accidental felting

So in a previous post I talk about how you don't need to felt wool, and I don't.

Sometimes it happens by accident when dad (let's blame him lol) throws your favorite night time wool in the wash.  Leya face it, he isn't going to do it to the pair you don't care about cuz they are in the back of baby's dresser.  There isn't much you can do.  If they are too small you can save them for the next baby or pass them on.

Now say you don't let dad do the laundry for this reason and you carefully hand wash and lano your wool.  You may find the crotch felts over time, or the knees (for older babies), or the thighs (for chunky babies).  Don't panic.  It is going to happen.  It won't be supper felted and (in the instance of the crotch) the felting will make it work a little better.

I consider this type if felting the natural wear and tare and breaking in process.  Let it be.  You might want a wool shaver if it gets fuzzy.  That's up to you and all about looks.

Enjoy and relax mama's! Relax.

Dying Wool Interlock Shorties With Jello

I've been wanting to dye my wool.  A few things have stood in my way though.  Budget, even with Daddy Monkey having a new job we are still below the poverty line.  We have money for extras, but with the price of wool its hard to justify adding the price of acid dyes plus shipping.

So I dug around the internet and diacovered wool can be dyed in kool aid, jello and the wiltons (and similar brands) of colouring paste I use for colouring marshmallow fondant.

The idea of boiling or microwaving my wool sent fears of felting down my spine.  Shrinkage of wool is not in my budget.  But then as I failed to fall asleep tonight I remembered  it is agitation and scrubbing (also agitation) that felts wool.  And temperature change in water the at shrinks wool.

Ok I thought, I can try this on his white shorties.  Getting the stains out if them always sucks and he likely won't be wearing them next summer, and its August already.

So I tried 2 packs of no name jello (red) in the microwave method.
1. Microwaveable bowl of water and some vinegar (close to one cup)
2. Mix in jello.  I used 2 bixes because one didn't look dark enough and i know daddy wont want his boy in pink.
3. Submerge shorties
4. Microwave on high 2 min, rest 1.5 min and repeat until water is clear.  One of the sets of instructions I read said 3 times.  It took me 5 or 6 (I lost count).
5. Soak in clean water.  To do this I microwaved a second bowl of water 3 min, then transfered shorties to that bowl.  I read of this being done twice so I mucroved a third bowl right away.  I set the bowl with shorties on the stove as well as the empty bowl so they would be same temperature when I transfer from one bowl to another.  This way the wool shouldn't shrink.

The shorties are currently soaking in the second bowl.  My next decision will be how to dry.  I'd like to dry with my usual fast back of fan method but afraid of sticky jello water.  On the balcony on my drying rack might be safer....but I'm impatient lol.

(Next morning)
I dried them on the back of the fan and so this morning they are dry, no shrinkage or felting (yay).  They aren't a deep or completely solid red.  This (I believe) is because this wool interlock is 3% spandex and acid (and food) dyes are for wool, silk, mohair etc.  But they aren't pink.  Next up, cutting more wool to dye with Wilton colouring paste in an ice dye.

Monster Bunz VS Katrina's (for woolies)

When I started with wool wraps, soakers, longies and shorties I went with Katrina's.  It was free and everybody raved about it and wool works so wonderfully and it was easy to use when up cycling.  Then my friend bought me the monster bunz pattern to make some non wool pants for Monkey.  I loved it.  Then  I made a pair of longies with the pattern and was blown away.  Next I made rompers, shorties and just got carried away modifying the pattern to my every whim.  Yes you have to pay for it and yes it is worth it and you will get your money back for all the woolies and clothes you will make with it for years to come. 

First we will look at 2 pics then a point form list (but the pics show my preference best).  

 This above pic is a pair of yellow shorties made with Monster Bunz (MB).  They fit great in the bum but notice they fit great in the front also, and the waist and well, just all over.

This is a pair of red shorties using Katrina's.  Notice the crotch droop?  Yes they cover his fluff bum but this pattern fits front and back the same and even a cloth diapered bum isn't as fluffy up front, even with the diapers soaker folded to catch boy pee.
*took both these pics this morning in the same diaper for best illustrations.

•MB is cut like pants but with a butt circle to accommodate a fluffy CD bum. The circle comes into the crotch to also accommodate fluff crotch (without droop).
Katrina's accommodates fluff bum by width.  

•MB is more narrow where you add the waist band this makes the waist band fit the waist better, especially if at the age where baby transitions to toddler and slims down in the tummy with all that running around.
Katrina's does not narrow at the waist and I always needed to re-size it. 

