new question added, post #15 - best patterns for knitting WOOL covers and longies!

[Peace+Hope]

thanks for reading and for any help!

i am finding so much info, and so many patterns. and many of the "resource" links are old or broken. and most patterns don't speak to how well they work, just how cute they are.

ANY patterns you have for knitted (not using recycled sweaters, i want to knit) covers and longies that are practical for diapering!

i hope for some simple ones - knitted in the round?

[Michigan Mama]

I don't have time to post links at the moment, but I've used and liked curlypurly for soakers and itchy fingers for longies...

there are also lots of patterns on ravelry.com. It's free to join, then I just look for the free patterns.

[Peace+Hope]

thanks, michigan mama. i am on ravelry, i just don't feel confident enough not having made these things w/out more opinions about the patterns i read.

i need guidance! i just printed out the curly purly yesterday, reading it over and over to make a list of what i'll need to find help with in the pattern. not sure i've come accross the itchy fingers longies.

i'd love to hear people's experiences with the practicality of the patterns they've used. do hand-knit items for diapering have as good functionality as say, disana (sp?) products? i've seen one of those, and they seem thicker than what i imagine most patterns i'm looking at would turn out.....

sooooo needy

[honeybunmom]

First off, any soaker is only as good as the diaper under it. Then you've got to lanolize it, too. It's the lanolin in the wool that makes it hygroscopic - able to absorb moisture. So, then it becomes a matter of your personal preference for the fit. And, no one can tell you what you'll like best. Or the construction. Again, personal preference.

I've found the Sheepy Pants pattern to be nice and easy. I think she has construction from the top (waist) or from the bottom (cuff of legs). The Wonderpants pattern has more of a cargo style leg (read: wide) and uses the magic loop method for knitting two legs at once. I think the Little Turtle Knits pattern is easy with a nice fit, too.

Shouldn't forget that the weight of the wool can have an impact as well. A lighter weight wool is going to produce a lighter fabric that some might say is better for day wear - meaning 1 soiling or so. Heavier (aran weight or bulky) wool or sturdier wools (like Peace Fleece, ramboulliet, Little Turtle Knits farm wool, Blackberry Ridge Merino or Cestari superfine merino) might be better options for night time. Personally, I also like Gaia Organic Merino - pills like crazy, but it is an aran weight (although sold as bulky) which I think does a good job.

Hope that helps!

[fwlady]

This is something that I have been having crazy fun doing lately. The reason I have barely been on the computer. Now, I will first say that my first knitted project was a yarn bag that started out as some shoties. From there, I went to longies. I used the "Baby Bell bottoms" pattern first. This used a straight needle, and went from the cuffs up. I did one longies with it. Not too crazy about the technique, although the pants are too cute.

My fav pattern, starting with the waist and goes down, is the Yarny Bits pattern. I LOVE this pattern. I have since made 1 longies with the BBB pattern, and 2 in the Yarny Bits. I am now doing a small pair, as the others were for my 2yo son in the YB pattern. I really prefer it.

And, we use acrylic yarn and have been as happy with it, as I am my fleece covers. My family has a huge history of a wool allergy, so I am afraid to pay the extra for wool yarn, and then have the baby or my 2yo be allergic to it. They work well for us, because my son isn't a heavy wetter. And, his diapers are pretty absorbant. Kymberli

[mum06]

I use the Little Turtle Knits Picky Pants pattern. It was $12 to download, but I have used it more times than I can count. I am an impatient (but experienced) knitter; I don't like picking up stitches for leg cuffs or buttons or sewing up seams or anything. I'm not into wool for fashion, just practicality. This pattern knits from the waist down in the round, and if you are an experienced knitter, you can tweak things here and there (like knitting both legs at the same time on one long circular needle). I also like to use cheaper wool (patons and lionbrand) because I believe in USING my pants and I don't want to cry when I accidently felt my $60 wool pants. Or when they felt themselves from baby crawling around in a wet diaper. Or when they snag or pick up pine needles when they are playing outside. I found that gauge really isn't too a big a deal when you are using worsted weight yarn with this pattern. Make them too big and eventually they will fit!

