internet. Not just people who live a few miles away from the perfect stocks-everything-you-need fabric store.

I know you're dying for more info, too, so rather than tease, check out some of these great links:

I just can't believe how much information there is "out there" about cloth diapering. Many of these I've seen before, but some of them I'm just discovering.

Check out Real Diaper Association, a non-profit cloth diaper advocacy group.

Several excellent diaper information resources:
The Diaper Pin
The Diaper Hyena
Diaper Jungle

Great cloth diaper fabric retailers:
Wazoodle
One Stop Diaper Shop
Malden Mills
SewShoppe

Some super diaper patterns:
Chloe Toes Diaper Pattern
PooPockets and Diaper Covers Deluxe
HoneyBoy!
Cuddlebuns

Free Diaper Patterns and Sewing help:
Diaper Sewing
MamaBird Diaper

Decisions, additions, opinions

My diaper article is mostly finished, the pattern is nearly perfected, and the samples are coming along great.

Right now I'm at the point where I have to decide how to present the pattern. I've designed it so that it will enlarge proportionately on a photo copier. Currently I have a half pattern at newborn size, so readers could trace it as is, then enlarge it for larger sizes. I've also toyed with the idea of printing a full pattern in a much reduced size. It would be sized for a dolly. A full, multi-size pull out is not an option, however if I spread the pattern over three pages, I'd be able to offer the multi-size half pattern. Readers would then have to trace and tape together. If you were the reader, what would you prefer?

Also, if you were totally new to cloth diapering, what would you want to know? Or perhaps a better question, if you've been CDing for a while, what do you think newbies would find helpful?

Here are some of the things I've already covered:
Styles of cloth diapers, including flat folds, prefolds, contour, fitted, all-in-one.
Number of diapers to start with.
Fabric descriptions.
Washing diapers, including a basic routine, what to do when you have laundry problems, and a bit on detergents.
Sewing a basic fitted diaper, using the included pattern, plus variations to make a contour and all-in-one.
Diaper doubler, waterproof diaper covers, and washable wipes.
Plus a side bar for a few great online diaper fabric stores.

If you have a favorite source for diaper making supplies, or any other questions or suggestions about the article, please let me know in the comments!

Rough Draft

Just when I think I've got it right, I change it again. The pattern, that is. The article is coming along very nicely, and thanks to Erin's comment yesterday, I even remembered to talk about how many diapers you need (not less than three dozen, if sanity is a long-term goal).

The silly pattern is coming along. I thought I had it done, and even got it onto the computer and everything, then I decided to tweak it a bit more. I made a few more test diapers, changed my instructions a bit, and now I'm pretty happy. There's still something a bit funky with the leg elastic, but I'm working on that. Here are the test diapers, with the latest version in front.

Cloth goes public

Well, the time has come for me to rejoin the world of writing. For several years now I've worked for Backwoods Home Magazine in the capacity of editor and layout artist only, but years ago I used to write, too. So to get back into the swing of things, I'm putting together a whiz-bang article about cloth diapers and how to sew your own. Of course one of the best parts about the article is the free pattern that will be included, which I'm in the process of drafting now. Here's the first test-version of the new diaper, made with flannel and terry cloth. I think it looks pretty good!

Part of my aim with this article is to make cloth-diaper-sewing accessible to everyone. You don't need any special tools, serger, snap-press, or hard-to-find materials to make these. The diaper pictured is made with a serger, but the finished pattern will only need a regular sewing machine.

Here's the inside view, next to a clean load of diaper laundry. We've been cloth diapering for over three years, now, since the day we brought Miss O home. When you do something every day for that long, you get a pretty good handle on what's important and what's not. And what's important in diapers is that they're easy to thoroughly wash and dry. That's why these are aren't too thick, with three layers of flannel and only one layer of toweling inside. The extra absorbency comes from a lay-in doubler--an additional piece of toweling or absorbent cloth that folds up and sets inside the diaper. Just this simple modification makes diapers like these a zillion times easier to wash, and drastically reduces the drying time. I remember the very first diapers I ever made took THREE HOURS in the dryer. Nobody can afford that kind of utility bill every month, not to mention the backed up laundry it caused. These can dry in a regular cycle with no problem, and in just a few hours on the laundry line.

Stacks

I had a fairly productive weekend. I've been trying to figure out a way to use some of my novelty fat quarter cuts, and finally I decided to make baby bibs. Most of the fabrics don't coordinate with anything else in my stash, so turning them into a quilt wouldn't have worked unless I went out and bought a whole mess of new fabric (mess being the key word).

