Family Cloth Making

[Italiamom]

In an effort to start being greener for the new year I'd like to start using some family cloth (at least for me, since I'm the only female in the house). My question is on size and how to finish the edges. I don't have a serger, and I don't know anyone locally who has one. I've been keeping my eye out on craigslist for a while, but when they do come up they're always out of my price range.

I'd like to make some double sided flannel ones, but it seems like they would fray something fierce unless I fold the edges under. While I have time to cut a few dozen wipes and do a quick sew around the edges, I don't have time right now to be ironing edges, and then pinning edges, to fold under.

So how did you make your family cloth wipes? I've read in my searches about just using old t-shirts, but I've got several yards of flannel in my sewing stash that I'd rather use.

[mlh]

We started the familly cloth just a few days ago as part of a green challenge. Here is my blog post about it http://hipmountainmamablog.com/2010/...-family-cloth/
I didn't however make them.

Try checking out this Mama's post http://mountaintoptribe.blogspot.com...ily-cloth.html
she made her cloths and i am sure she would love to answer any questions you have!

good luck and great job Mama!!

[MadiMamacita]

I know someone with a serger!
I've been invited to use it anytime.
let me know!

[SuzyLee]

Before I got my serger I just used the zig-zag stitch on my regular machine. I cut flannel (or whatever other scrap fabric I had around) into ~8" squares, then sewed around the edges with a zig zag stitch.

You could also cut up old t-shirts- I don't think they would fray at all so you wouldn't have to hem them at all.

[Magelet]

honestly, I just cut some flannel into oh 5x5 inch squares and rectangles about that size, and started using them. the first few washes they freyed something terribly, but they don't really frey that much. (btw, it was my plan to zig-zag the edges, but I've been lazy and never got to it).

[rere]

Mine are 2 layers of flannel that I top stitched.They frayed some at first.We've been using the same wipes for a few years now.I made them the size of store bought wipes because I thought I might store them in a wipes box.I like the size even though I never put them in the wipes box.

[bcblondie]

Ohh! Ohh! You've inspired me. I have TONS of flannel wipes I made for wiping DS during diaper changes. I just cut squares and sewed all the way around with a straight stitch, except a little opening. Flipped it inside out and topstitched! Since you said you were going to do double sided anyways...

But I've been making new wipes for DS out of old towels, because I need something bigger and grippier. And I've been trying to figure out what to do with my flannel ones. *lightbulb*!!

[LeighB]

Originally Posted by SuzyLee

Before I got my serger I just used the zig-zag stitch on my regular machine. I cut flannel (or whatever other scrap fabric I had around) into ~8" squares, then sewed around the edges with a zig zag stitch.

You could also cut up old t-shirts- I don't think they would fray at all so you wouldn't have to hem them at all.

This is exactly what I do. On my mama cloth, I just zig zagged it on my machine and for cloth tp, I cut up old t-shirts. They haven't even started to fray and it's been a year.

[zoebird]

i used old T-shirts. they didn't fray, that is true.

DH did NOT like it. he thought it was terrible. he used TP--which was fine. DS and i used the cloths. DH fussed and fussed and fussed.

of course, it is hard for him. he comes from a family where you use paper for everything--tissues, tp, paper towels, napkins, plates, etc. they are heavy paper users. the only thing they didn't use was wrapping paper (they recycled newspaper for it).

i got him off of tissues, paper towels, napkins, plates, etc. but he needed to draw the line at TP. i'm ok with that.

i just got rid of all of the rags (washed and fiber recycled) because of our move, but i want to do it at the next place. a friend of mine keeps a seal-able jar next to her toilet so that the smell doesn't sneak out.

i also like using my peri bottle with water. i'm thinking of doing more of that.

[earthnut]

What is a bean pot? Does anyone have a picture?

[lakeruby]

This is such an interesting idea!

[zoebird]

how do you manage your dirty/used cloths?

do you rinse them before putting them in the can/container to stay until wash time?

do you just put them in that container dirty until wash day?

did you wash them separately or with other clothes?

i treated mine like i did dirty dipes. when i didn't catch, we would rinse hawk's diaper and then put it in a bucket with oxyclean (i don't know how enviro that is, but i used it--the baby stuff). and then would wash it when we washed a regular load of laundry.

i'm thinking of doing the same when we get to NZ--at least for myself and DS. we might also ahve very eco-minded roommates living with us, so they might also join us in the family cloth (or have their own cloths).