And are they practical? Oh yes! I NEED practical because I have 4 kids with another on the way and I homeschool. I need everything streamlined just so I can function. I use fitted diapers (Rita Rump Pocket-another practical diaper pattern), so I don't need my pants to hold poo in, just act as the moisture barrier and clothing. I don't lanolize anymore and found that it really doesn't make too big of a difference. Its just extra work for me. I've found it extra practical to make pants with extra long cuffs for winter babies so the cuffs can fold down and act as sock covers. I've made capris for summer that I've picked up stitches and lengthened for fall and winter. I made regular length pants that fit my 6mo that now fit as shorts at 19mo (with baby legs when its chilly).

Now for some technical aspects of knitting wool longies As the wool pants are used, the wool naturally felts with the motion of a moving child. The knit stitch widens as it felts, so the pants get wider and shorter as they are used. The areas of high traffic (knees in crawlers, bum for sit-and-wigglers) will become felted first. The stitches in the rest of the pants will interlock with their neighbors over time. And this is when the pants become my favorite.

Happy knitting!

[weliveintheforest]

I really like this Pea Patch soaker http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...-diaper-soaker I've made it a couple times and I like the fit. I like peace fleece for diapering.

[Peace+Hope]

wow, thank you, this is just the sort of practical advice i need - what really works in the application!

i am not what i'd call an experienced knitter, in terms of complicated patterns, but once i am comfortable with a pattern, i can make adjustments on my own, so in that way, i am experienced, b/c i can visualize and adjust...

i plan to use good quality cotton prefolds, and do know about lanolizing.

i will google up all these pattern suggestions, and save this thread in case i have questions for you mamas. i hope that is ok!

any other details from experienced soaker/longie knitters?

[earthknitter]

I have knit the LTK soakers and longies, and I like them, especially the hybrid soakers! They have a nice wide crotch that stretches over diapers well! Curly purly's are good, you have to knit a sleep soaker sack! I used dandelion dreamers pattern, too precious and a life saver for new babes!

My personal opinion, watch out for the crotches in the longies patterns, some patterns only have 4 or 5 stitches width there, and I think it is too narrow, when stretched from sitting, etc. They will probably felt over time, though, and solve gapping stitch probs. Oh, and save the merino wool for little babes, except for malabrigo yarn, it holds up to mobile babes.

I am going to try Green way's pattern and the everlasting wonder soaker pattern next, because of the wider crotch.....

[Peace+Hope]

i'm knitting up a swatch now for the LTK pickypants (ok, so it's a busy time, one row at a time), and earthknitter, i definitely want to do a sleep sack! i'd like to do one like the disana, that folds at the bottom, if i can find a pattern.

feeling a little critical, my family who's seen my swatch says, THAT'S going to keep pee in??? seeing how worsted knits up on size 7s does make me worry... seems like such a loose-knit fabric to me!

is merino as absorbant as other wool? i see a lot of people saying they do use it, and as many saying not to. but i did think it would be nice for NB/young baby since they aren't crawling...

[Hedgehog Mtn]

I collected patterns and sort of mixed them together until I was happy.


For wool I tried pattons (ALWAYS wears out for me...1 wearing for DHs socks and not much better for diaper coverings) Purewool cestari, gaia, and more. I finally settled on peace fleece. I wash them on my top loading washer and they barely felt unless the water is super hot, they stand in the dirt, down and dirty babies LOL. PF is super super tough and I find them to be the best bang for my buck since they outlast even toddlers in my house....and that says a lot!!
PF is sort of harsh to knit with until you are used to it but after the first washing it softens dramatically.

[Peace+Hope]

i have gotten several recommendations to use peace fleece, and just looked at their site. i've never ordered yarn i haven't touched first though...

[earthknitter]

I want to try pf too!

If you are getting the right gauge it will work, wool will get a little damp from the pee, depends on the diaper an wool thickness. Pee WILL go thru if the soaker is stretched too far! ask me how I know, haha! Wool is the best, don't worry, just lanolize well. Isn't it fun knitting longies and soakers! I will have 10 more babies, lol!

[Peace+Hope]

ok, so i've knit up three swatches, on 8s, 7s, and 6s respectively. i had to keep going down b/c i couldn't get the gauge to match, and i still haven't.

i'm supposed to be getting 18" and 24 rows in 4 inches square of the swatch.

i got 24 rows on the number 7s (and 17 sts), but didn't match the 18" on any of the needles, and these are BIG swatches (10"x 8")

i posted a question in the knitting forum, but i'm impatient . so far, the one response i have is to wash my swatches and remeasure... but i pulled them out! and they took sooooo long to make

any advice? i've decided on the picky pants pattern as my first try, from advice i've received here and reading about how much guidance the pattern itself provides....

golly, i want to do this "right" but knitting my first garment is turning out to be harder than i thought, and i haven't even started it yet.

