Don't Felt That Wool!!

Well you can felt if you want to, but you don't need to.  None of my wool is felted.  Not even my cashmere, or my night time wool.  I do sew a wet zone in my wool for a little extra protection.  If you have a good diaper under your wool, you will be fine.  Not felting means more wool to sew with (no shrinking), full stretch (useful over fluff bums), full cuddly softness, and no accidentally ruined wool that over felted (unless hubby washes your favorite pair lol).

Unfelted upcycled shorties.

Unfelted knitted night time longies

Unfelted wool rib knit

Unfelted wool jersey knit

Unfelted wool interlock romper

And Unfelted CASHMERE longies, the most soft, cuddly wool of all 

Fastest Way To Dry Wool

Weather you are cleaning and lanolizing wool or dying wool the biggest issue is it takes so long to dry!!

Well I have good news for you! I dry my wool in about 2 hours per piece.  Interlock fabric or longies.  I simply place it on the back of a fan and the wetness is sucked out.  I can wash and lano my full stash and have every piece dried by bed time.  Now you can too.

Monster Bunz Mod to Soaker Tutorial

It's no secret I think monster bunz aka MB (by opulent monsters on etsy) is the greatest fit for a cloth bum.  So today I am going to show how I use this pattern to make a soaker.  I should add I have the luxe fit.

(Toddlers are not always the best models lol, this is the only still shot I managed to get).

K first up pin your leg pattern price to your wool.
Cut from 1/2 inch below small circle cut out to 1/2 inch below large circle cut out (I sew in a 1/4 inch seam allowance - quilting habit).

Next fold the pattern peice up at this 1/2 inch mark
Cut across straight edge.

Cut your waist as normal or make it shorter.  I like shorter on a soaker.

Finally cut your leg peice in the opposite stretch direction and not on fold. (Mine was pre cut so I eyeballed it).  We want the leg cuff more narrow height wise, but longer length wise as it now is going around a thigh not an ankle.

Finally sew together in much the same way.
Sew edge of cuffs then fold over and set aside.

Repeat for waist.

Sew top back seam.

Top front seam

Join leg seams forming a leg hole.
Next (and I'm so sorry I forgot a pic) cut from 1.5 inch in from the leg seam out towards the side on a scoop up by 2 inches.  This will make it a soaker and not a shorty.  Now that it is on him, and he is thinned out, I could have cut up 3-4 inches.

Place butt circle in hole.  Pin top and bottom first then ease in pinning more.  Sew (circle up).

Inside out place cuffs and waist band in leg holes and waist.  Then sew.

Lastly I fold the cuff over once more and sew up.

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.