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Doing the Diaper Dance: A Celebration of Cloth Diapering
By Nicole Sallak Anderson
Web Exclusive
"What?" my husband asked me one night as I opened the package left by our UPS deliverer earlier in the day. "Did you say that diaper is a work of art? Why would anyone think a diaper is a work of art? After all, our kids go to the bathroom in them for goodness sake." I shook my head at him as I reached inside the box and pulled out a fitted diaper. It was made with unbleached sherpa terrycloth fabric and had bright rainbow serging around the sides. It was well made, simple and extremely elegant. I held it up for him to see. "What do you think now?" I asked him. "It's really cool," he replied, "are you sure you want him to mess in it?"
When I chose to use cloth diapers on my sons, I was introduced to an amazing cottage industry run by ambitious women who also happen to be very talented at the sewing machine. Their creativity and innovation has changed cloth diapering from a plain pre-folded diaper and pull up plastic pants to something much more exciting and fashionable. Today's handmade designer cloth diapers can be as beautiful as the sweaters you wear. They are thrilling to shop for and even more thrilling to receive in the mail. Opening up the delivered package can turn into a dance of joy as you get your first glimpse of the diaper. It is a "Diaper Dance" in celebration of the work of art you have just purchased.
When looking for diapers that will steal the spotlight in your children's wardrobe, there are many choices. Some of the best-looking items are usually either fitted diapers, covers or All-In-Ones. Whatever the choice, these handmade diapers are sure to have you doing the "Diaper Dance" every time you put one on your child's precious little bottom.
THOSE FANTASTIC FITTEDS
The fitted diapers on the market today come in all sorts of shapes and sizes.
They do not need pins so they go on easily, using either snaps or Velcro
to hold the diaper in place. Most fitted diapers still need a cover over
them to keep the moisture in.
The outer part of the fitted is where a lot of the artwork comes in. The choices are numerous and often times the designer's WebPages will contain several fabrics to choose from. Some common ones are flannel, knit, and sweatshirt material. When picking out fabrics to sell to her customers, Jennifer Schroeder, the designer and owner of Diaper Dance Diapers, says, "I look everywhere. I shop online, in fabric stores, even Wal-Mart." Her best selling diapers are definitely her knit diapers because people just love the printed fabrics. She offers seasonal prints for holidays such as Christmas and the Fourth of July. "The Christmas and winter prints sell the best," she says, "but second is definitely the Fourth of July. People can let babies run around without pants in the summertime and really show off those cute diapers and covers."
As for her choice in profession, "It is fun! I love seeing the finished product, but I also love starting the order. Getting all the materials together, choosing the prints and fabric types, the possibilities are endless!" There is also the joy of knowing her clients. In the diapering business lasting relationships are made between the client and the business owner. It is very common for customers to try out one or two diapers only to buy more later to complete their diapering system. The process of picking out fabrics for the diapers allows Jennifer to work one-on-one via email with her customers, thus forming these lasting relationships. People keep coming back to order more diapers from Jennifer not only for the quality of the product but also because she is a trusted friend.
THE CUTEST COVERS
Why bother getting cute fitted diapers if you have to conceal them with a cover
to prevent leaking? While many women choose to go coverless around the house,
when going out a cover is a must. This is why many designers offer absolutely
adorable wraps to wear over the diapers.
Cover and clothing designer Lisa Newberry, owner of HunnyBuns Custom Clothing, has found that people really appreciate custom made clothing to match their covers. On Easter Sunday little girls can be seen wearing her covers with their dresses to match! "It is so much prettier to see a little one in a cute cover than those plain old disposables," she says and her customers agree. Lisa makes each cover and dress for the individual child. When ordering customers give her the measurements for their children and she designs everything accordingly. Nothing is pre-cut and it is completely custom made. "I also make sure that everything is thoroughly inspected before it is mailed out. If I wouldn't put it on my child then I won't send it to a customer. I'll remake it if that is what it takes," she explains. It is this sort of quality that has helped her build up a list of loyal and returning customers.
