Calling all Crafters (and wanna-be crafters)!!! What are you making for you/baby??? - Page 7 « Back to Group Discussions

[SamiPolizzi]

I use merino wool. I'm lucky enough to live in a city that has multiple yarn shops that carry a ton of great wool. Before I lived here I mostly bought yarn at craft fairs and farmer's markets. I'm so spoiled by the great here. I was actually just going to knit one hat for this baby, but after I saw all the beautiful yarn I just kept wanting to go back for more. 

[LightForest]

Originally Posted by cabbitdancer 

Those are great, scruffy!

I keep hearing about woolies, but I don't "get" them, I guess. What kind of yarn did you ladies use, and where did you get it?

I use wool yarn - I've tried fancy stuff that I bought at the farmer's market, all the way down to Cascade 220 yarn which is quite inexpensive and easy to find in most yarn/craft shops (I think I've seen it at Michael's). I've heard of people using acrylic yarn with success also.

[LightForest]

Originally Posted by scruffy too 

I know that woolies are supposed to be made out of wool, but I don't know if you're supposed to felt them afterwards or not...  LightForest?

No need to do any felting. I mean, you COULD felt them to get a really nice, thick fabric that would make an excellent night time cover once the baby is peeing a ton. But It's a little tricky to figure out sizing with felting (mainly because your knitting shrinks a different amount in width compared to height, and different wool yarns felt up in different ways), so I haven't bothered.

I DO lanolize the covers before using them (then maybe once every 6 months after that... but a NB or S sized cover will never be used for that long so it's a non-issue with those). Then I wash with a wool wash (I use lavender scented Eucalan) every month or 2, or when the cover gets poop on it. Otherwise just hang to air out between uses.

The lanolin in the wool repels moisture, and lanolized wool has antibacterial properties. It doesn't get stinky from urine the way cotton or artificial fibers would.

[scruffy too]

Thanks LightForest - Just one more question - do you use 100% wool that is able to felt or a superwash wool?  I guess I'd just be bummed if I made a pair and then accidently felted them.

[LightForest]

Originally Posted by scruffy too 

The mama-cloth / post-partum cloth I made this weekend.  I don't know how they'll work, or if I'll like them.  I was on Depo for almost a decade, then used the Diva Cup for a year before getting pregnant, so this will be an adventure.  And I only just heard about needing pads for a month after birth (!!) this Christmas - just wasn't something my little brain had thought of.  But ever since I heard that, I've been obsessing over NOT having plastic touching my lady bits for a whole month...  Anyway, I had all the materials on hand, so they didn't cost anything (except a bit of time, but that was time well spent with my sewing machine.)

Edit to add: I also made a pair of "baby legs" out of a super soft chocolate brown pair of socks that had holes in the toes.  I just cut the foot part off, and sewed around the ankle part to keep them from unravelling.  I'm happy with them.

Nice pads, scruffy! I seriously doubt that you'll need to use them for a MONTH, though?!?! I remember bleeding enough to need lots of absorbency for maybe... 1.5 weeks, max? Then my flow tapered off really quickly (like, panty liner level) after that. I know it varies from person to person, but a month sounds excessive. Also, remember that you can wash the pads with diaper laundry (so you'll have frequent opportunities to throw them in the wash!).

[scruffy too]

I heard a month is average - but I'll more than happily believe you if you say it's shorter!!!!!!  And yes, I plan on tossing them in the CD pail.

[LightForest]

Originally Posted by scruffy too 

Thanks LightForest - Just one more question - do you use 100% wool that is able to felt or a superwash wool?  I guess I'd just be bummed if I made a pair and then accidently felted them.

I've never used superwash wool - but I noticed that a number of people have made the curly purly pattern using cascade 220 superwash wool, so I imagine it would work fine. I've never been brave enough to machine wash my covers, for fear of shrinking or pilling. Though again, I'll bet it would be fine to machine wash them in cold water on the delicate/wool cycle.

One thing to keep in mind is the varying softness of different types of wool. I find Malabrigo worsted wool to be deliciously soft for diaper covers .

[Chapsie]

Originally Posted by scruffy too 

I heard a month is average - but I'll more than happily believe you if you say it's shorter!!!!!!  And yes, I plan on tossing them in the CD pail.

You can have "bleeding" for 4-6 weeks, but after a week and a half to two weeks, it should be a very light flow.  I think I only bled for about 3 weeks with my kids (I think??  Maybe I blocked that part from my mind.  lol).   I love your pads.  They look so soft!  I cut out and pinned materials to make mama cloth months ago and have yet to sew them together.  I'm hoping my machine doesn't get mad at me for sewing through so many layers!  

I am also a Diva cup girl, normally.  My MW has been encouraging cloth pads (instead of disposable) for postpartum, and I'm hoping the ones that I'm throwing together will work and be comfy.  :)  

[nearlyelated]

I made a couple last time using the Curly Purly pattern.  I used regular wool, and didn't felt them.  I washed them by hand and rolled them in a towel and then lay flat to dry.  They worked really well.  Lanolizing is key to the water proofing though.

