Washable wipes

[loriforeman]

okay, so...i somehow managed to talk the girls into switching to cloth toilet wipes (without ANY fuss, which was pretty cool), and i've read through a ton of threads regarding such...

i don't want to cut up t-shirts and stuff, because i want to ensure that the wipes feel "special" and that they don't just grab a t-shirt if they run out of wipes or something.  i could sooooo see them doing such.

i also want to SAVE money.  i've found a ton of sites, but the wipes seem pretty darned expensive.

any suggestions on where to buy cheap ones?

[sleepypeanutsmom]

Can you sew or borrow a machine?  I make the ones for our family out of inexpensive flannel.  JoAnns has it on sale sometimes for $2 per yard.  You could just buy 4-5 yards, cut it into squares.  I like to layer 2-3 layers of flannel per wipe.  Use a zigzag stitch and stitch just inside the raw edge all around the square.  You're done! 

Hope this helps!

[sleepypeanutsmom]

Another thought on this...what about buying inexpensive wash cloths, regular terry cloth ones?  Sometimes I see them at Target all bundled up, a few bucks for 8 or so.  If you don't have access to a sewing machine this would probably work.  Also, you could buy towels, hand ones or larger and cut them into wipe sizes.  They would be thicker than cutting up t-shirts.

[crunchy_mommy]

We use cut-up t-shirts, and we haven't had an issue yet with DS trying to just use any old t-shirt (but he is only 2.5!) What if you cut them up & then tie-dyed them or something? Then they'd feel more special but still be super cheap.

[loriforeman]

i can't sew a lick, and have no access to a sewing machine...but the idea of dying them is wonderful!!!  and i love that we'd be reusing old stuff without having to toss them out.

i did buy a pack from domino pads to get us started...i'm thinking that the girls are going to love it.  they said the idea of it made them feel like they would have a luxury!  (i know, silly kids, lol.)

i'm also thinking of getting a ton of baby washcloths, as my newest grandbabe was born today anyhow.

[BonnieLynn]

The really thin baby washcloths are great.  Otherwise look on etsy for cloth wipes.  You can usually find them pretty cheap in lots of fun patterns and colors.

[Scarlettmoon]

I buy packs of baby washcloths at Walmart, etc.. I've even found them at the thrift stores.  I keep my eyes open each time I go.  I have t-shirts cut up, but the girls and I find ourselves reaching for the baby washcloths every time.

[berkeleyp]

I started by cutting an old cotton sheet in squares.  I didn't sew anything and they didn't look pretty but it was soft and did the job.  After CDing two girls, I have a collection of cloth wipes that I use.  Some are wearing out and some are definetely favorites.   The sheet is all but gone after repeated washing and now we use the old wipes.    I would suggest figuring out how much money you spend currently on toilet paper and then choosing how much of a budget is realistic.  I still stock all the bathrooms with tp for dh and guests but I still use way less with just me and the girls using cloth mostly.   I think its worth it to spend a little money for something that feels really soft.