Her wool, side-snap covers are selling very well as wool is a wonderful fabric for a diaper cover. It breathes, resists moisture and doesn't hold on to odors. She also makes wool pull-on covers from recycled, or as she calls them "rescued" sweaters. So if you can't wear that cute sweater you wore all the time before baby was born, drop Lisa a line. Perhaps she can turn it into something for your baby to wear! She admits that, "I am absolutely addicted to sewing. To me, it is the most relaxing thing I can do."
THE ULTIMATE ALL-IN-ONE
The All-In-One (AIO) is a fantastic option women have today when cloth diapering
their children. It is the diaper and the cover sewn together. They are as
easy to put on as a disposable yet much cuter to wear. There are many beautiful
designs available in the market; all you have to do is go to www.wahmall.com
to see the latest products up for auction. As in any fashion industry, there
are some diapers that stand out above the rest. One AIO considered by many
to be the "Cadillac" of cloth diapers is the "HoneyBoy fleece
All-In-One" created by artist Jody Mack.
The outer layer is a waterproof fleece and the inside is made from a decorative knit fabric. The tabs that keep the diaper in place are the same decorative knit print as the interior. Jody is always on the lookout for new patterns, and even uses brand new receiving blankets if the print is really cute. At times she will create a handmade appliqué to match the inner fa bric that is sewn on the backside of the diaper. One of her favorite designs is her "Dancing Frogs" diaper. It has a bright lime green outside shell and the tabs are adorned with adorable frogs wearing boxer shorts and dancing on a deep blue background. Scattered around the frogs are little butterflies hovering overhead and playing. The inside of the diaper is completely lined in with the same dancing frog pattern. It is a treat to see one and an even bigger treat to own one.
Jody explains her talent this way, "I never started out trying to be artistic in any way. I just wanted to make diapers for my son. As my design started to take shape and I got a little better at the construction part of it, I really started to have fun! Even now I just can't wait until the part where I have sewn the diaper together [and completed it]. It is almost like opening a present."
The HoneyBoy All-In-One is functional and beautiful, however you can't order one of these from Jody. She sells them only via auction online. While the average auction price is $50 - $60 per diaper, one of her first appliqué diapers went for $101! That may seem like a lot of money, but many of her customers agree: they are the best AIO diaper money can buy and collecting them can be very addictive.
A bit of good news for those who want a HoneyBoy, in the past year Jody has started sharing her designs, now certified "HoneyBoy" WAHMs can be found, allowing more of these diapers to be available for a more reasonable price. Many talented women offer this product as part of their business, benefiting all those out there who just love this diaper.
DOING THE DIAPER DANCE
I just ordered another pair of fitted diapers for my youngest son: one has
bugs and snails on it and the other has tractors and trucks. Every day I
check my email in anticipation to see if they have shipped or not. While
the wait for handmade goods may be much longer than something mass-produced
in a warehouse, that wait is certainly worth it. I know that when I open
the box inside will be one of the most beautiful and well-made articles of
clothing my son will wear. That is the feeling that keeps me doing the "Diaper
Dance" over and over again.
For more information:
Check out the latest handmade designs by Work At Home Moms (WAHM) by visiting WAHMall at www.wahmall.com
For a list of diaper providers, reviews and other diapering information browse the Diaper Pin website at www.diaperpin.com
Another great Diaper Company list for all your fashionable diapering needs is http://diapering.tripod.com/diaperlinks.html
To check out Jennifer Schroeder's fitted Diaper Dance diapers see www.DiaperDance.com
For Lisa Newberry's custom made dresses and covers see www.hunnybuns.com
To view Jody Mack's HoneyBoy All In One Fleece diapers or to order a pattern
for her diapers see www.geocities.com/honeyboydiapers/hbhome
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