Recycled Wool Longies

[Progressive_Mom]

I have never sewn before but DH is buying me a machine just so I can make diapers
I would like to make wool soakers out of recycled sweaters and I need some advice.
Does the sweater have to be 100% wool?
What is felting?
Where do you find a pattern?
What is lanolizing?

Any other information that I haven't asked about would also be greatly appreciated!

[walkinthepark]

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.cafepress.com/thatskindacool/864331

GL!

Valerie

[jillybeans]

Originally Posted by Progressive_Mom

I have never sewn before but DH is buying me a machine just so I can make diapers
I would like to make wool soakers out of recycled sweaters and I need some advice.
Does the sweater have to be 100% wool?
What is felting?
Where do you find a pattern?
What is lanolizing?

Any other information that I haven't asked about would also be greatly appreciated!

1. no, but it works best! Lambswool and merino are the softest. I've used as little as 50% wool.

2.felting is washing it in the washer on HOT, then drying, if needed on hot, to produce a tighter sweater. It's like when you shrink that favorite sweater. I personally only felt a sweater if it is a very loose weave. Felting makes the sweater lose stretch, and can be hard to put on over a diaper.

3.Patterns:
http://www.boiseclothdiapers.com/woo...es_pattern.htm
http://www.borntolove.com/frugal-column2.html
http://www.bumwrapdiapers.com/pages/pattern.php
http://diaperfabric.wahmart.com/stor...llary.asp?ID=3
and now that i practiced w/ those, i made my own pattern, that isn't a triangle shape, but more like a traditional pull on.

4.lanolizing basically helps keep your wool "water resistant" You know what lansinoh is for nursing. Well, it's the same stuff. There are million different ways for lanolizing, search the web. My technique is:
Drop a few drops of baby soap into a baby food jar, or other glass container w/ tight fitting lid(not plastic), add a pea size amount of lanolin(lansinoh), fill the container 1/2 w/ boiling water, and shake it well. This will dissolve the lanolin. Then put your wool into a sink of room temp water, pour the lanolin mixture over it, flip the wool a few times, and let it sit for 10 min. or so. If you notice clumps of lanolin forming, pull out the wool. You don't want lanolin clumps on your cover. TRUST ME!

hope that helps!

[Thursday Girl]

subscribing so i don't lose this

[brookesmommy]

:

Anyone else have any other patterns?

[milehighmonkeys]

I use the instructions from cafepress as well. They're really easy to follow and super fast to make. I recommend putting a tag in the back so you can tell the back from front. I use wool sweaters for pants that I use as a cover and then other fiber content for just regular pants. I can typically get 2 pairs out of each sweater. For the second pair, I cut rectangles from the front and back and sew them together like sleeves. Then I just proceed per the instructions. If you can't get a big enough pair from the sleeves, just use the body. You can typically get a bigger pair from the body.

[satmst]

Originally Posted by walkinthepark

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.cafepress.com/thatskindacool/864331

GL!

Valerie

Anyone else not getting pics on that site or is it just me?

[newmom80]

I needed a "tangible guide" when I started making these, so while I was at the thrift store picking up some wool sweaters, I stopped off in the baby section and found a pair of infant sweat pants in the size I was wanting to make. I used my seam ripper to take them apart at home and used the pieces laid over the arms of my felted sweater as the pattern for cutting. Very easy, and makes very cute pants!

[hermalina]

wow, this is so helpful. i've been wanting to start doing the same but just haven't known exactly how to get started.

[hermalina]

Originally Posted by satmst

Anyone else not getting pics on that site or is it just me?

neither am i.

[brookesmommy]

Originally Posted by satmst

Anyone else not getting pics on that site or is it just me?

I'm not either! I've heard from others that it is a great pattern though. I guess that doesn't help you or I does it.

[newlywaaz]

looks like the picture links are broken. That's too bad, because those were great directions (I even have them bookmarked).

don't bother felting unless it's a really really loose weave or if your pants end up humongous. wool blends often won't felt as much or at all, fyi. definitely lanolize after you sew, makes things easier. Oh, and prefold diapers are sooooo easy, straight stitching and only one or two pieces to pin. practically idiot proof. Fitteds are also extremely easy, but take more know-how, imo.

other wool links:

http://www.gentlechristianmothers.com/mb/index.php?topic=71285.0
no elastic fleece cover

do you need diaper patterns/instructions?

[Phoenix_Rising]

Originally Posted by newlywaaz

no elastic fleece cover

I really like this one too

[Seeking Refuge]

I have used the bumwrap pattern to make longies and plain soakers but I add a crocheted drawstring. When I want soakers I just cut a couple of inches of ribbing off the soakers and sew them on to the legs.

[soulyluna]

still looking for the right pattern

i want something SUUUUPER SIMPLE for a beginner at the sewing thing. But i want a pattern that has a cute little bell leg, not the tapered leg that using a sweater sleeve gives.

Anyone know of anything???

[ReneeC]

All of the "bum sweater" tutorials and patterns that I am aware of are in the first sticky. If I understand correctly, you are looking for one that doesn't have a cuff at the ankle? So that it has the leg shape of a pair of bellbottom/boot cut jeans? I don't know of any sewn patterns or tutorials like that, they all seem to use the sleeve with the cuff still attached to make the legs. There may be a knitted or crocheted pattern with legs like what you are looking for.

All of the "soaker," "shorties," and "longies" patterns--for knitting, crocheting, and sewing--are collected here.

[allnaturalmama]

Originally Posted by soulyluna

i want something SUUUUPER SIMPLE for a beginner at the sewing thing. But i want a pattern that has a cute little bell leg, not the tapered leg that using a sweater sleeve gives.

Anyone know of anything???

My local fabric store often runs 99 cent sales on sewing patterns like Butterick, McCalls, Simplicity, etc.

When they do, I stock up on baby patterns. Just about all the patterns for baby pants are marked "easy" or "beginner" or "quick" or something like that.

Anyway, my point is, you can use a retail fabric store pattern that has a pants look that you like.

Buy a thrift store wool sweater, and you can use the main body of the sweater as the fabric you cut your pattern pieces from.

I often have to do this anyway, not because I don't like the look of longies made from arms, but because many sweaters don't have long enough arms for my long-legged, high rise lil' guy. I can get a bigger pair of pants out of the sweater if I cut it from the body.

[soulyluna]

great suggestion!
in fact, that's what i did! just yesterday after writing my post, i went to the fabric store and bought a simple sewing pattern for baby pants, and then went scoured for sweaters at Goodwill! Great minds!

[allnaturalmama]

LOL!!!

You'll have to let us know how they turn out!

[ReneeC]

Yes, pics please!

Some day, when I have time for handwashing, I swear I'm going to make some recycled wool covers...I see such cute sweaters all the time...