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 

Potty Training In Wool

So today is the first day if fall weather and a need to dress monkey rather then have him run around in nothing but his monkey undies.  Also my timing for sitting on the potty is off due to having just 3 whole hours of sleep last night.  (Life if moms).  But the good news is I got to see how effective wool is over (non water proof) training pants.  And it is amazing.  Monkey undies are not as absorbent as diapers.  This is so my toddler can learn that peeing in underwear is not ideal.  His wool longies stayed dry.  We will have some happy easy fall potty training without the worry of multiple clothing changes.

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.

Microwave Dying Wool Interlock With Wilton's (food) Colouring

Well as I wait for my cuffs, waist and butt circles to ice dye for my wool longies I am dyeing the legs (if said longies) blue with Wilton's royal blue colour (what I usually use for colouring marshmallow fondant for cakes).  This is much quicker.

I added blue colour to a bowl of hot tap water and some vinegar (about 3/4 cup) and stirred.  There was some chunks that didn't dissolve...I'm sure it will add depth instead of symmetrical coverage.  And I like that.

Next I added the leg pieces to the bowl and microwaved for 2 min, let set 2 min (in theory, in reality it was 2-5 because I have a lot going on today before my in laws arrive),  repeat till water us clear.

I thought it was done after second time cuz the water was clear but when I lifted the wool with tongs colour ran off. So back to the microwave.

When finally done I microwaved a bowl of plain water for 2.5 min then took wool out of first bowl and put it to set in second bowl.  I will leave it there till the water cools then dry on the back of a fan.  Since I dont want shrinkage or felting its important to let it cool down at room temperature.

And here the leg peices are dried and laid out with the ice dyed peices it will go with.

Ice Dying Wool Interlock With Wilton's Colouring paste.

Well when the jello dying of interlock shorties looked probably successful I knew i wanted to dye my white interlock fabric.  And I wanted it ice dyed.  But i have no ice cube trays...what to do?   what to do?.....aha! Make coloured ice in metal pie runs then smash when solid.  I can do this.  But I have a limited number for this, plus limited freezer space and limited left over colour.  So I decided I will ice dye butt circles and cuffs,  cuz the longies will be made using monster bunz (mb).

Knowing I would want to start asap I made pans of coloured water while the red jello shorties were soaking.  From there I will have to wait.  I have royal blue and golden yellow.  So I made blue,  yellow and green.

 Once frozen the shorties  should be dry.  If the shorties shrank lots I will just dump the ice I guess.

I also had to make room in my freezer.  This meant lots of stacking.  Tomorrow we shall see if I proceed.  The remaining fabric will be microwaved in blue I think.

Day 2:
The shorties turned out great with no felting so into dyeing my fabric.  I cut out my pieces: 2 butt circles and 2 sets if cuffs (one set in red interlock, one set for a pair I'm dying blue), 1 waist band and one set of legs (to be blue, different post).

Next I hammered the ice.  The yellow was in a 6in cake pan.  That was a mistake as I could only get large chunks.

Then having no suitable rack I placed wool in the front cover of a fan lol.

Poured vinegar water solution over top

Added ice.  Since I'm cooking tonight's chicken now before it gets really hot outside it is in my tiny super hot kitchen.

Once done cooking I moved it outside to my balcony in the sun.  Let's hope I can keep monkey and the cats away from it lol.  And now waiting for ice to melt.

The ice melted pretty quick in the sun.

After that I hung them to dry outside untill my blue dye job (next post after this) was dry and then i moved these peices to the back of my fans.  I squeezed out excess water by hand which gave the back ground a light green tinge.  Rolled in a towel then hung them.  I was surprised by the maroon and bit of purple.  And I am very happy with the results.

The water that dripped into the bowl was such a lovely green i dted my wool scraps in it.  They will either become a wool soaker or or (if big enough) longies.

fall longies

Fall is almost upon us and my chunky monkey baby is now a long legged toddler.  His thighs are still a little chunky lol.  He is now 15 months so as I think about fall clothes to go from fall to winter to spring I need to remember my lil monkey will be potty training at some point in that time period.  So rompers are out and longies are the way to go.  I love rompers but they are not easy for a toddler to take on and off during many potty trips.

When searching for wool I found a shop online called New Zealand Merino.  They had wool on sale, wool in prints and shipping turned out to be readonable.  I paid $30 shipping on $50 worth of wool (on sale).  That will work out to about $20 per pair of longies.  Could have been  less but some of the wool is jersey knit and I decided to double it and add an interlock wet zone.

The next feat will be shirts to match and making trainers for that magic day.  I will not be making water proof trainers.  To me thatbisba glorified diaper that allows toddlers to change themselves.

Wool Blog Share

Came across a blog called "The Mindful Home",  this blog needs sharing, the posy I'm sharing covers all things wool and I totally recommend giving this a read. 
Click here :)
There is a part one and part two, check out both. 

From shorties to longies - mod'd 2in1

As I've said before shorties and baby legs (leg warmers) are two great clothing pieces for cloth diapered babies.  And in the warmer months when your little one will be in shorties, having a pair of baby legs on hand is great should the temperature dip some.

So I made a matching pair or wool shorties (using monster bunz pattern mod'd to shorties), and baby legs.   To make the baby legs I used parts of the monster bunz pattern.  The leg cuff we know is a good width.  Add length to it if needed. That becomes your leg portion.  Then cut a small cuff for the top and one to fit the bottom (smaller for ankle).  One of the things I like about this is our spring/summer outfits will go from the earliest chilly days of spring till the last days of summer.  

Best part is together this looks like a pair of longies and monkey wore them this way today.

*also made the jacket out of old jeans and wool trim/hood. 

pattern conversion: monster bunz to back snap wool romper

This post is the pattern conversion only.  The sewing tutorial is (here).

I love butt circle pants and I love wool.  Combining the two has been awesome.  Tonight however I was thinking I'd like a one piece old style romper that snaps shut at the back waist .  Trust me, they are awesome .  So I am combining the two.

I start with the purchased pattern.  The seams are in the wrong place for what we are doing thoug . We need side seams not centre seams.  So fold in half and tuck under pieces that form front of pants.

Lay on your new pattern paper (I use newspaper), with the waist on the fold.  Trace the pattern adding seam allowance to the outside of legs.  Also add a substantial hem allowance at waist. I fold my paper to get even on both sides when I cut. Then cut.

Now fold purchased pattern tucking back under.  Trace again with seam allowance at leg.  Leave lots of room at top of paper.

Grab one of baby's shirts.  Trace to make a pattern piece for shirt back.  Swing out side to match pant width.

Use that to make front shirt pattern piece (cut front neck lower though).  But make shorter shirt length then back and draft so the waists meet making one solid front piece.

Using shirt neck lines draft a front and back yoke.

Make a sleeve and cuff piece using your shirt and seam allowanc .

Use the butt circle and leg cuff pattern piece from your purchased pattern.

Pin pattern pieces to fabric. Make sure the stretch goes across the width of the pattern.  You will cut one piece of:
Pants back
Outfit front
Shirt back
Front & back yoke.

Cut two pieces of:
Sleeve
Sleeve cuff
Leg cuff
Butt circle.  (If made of jersey or fleece cut one, for wool cut 2 for water resistence.