Please help :) Fleece for covers????

659 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by jillybeans, Mar 30, 2006

paschallraschalls

Discussion Starter · Mar 28, 2006

DD #3 is 2 1/2 weeks old and is a very heavy wetter. We are having serious trouble with leaking covers. We have been using wraps (mostly bummis). They are all wicking through the leg, she is a side sleeper. We have been placing her on a waterproof pad when she sleeps so that we aren't having to change sheets everytime she wets, as well as her clothes and her blankets. We have tried more "padding" but there are parts of the diaper/doubler that are completely dry while everything else is soaked. I have tested and we don't seem to be having trouble with buildup. We have tried lessening the "padding" just in case leaking was caused by gaps from overstuffing, but with the same results. I am about out of ideas.

I am suspicious that her legs are just too thin for the covers. I have read great things about fleece covers and want to make my own(so that I can custom fit those thin legs

), but the problem/question is... how much difference does fleece quality make for a super soaker? I have read posts from many moms who feel 200 or 300 wt is the only way to go, others say wal-mart/Jo-Ann's fleece is just fine. If I can get away with cheaper fleece I sure don't want to shell out the $20-$30 for the first yard that I have seen online, just to try it. But if the less expensive fleece won't work successfully as a cover, then the money and time put into it is worthless!! KWIM? I would love any suggestions/advice you all have!!!!! Thanks ahead of time for your help!!! If you all have links for places to find higher weight fleece for less $ I would be thrilled with that too!

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Trishy

· #2 · Mar 28, 2006

I wouldn't use fleece for a cover with a heavy wetter unless you mind having a very thick cover. You would have to use 2 layers of 200 wt and that would probably only function as a day cover. Have you considered wool?

I'm going to move this over to Diaper Making.

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Kari_mom

· #3 · Mar 28, 2006

Listen to Trishy!

You can make wool covers from sweaters that you already have or buy at the thrift store, they will work well for you and your dd. Wool can absorb 30% of its weight before it feels very damp and leaky, it makes all the difference with a heavy wetter. Wool seems intimidating to care for, but it is really easy. Wash and lanolize every couple of weeks. In between, rinse out poop if it gets on the cover and hang to dry, or let the covers air between pee diapers.

You can trace your Bummis for a pattern, or check out the free patterns in the diaper resources links above. You can still trifold in wool wraps if that is what you want, or you can do pull-on covers if you snappi or pin or use fitteds. I would suggest at least 4 covers or fulltime use.

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paschallraschalls

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 28, 2006

You're right about wool being a little intimidating to me

I have worked with fleece, and wool is new to me. How do you know what kind of wool to get when you are "shopping" for it? I have heard others talk about this kind being too thin/not tight enough weave,or a certain cover not being thick enough for night time use, and others talking about it being scratchy, etc.? How does a novice like my choose the right thing, probably at a thrift store??? I am still interested in others opinions/experiences with either fleece or wool. Thanks again for your time and help!!

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Trishy

· #5 · Mar 28, 2006

Here are some pretty simple instructions for making pants from a wool sweater. It would be very easy to alter the pattern to make shorts or bloomers.:

http://www.xanga.com/Melissatulip/433054681/item.html

If you wanted something for a heavy wetter I would recommend cutting an extra strip of the wool and sewing it in the wet zone. I get my sweaters from the thrift store. Just feel it and think if you would want to wear it next to your skin. Anything that is made in Ireland is usually pretty nice and you usually get something with fancy cable work that way.

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paschallraschalls

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 28, 2006

Thanks for the link, that looks simple enough!

I am excited to get to the thrift store and try it out! Do I need to be on the look out for thickness in sweaters/skirts, does it make that much of a difference? Also, where do you all buy your wool wash and lanolin? Can I just pick it up somewhere or do I have to order it?

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jillybeans

· #7 · Mar 29, 2006

i look for the softest wool i can find, and one that is already pretty thick. then i wash on HOT twice, and dry on hot, to shrink it up and felt it. For lanolin i just use lansinoh. about 1/4- 1/2 inch melted in hot water, then rinsed by hand with your covers. For wool wash, a mild baby soap works fine for us. Here's a great site that i make my covers from:
http://diaperfabric.wahmart.com/stor...llary.asp?ID=3
I use the extra fabric from the sweater to make another one, but don't use the cuffs. Kind of like baby underwear.

i just sew around the leg holes three or four times. Good luck! I am a wool convert, and it is SOO nice. Plus the possibilities are endless with recycled wool.
Oh! and a tip i do that isn't shown on the site: In the second step, when you first sew the waistband together, after i sew it i turn it inside out to complete the sewing, that way i can fold the waistband down when dd is wearing it.

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paschallraschalls

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 29, 2006

I did it, I went to the thrift store yesterday and bought 2 wool sweaters for $2 each

(Sure beats $20-$30/yard of fleece

) One of the sweaters is 95%Merino, 5%cashmere (from Ireland) the other is just 100%wool. I ran them through to felt them last night and I am hoping to sew them today. The only drawback is that one of them doesn't really have cuffs. So I will probably have to use elastic. Any tips on that, as regards wool? Do I need to use synthetic thread (nylon) so that the thread won't cause wicking. Because of the elastic I will probably have thread on inside and outside of fabric, not just on one side (as per the directions in cover instrucitons)?

When I lanolize the first time the wool needs to be wet before I start doesn't it, or does it matter? I bought some lansinoh and plan to soak, rather than using lanolin spray.

Any other tips would be well appreciated!! Thanks again to all of you for your help and suggestions!! Hope you all have a wonderful day!!

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jillybeans

· #9 · Mar 30, 2006

as far as cuffs go....i don't always use cuffs. I just made the leg hole a bit smaller than usual, as wool will stretch, and sewed around that. I do use synthetic thread though. Cotton wicks so bad. And as far as soaking the wrap before lanolising....i melt my lansinoh in a small cup, and then i dunk my cover, squeeze it a bit to soak up water, and pour the lansinoh over the bum and front of the wrap, that way the majority of the lanolin is in the right spot. then i just squeeze it around some more, and dry! Good luck, they really are so easy.

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