•MB grows with the child for a longer fitting time
Katrina's sizes are less accommodating

•Katrina's have an optional second layer in the wet zone
MB does not but I have added one.  It wasn't easy but it is doable for a more experienced seamstress or someone with a lot of patience.  Alternatively you could felt the wool (which will mean the item won't fit as long) or use a thicker sweater or interlock.  I have a pair if interlock shorties that didn't need the extra layer. 

Clothing your CD babe - longies, shorties, skirties

Clothing your cloth diapered little one is different then clothing a disposable diapered baby.  This is because CD babes have fluffy bums and disposable babes have increasingly trim bums.  As disposable bums get trimmer commercial clothing for babes and toddlers get trimmer too making it much harder to clothe a CD babe in commercial clothing then it was when I had my older children.  Thankfully as cloth diapering gets more popular (particularly in the states, cuz they have a much bigger population then there is here in Canada) more options come along for CD families. 

Today I am going to talk about longies, shorties and skirties.  Traditionally these are wool,  but they can also be water resistant fleece.  They can be knit, crocheted, sewn from yardage, upcycled or purchased (particularly online). 

These are a brilliant option that is both a diaper cover and clothing or pj's all in one piece!  The are adorable too.  Longies are wool or fleece pants.  Shorties are wool or fleece shorts.  Skirties are longies or shorties (or a soaker cover) with a skirt attached. 

Wool is an amazing textile for clothing in that it is temperature regulating.  So they are great whatever the weather.  They can be more then just pants and shorts too.  Overalls, jumpers and old school rompers are all possible in wool and fleece.  You can also make or buy wool or fleece sleep bags, cocoons and themed outfits.  The other great thing is no worries about damp clothes from pul leaks, the clothing is the diaper cover, and wool is known for its bullet proof leak protection .  Allergic to wool? You'll love soft cuddly fleece.

Baby might not be able to wear those skinny jeans like the baby down the street but the adorable options will have your neighbours oohing over your fluff bum and fluff bum clothing.    Stay tuned for more adorable options in future posts.

Diaper Covers

It actually just occurred to me today that we haven't discussed diaper covers!  In the modern cloth diaper world where pockets and aio's are a popular choice you might not be surprised but I'm a wool lover lol, I love my covers. 

Plastic pants:
This is what people used in the 70's and 80's if grandma didn't knit.  They have zero breathability and according to my mom (cuz grandma only knitted socks lol),  they often left marks on the legs.  They are made of plastic and pull on.  Gerber still makes and sells these (I don't know why). They are hand washed and not that durable.  Don't use them they are not good for baby's bum. 

PUL
Polyurethane fabric of some breathability but its waterproof. It wears out over time but as a cover only it could last 3 kids.  They are generally made as a wrap style cover.  A few babies are sensitive to either the synthetic fabric or the lack of breathability.  Sometimes they wick around the legs.  They are washable and wipeable.  They need to be washed and dried on a low heat.  They do up with snaps or Velcro.  Flips are technically a pul cover. 

TPU
These are a treated taffeta much like pul but more breathable.  The only difference between these and pul is the breathability and lack of stretch  so don't buy os, buy sized and forget about it for a chunky monkey

Wool
Sorry if I gush, I love it lol.  Wool is breathable, antimicrobial, somewhat self cleaning, easy to care for (you have to try to believe me).  It is made of 80-100% wool.  It can be knitted or sewn or upcycled.  It will last and last and pass down to your grandkids.  Some are even washable and dryable, others are hand wash and hang to dry only unless you felt (shrink by washing).  Felting is optional.  Cashmere is cuddly soft.  They come in soakers (pull ons with cuffs), wraps, longies (wool pants double as cover and clothes), shorties (wool shorts double as cover and clothed and skirties (all of the above but with skirt attached).  They are so natural people will call you crunchy lol.  They are bullet proof-not-gonna-leak-all-night (especially if paired with HF).  Unfelted varieties are stretchy.  They can be pricy unless you upcycle from wool sweaters. Some like a second layer particularly in the wet zone. Some people are allergic to wool though.  I have a wool addiction. 

Fleece covers
Made if water resistant poly fleece (see fabric reference page).  They are as breathable as wool.  They can get compression leaks and so ideal for home.  They come in all the same styles as wool.  It is affordable (windpro is pricey but the Best). They can be washed and dried.  They are stretchy.  Durable (put some pilling).  Will last 3-4 kids.  Soft and cuddly.  Also used as PJ pants to help with night diapering.  Sine like a 2nd especially in wet zone.  As a wrap style cover they can make your diaper act like an HF.