[bcblondie]

I never rinse my wipes off, but then again I haven't used them for #2's yet. I think it's kinda like cloth diapers. If there's like, a big peice (sorry for the mental pic everyone) it probably can't go in the wash. But if it's just a smudge on the cloth I think it's fine to just throw in a dry pail and then wash on wash day.

[zoebird]

hey, we are, afterall, talking about what happens with toilet paper.

i would really like to move my house to being low-plastic, low-paper, and basically as earth friendly and reusable as possible.

my biggest cognitive disconnect is my DS's diapers. while i EC him and when we are at home he is diaper free, when we're out, i use. . . Disposables! now, they are rarely "used," and i'll keep him in them 24 hrs before changing one (that is, if i dont' have a miss!), but i'm still throwing it away!

and it's also throwing money away! i have cloth and the ec-covers, but i just don't use them. DH in particular hates them. LOL

i use cloth pads, am going to family cloth, and if DH is on board, we'd only have TP for guests. i use cloth napkins and rags and all of that. but i use disposables! WAH~

of course, baby's Antsy Pants trainers are on the way. DH picked them because he really liked them (on rec from a RL friend, DH pottied said friend's baby with them and said. . .yeah, i can handle this!). so, we are going to go all cloth there too. . .

except maybe on the plane. i only have 10 disposables left.

anyway, yeah, i figure a little bit is no biggie, but if there's something on there, then a rinse is a good plan.

i like using old Ts, btw. i used bamboo tees that were work out (holes). i think they're great too because they are anti-microbial naturally.

[bcblondie]

Cloth diapers are great. I have bumgenius and even used them on the plane. We didn't even have to change him the whole way. Overnight I leave him for 12 hours plus, and no leaks. These things are great!

Did I read taht right? You leave him in the same sposie for 24 hours? Wouldn't he get a rash or infection.. ?

[laohaire]

Thanks for the thread, I was coming on just to find out this info - how big, whether to use a single or double layer, what stitch.

I think I'm going to start with a small variety. Some 5x5s, some 8x8s, some single ply, some double. I guess I'll start with a dozen and see what we like.

I could not believe it, I got DH onboard with it today. It's not the first he's heard of it, and like for me, it took some time to think about and get used to. But I had just decided to go for it, and he was waffling a bit. I pointed out that we could just use it for Number One and it would still save a lot of TP, and that was all it took, he was onboard. He'll also consider using for Number Two, but doesn't feel obligated to. We'll keep the TP around anyway, just reduce its use a lot.

[bcblondie]

^^^ lol. I found that a little funny because he wouldn't even be needing TP for number one, would he? But that's great that he's on board with the whole idea.

[laohaire]

Originally Posted by bcblondie

^^^ lol. I found that a little funny because he wouldn't even be needing TP for number one, would he? But that's great that he's on board with the whole idea.

Well, he "dabs" I guess, so his pants don't have a big splotch like most guys have.

Which is actually an interesting point. Nobody says that a man's pants are too unsanitary to wash, but most of them don't wipe and the last drops they can't shake out are just get absorbed by their underwear and pants. And we wash them.

I already made a few last night and have them all set up but don't have a "toss" container set up yet. Trying to think of what would work best. I have - or used to have, dunno - a mesh laundry bag. I was thinking that would be cool, I could line a pail with that and then just toss the entire bag into the wash. Everything would agitate in there just fine but I wouldn't have to pick up individual things. (I have a front loader washer, so no just dumping into it).

[bcblondie]

I guess that's true. Ew. Now I wanna wash dh's pants more. lol.

[echospiritwarrior]

My sewing machine is out of commission, and I didn't like the way the t-shirts rolled up so I use the 5pack baby washcloths that come in pretty designs for $1. That's how I did wipes for the girls and they lasted years until they just got dingy.

I figure spending $3-4 dollars every year or two on cloth is worth it for us, still is cheaper than sewing machine repair although I'm working on that one.

I have a small wetbag hanging on a hook near the commode. I thought about using the wetpail I used for our DD's when they were in cloth but it's easier for us to manage the bag.