I love the mama-cloth here.  I think I might have to add that to my project queue.  I'm a diva cup user, but it's not ideal postpartum.  I think I bled for a few weeks last time, and that was following a c-section.

For those of you who have made them, did you include a waterproof layer, like PUL or fleece, or just lots of layers?

[scruffy too]

Originally Posted by nearlyelated 

For those of you who have made them, did you include a waterproof layer, like PUL or fleece, or just lots of layers?

I used 7 layers of an old flannel sheet for the first few, with fleece on the side that will touch my undies (it was an old fleece sweater). 

Then I tossed in one layer of an old shower curtain between the bottom most fleece layer and the 7 layers of flannel for the rest.  I don't know if this will make a difference or not, but I figure there's still 7 layers of flannel and a layer of cotton separating me and the plastic, so there should be plenty absorbency before I have to put the old shower curtain to the test.

The topper on all of them is some cotton print that I've had laying around for years.

Edit: Here's the link I used: http://taketimetosmelltherose.blogspot.ca/2011/06/how-to-make-post-partum-mama-cloth-pads.html I didn't have "zorb" or "minky" and used lots of flannel instead.  I also only made my first one how the tutorial shows, all the others, I sewed the absorbent layers INSIDE the pad (between the cotton and fleece) instead of having it showing on the outside.  MUCH easier than I had feared!!!

Edited by scruffy too - 2/19/13 at 9:17am

[cabbitdancer]

Scruffy, did you include a way to close them, or will you just fold them under?

[firespiritmelody]

Originally Posted by scruffy too 

I heard a month is average - but I'll more than happily believe you if you say it's shorter!!!!!!  And yes, I plan on tossing them in the CD pail.

I bled, pretty heavily, for about 7 weeks after my youngest. Lots of factors led to that (especially the fact that I had to go back to work part time pretty much right away - oh the joys of owning your own business) but yeah, it was a pretty unpleasant experience. Hoping to avoid that this time around!

[scruffy too]

Originally Posted by cabbitdancer 

Scruffy, did you include a way to close them, or will you just fold them under?

After I made my pile of 7 layers (or so, sometimes 6, sometimes 8) I layed them on the cotton print (on the wrong side) and sewed the 7 layers together WITH the cotton print. 

Then went I went to sew the cotton and the fleece together (right sides facing) the flannel stack was showing. 

But I didn't sew all the way around, I left 2 inches so that I could flip it right-side out. 

Then sewed up that little 2 inch hole.

I hope that's clear as mud, it is really easy (I'm NOT a sewer and I figured it out, so we're talking REALLY really easy!)

[firespiritmelody]

I think she was asking if you included a snap or velcro on the "wings" or if you're just going to fold them under when you wear them. (If I was reading that right...)

[scruffy too]

Originally Posted by firespiritmelody 

I think she was asking if you included a snap or velcro on the "wings" or if you're just going to fold them under when you wear them. (If I was reading that right...)

Yup, she was.  And I should stop scanning things when I'm tired!!!!!

I bought snaps, I just haven't put them on yet.  But I plan to.

[cabbitdancer]

*giggles* Yeah. That's what I'd meant. I didn't see them on there, so I wasn't sure what the plan was. That's really cool. I'm tempted to try my hand at making my own, now.

[scruffy too]

 Kinda makes me wonder what else I'm missing day-to-day with sleep deprivation... 

I think I'll try the wool soakers next - just have to finish a little cardigan I'm working on first.

[cabbitdancer]

I'll probably never get around to making any of these things, like so many other things, but they seem like nice little projects. :D

I need to make some boob hats, and I want to get my crochet on and try to make something like this for my little Bunbun:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64968938/12-to-24m-baby-hat-easter-bunny-hat

[nearlyelated]

I might actually have some 'zorb' some where from attempts to make diapers for DS.  Thanks for the pattern!

I finally dumped some photos from my camera.  

Here's the baby quilt I finished for a friend before Christmas:

This is a blanket that I finished last weekend for the new baby (during blocking):

Here's a little hat I made for the babe too, DP and DS have ones in the same pattern.  I'm a little worried it might be too small, but I can't remember how small newborn heads are, and I suppose it's pretty stretchy.

I also finished the quilt for DS this weekend, but apparently didn't upload the photos anywhere.  He's enjoying it on his bed already, which is nice too see. 

I still haven't finished the sweater I started for myself yet, maybe I'll get back to that soon....

[LightForest]

For some reason my phone isn't letting me upload all my photos! I've also made a brown romper, a grey vest, a grey hat, and two pairs of socks! Anyway, here's a shot of the piece de resistance . I have no idea whether this or the other romper (same general pattern, different yarn type/color) will even fit. I'm afraid they may be too short. But after working so long on them I can't bear to frog them so they're all finished and will be used to dress a stuffed animal if nothing else