What insert do you use for wool longies or soakers?

[ChristSavesAll]

So I've made diaper covers and am still perfecting my own style and now I've been swept off my feet by the cute longies from this tutorial!

But now I need to know... what do you use inside to soak up the pee?

Oh and how often do you wash them? If you use them more than once in a day do they stink? Just trying to understand how to use them properly...

Oh and since they are made from a felted sweater does that mean that you can wash them in the washing machine? and if so... hot warm or cold?

[honeybunmom]

You do have to use a somekind of diaper underneath. Any cover is only as good as the diaper under it. I've used that same tutorial twice now (the second time just on Saturday!). I did lanolize the longies. I will continue to wash them by hand to lanolize them. Since they are wool, they have anti-bacterial qualities, so, they do not stink. Just let them air dry between wearings and you're good to go. A sign that they need to be lanolized again is that they start to retain odor. If you have a front loader with a hand wash setting, you could use this to wash them without fear of further felting them. On my machine, this is automatically a cold water setting.

I use prefolds and fitteds with my son. I would never put a prefold on him without some kind of insert as he has been a champion pee'r since day 1. I usually use a wool or hemp insert. And with the fitteds I use lay-in soakers. The bamboo velour that came with it, and either a hemp or wool soaker underneath it so the soft squooshy fabric is closest to his skin.

[ChristSavesAll]

So I felted my first few sweaters and began making a pair of longies and now it seems they are really tight on dd... are they supposed to be that way? Once they're felted can they really felt more than that? I mean they are already quite tight and small....

[honeybunmom]

Originally Posted by ChristSavesAll

So I felted my first few sweaters and began making a pair of longies and now it seems they are really tight on dd... are they supposed to be that way? Once they're felted can they really felt more than that? I mean they are already quite tight and small....

Honestly, there is no way for anyone to know without seeing them. Or, maybe describing them. I felted mine in my front loader. One cycle. There is still some flexibility to the fabric on some of the sweaters, and still some stitch definition, so, I can tell that the stitches could be bonded more tightly with more agitation. But, they're good enough for our purposes.

I don't think there is any right or wrong or "supposed to be". Let your personal preference be your guide. For example, I'm sure there are people out there who don't bother with lanolizing felted sweaters. I still like to, thinking it gives the wool just a bit more ability to absorb without being wet.

[mamapixie]

Most of my son's woolies are felted sweaters, it sounds like you're not measuring them correctly.

As for washing in the machine, I do. I wash mine on cold in the gentle cycle. And then I take them out and lanolize them 2 pair at a time in the sink with the wool wash. Here are some other tutorials that may work better for you. My favorite is the second link, the flickr series.

Wool sweater pants from sleeves
http://marthasworld76.blogspot.com/2...-recycled.html
Another wool sweater pants from sleeves tutorial
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twelve-...617835/detail/
Katrina patterns
http://katrinassqs.blogspot.com/
Recycled longies with feet
http://crunchywannabe.blogspot.com/2...et-sewing.html
Recycled wool wrap
http://www.boiseclothdiapers.com/sew_wool_wrap.htm
Triangle wool soaker from sweater
http://www.borntolove.com/frugal-column2.html

[erniebobernie]

so i can find this