I've put a layer of "warm & natural" batting inside, and the back is a white chenile bedspread that was damaged. I'll put pearl snaps on all of them, but I need to put in a big snap order first. These will be for sale soon on my BLOG (not on Etsy) so check back often.

I've also made a new batch of cloth menstrual pads. These also use some leftover flannel bits from sewing diapers. All they need are some snaps.

On a roll!

I’m so proud of myself. I’m finishing projects! (Hey, Mom! Did you hear that? I’m FINISHING stuff! Isn’t that exciting?)

This week I:

 Finished two custom-ordered baby girl sweaters. They came out beautiful! I couldn’t find suitable buttons for them, so I decided to knit some buttons, and they are just perfect. Blocked them, made pretty tags, and packaged them up for two very special January babies.

 Made a custom-ordered pair of baby shoes.

 Knit a few dishcloths (including the “ball-band dishcloth” featured in Mason-Dixon Knitting), and crocheted three new potholders for us. I was given a lovely set of these potholders as a bridal shower gift, and always intended to figure out the pattern. Finally did! Used up about one pound of Peaches & Crème yarn. (Still have almost two pounds to go.)

 Reattached a button to my favorite dress, which has been languishing on the mending pile for two years. (TWO years—for ONE button… sigh.)

 Undid the crocheted seams of a baby sweater I knit before I was married, then re-did them properly using mattress stitch. Removed the too-small buttons, and replaced them with a larger set. Now the sweater is blocking on the ironing board.

 Finished frogging a handknit thrifted sweater. The yarn is beautiful peach mercerized cotton, about dk or light worsted weight.

 Also frogged a half-knitted garter stitch blanket, after I realized I had mixed dyelots. I never really liked it anyway.

 Finished two “heartbreakingly cute” baby sweaters featured in Mason-Dixon Knitting. I started them sometime in the fall. Both are cotton (one knit from the above mentioned cotton). Knit a little hat to go with one.

 Crocheted a fluffy scarf using the biggest crochet hook I’ve ever seen in my life. Used up several odd-ball skeins of Lion Brand “Jiffy” yarn that I’ve had for ages. Some of it was leftover from a lap blanket I made for The Man when we were dating, some was my Baba’s, and one skein I recognize as the leftovers from a sweater Grandma Kathy knit for my middle brother.

 Made 14 cloth menstrual pads using the incredibly excellent pattern and directions from Adahy (http://shewhorunsintheforest.googlepages.com), and by so doing, reduced my flannel stash a bit. Also gave the snap press a little exercise. These are great! I love them. And anyone who is suffering under the delusion of ickyness--I've been cloth diapering for almost three years, now. This is way less gross.

Boxed up a bunch of hand-knitted hats to send to the Dulaan Project. More about that here: http://www.fireprojects.org/dulaan.htm

Cut out a bunch of new shoes for the shop. Look how cute!

Whew! Time for a hot tea break. :)

Unfinished Diapering Objects

In between picking E up from the rifle range after a vehicle malfuction and hitting the grocery store for fajita fixin's, I worked on finishing up some cloth diapers that I've had cut out for months. Two will fit Little G, and the other five are for Miss O. I don't have any photos to share, because they're not done yet. I still have to apply the snaps, but I'm waiting for my order from The Snap Store arrives.

*17 August-- My snaps arrived, and I finally pulled out my handy-dandy heavier-than-all-get-out snap press yesterday. All the diapies are all snapped up, and most of them have made it into the laundry already.*

Chloe Toes Diaper pattern

This diaper pattern is available from Catharine at  www.chloetoesboutique.com

Diapers and doublers cut from a queen-size fitted flannel sheet. I was able to get six medium size diapers (3 layers of flannel each) out of the sheet, and with the bits that were too small, I cut a bunch of flannel doublers. I'll combine these with the yellow microfiber towels below to make some quick-dry lay-in doublers.

Micro-fiber doublers

In order to add lots of absorbency to diapers without sacrificing quick drying time, I make microfiber and flannel "doublers" to lay inside the diapers. These are cut from thick water-absorbing microfiber towels, but many other materials work well for these. Natural fibers work best, but there are a few exceptions to that rule, including these microfiber towels, and a polyester knit called "alova suedecloth." For these doublers I'll use two layers of these towels, plus two layers of flannel. I just serge the whole stack together, but a wide zig-zag around the edge will work just as well.

Sewing diaper inners

This is the lazy, but extremely effective way to sew absorbent layers into a diaper. The pink thing is a microfiber towel, folded in half, and zig-zagged onto the inner layer of the diaper. I trimmed away the extra towel from the leg area. I only used one towel, because it is very important that these diapers dry quickly in the dryer (not more than one cycle) or on the clothesline (in one day).