[Peace+Hope]

bumping to add a question....

i just finished my first pair of picky pants! they are too cute, can't believe soon a little body will be in them

ANYWAY, after i had closed the crotch with a kitchener stitch, i was left with fairly sizable holes b/n the gusset and the legs on both sides.

i was able to stitch this up with my tapestry needle, but don't understand what i could have done wrong, or how to prevent it from happening again. the pattern has me casting on 2 additional stitches when starting the legs, not really sure why - could those be introducing a gap? my gusset and leg stitches matched the pattern, so i know i was not "off" somewhere. also, i know i was firm and tight when starting the legs - no loose stitches...

not sure if that's enough info... any advice/help is appreciated! thank you.

[iowaorganic]

You are overthinking this mama. The little holes in the gusset are normal- just stich them up with some yarn. The extra stitches accomodate for chuncky baby thighs. As long as you are using ww yarn and something in the neighborhood of size 8 needles- you will achieve a suitable fabric for this. I like to knit an extra long cuff and fold it under and hem it so I have a little length to spare if I felt them.

I don't know if you have done pf yet- it is awesome yarn- I love it. But if I had felt it in the store first I would never have bought it- it is that scratchy. But durable to beat all. I also love lambs pride ww. I have a pair of longies that are the kettle dyed lambs pride (beautiful) and they made it through 3 toddlers in amazing shape- they will keep on working for my DS2 as well!

[honeybunmom]

Originally Posted by Peace+Hope

ok, so i've knit up three swatches, on 8s, 7s, and 6s respectively. i had to keep going down b/c i couldn't get the gauge to match, and i still haven't.

i'm supposed to be getting 18" and 24 rows in 4 inches square of the swatch.

i got 24 rows on the number 7s (and 17 sts), but didn't match the 18" on any of the needles, and these are BIG swatches (10"x 8")

i posted a question in the knitting forum, but i'm impatient . so far, the one response i have is to wash my swatches and remeasure... but i pulled them out! and they took sooooo long to make

any advice? i've decided on the picky pants pattern as my first try, from advice i've received here and reading about how much guidance the pattern itself provides....

golly, i want to do this "right" but knitting my first garment is turning out to be harder than i thought, and i haven't even started it yet.

Don't worry about the needle size. At the end of the day, use the needle that works for YOU. Maybe you're a loose knitter, so, you can use a smaller needle to achieve the same gauge that a tight knitter can with a size 8 or 9 needle. Also, you may find that after you wash your longies, they yarn "blooms" and it's then the gauge you were going for.

[Peace+Hope]

thanks - i did end up knitting two pairs of picky pants so far - one on 7s and one on 6s. the smaller ones still look great for newborn size-wise.

i may be over-thinking, but i'd hate to have all this work be for nothing, if these covers end up being too porous.

btw, thanks for all the peace-fleece recommendations. i ordered one skein and the sample card, which has every. single. one of their yarns on it! the yarn is lovely, and actually softer to start with than what i picked out at my local store! i guess b/c it has 30% mohair...

thanks for all the help so far!

[honeybunmom]

Originally Posted by Peace+Hope

thanks - i did end up knitting two pairs of picky pants so far - one on 7s and one on 6s. the smaller ones still look great for newborn size-wise.

i may be over-thinking, but i'd hate to have all this work be for nothing, if these covers end up being too porous.

btw, thanks for all the peace-fleece recommendations. i ordered one skein and the sample card, which has every. single. one of their yarns on it! the yarn is lovely, and actually softer to start with than what i picked out at my local store! i guess b/c it has 30% mohair...

thanks for all the help so far!

Peace Fleece blooms wonderfully! It's really lovely once washed. A soak in regular old hair conditioner or vinegar will make it even softer. And IME, it blooms about a half stitch.

[Peace+Hope]

Originally Posted by honeybunmom

Peace Fleece blooms wonderfully! It's really lovely once washed. A soak in regular old hair conditioner or vinegar will make it even softer. And IME, it blooms about a half stitch.

does that mean something i knit with it will get bigger, or that it will felt somewhat and become more dense?