So, ever since Gabe was a few months old I've been thinking "If I only knew how to sew than I could make this...." or "I can't find what I'm looking for at the store, wish I knew how to make it myself" and many more thoughts along these lines. Well, the urge to learn how to sew got really strong recently when I fell in love with wool diaper covers. Wool, if you did not know, is amazing due to it's natural water repellence BUT if pushed will absorb 30% of its weight in moisture. Also, it's anti-fungal and the lanolin in the wool naturally kills the stinky pee-pee bacteria :) so I only wash them once every 2 weeks! Anyway, this post isn't about wool. It's about how I REALLY wanted to learn to sew so I could make my own wool covers out of old wool sweaters (found at local thrift stores). New wool covers can cost between $25 - $65 and you can usually find a used one online for $8 - $20 depending on the condition of it. Well I bought 2 new ones awhile back for $25 ea. and soon after saw a blog about making your own wool cover out of an old sweater. I didn't really consider it at first because I thought "I don't know how to sew, or even own a machine so there's no point to it." But then, one morning when I should have been studying, I decided to go to Salvation army "just to see." I looked up and down every sweater isle and found three 100% wool sweaters! For $1.99 ea.!!! I was ecstatic! I check out and the lady says my total is $2.98?!? My math isn't the best but that sounds off to me. Turns out everything in the store was 50% off that day!! So I essentially got $75 worth of diaper covers for $2.98, how awesome is that! (and I'm recycling :)
Can't you just imagine this on a cute baby butt!?
(sorry for the horrible pink background)
My husband, hearing me talk about all the projects I'd like to do "someday" and how I was dreading borrowing my step-grandma's sewing machine, got me a sewing machine for my birthday!!! Last night, I sat down and figured out how to thread it and do the settings (took A LOT longer than expected). Being me, I couldn't just leave it at that, I had to try to make something. So after practicing a little on some cut up rags, I attempted to make a pair of longies! Longies are wool pants that can also be used as a diaper cover. However, I didn't want to destroy one of my wool sweaters so I practiced on an old polyester sweater I had. I used this tutorial http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/wool-diaper-cover.html.
They actually fit! And look like pants!
I accidentally sewed one leg inside out. In the tutorial it says to put one leg inside the other, apparently when you do this, the leg going inside needs to be turned wrong side out...now ya know :) Also, I made the waistband extra long for night time but it can be rolled down during the day.
I plan on making one diaper cover and one pair of longies from each sweater. After I am confident enough to finish them, I will let you know how they turn out!
Can't you just imagine this on a cute baby butt!?
They actually fit! And look like pants!
I accidentally sewed one leg inside out. In the tutorial it says to put one leg inside the other, apparently when you do this, the leg going inside needs to be turned wrong side out...now ya know :) Also, I made the waistband extra long for night time but it can be rolled down during the day. 
wowww!!! that is cool!!! i've been hesitant about wool diapers at night...do they get the sheets wet?? would Gabriel get too hot in the summer months? do you put a diaper inside the wool cover?
ReplyDeleteHey Christine! No, they do not get the sheets wet. They can hold quite a bit of moisture before leaking, Gabriel goes from about 7pm to 6:30 or 7am in his wool diaper cover and prefold with a doubler. We haven't had a chance to use them in the summer, but wool (the untreated kind that has to be washed by hand, not the "superwash" kind) is very breathable so it keeps baby warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I've read many moms who use and love them in the summer.
ReplyDeleteThe wool cover works just like the plastic Gerber pull up pants in that you just pull them over the diaper. You have to use a prefold or fitted diaper; if using a prefold you need to Snappi or pin it into place. Once the diaper is on you pull up the wool cover.
Before you use your wool cover, whether it's brand new or recycled, you need to wash it by hand in warm water with a little bit of baby shampoo a few times and then lanolize it (you can use the breastfeeding lanolin stuff).
*The wool cover works better and better after each use. The first week or so it would be pretty wet by 7am (though not leaking through) but by the 2nd week, & after I'd rewashed and lanolized it, I haven't had a leak since* We've only had one leak through and that was because I had his prefold on wrong.