How do I love thee…

Oh Little Turtle Knits Ribby Wrap Pattern, how do I love thee?  Well worth the money, let me just say.

The pattern is written pretty neat, it's in chart format, no need to go through and circle all the crazy numbers and stuff.  It's just really great.

Gee, am I writing well today or what?  Maybe I just need more tea… especially since I can't think of the word that I want to describe my writing, but which obviously doesn't…  sigh…

I would so love to post pics for you right here in this article.  But Blogware seems to be melting down… again…

So, go here for all the soaker and diaper pics.

The Ribby Wrap is here, and opened here.  Modelled by the lovely Ephie-pie here and here.

I also made these really neat butt sweaters from an old cashmere sweater of my sister Ashley's.  It is soooo soft, but unfortunately Eph is waaaay too huge for them.  So off they go to Bekah.  Pics are here and here.

Ooooeee I can sew, I can sew!

My Gramma would be so proud of me!

I generally dislike sewing.  I can do it, I can tolerate
it…  but, it must be the whole “following a pattern” nonsense
that I dislike.

HOWEVER, last night I made Ephie four cloth diapers!  Wahoo! 
Just out of old material and receiving blankets!  It worked like a
charm, and not only that, he loves them!  Now I just need a few
more soakers,
and I am laughing….  I think so far I have spent $20 on this
venture.  And the best part?  Now there's not so much
pressure on me, or on him, to potty train.  He can now feel when
he's wet too, which is half the battle, really.

So, here ya go…  four layers of material…  The outside of
the yellow one and the green one is made of old receiving
blankets.  The brown plaid is some material I got from my Gramma
yesterday.

I used this pattern
to make them.  The first one I made a bit too short, so we altered
the pattern to make it a titch longer through the centre, and they fit
AWESOME.  And man, are they ever CUTE.

My Gramma gave me a bunch of old flannel blankets, and that's what I
used to line them.  The soaker part in the centre (that you can't
see) is made of an old cotton tea towel that Ja hates.  On the
brown plaid that part is an old stained facecloth.

((This one is Eph's favourite!))

So, the layers go like this, polar fleece on the inside, on the part
that touches his skin; two layers of old cotton blanket in the middle,
then the outside is pretty much whatever fun stuff you have kicking
around.

A couple of tricks I learned was to use a thinner elastic, rather than
thicker.  Sewing each end of the elastic down before stretching it
and sewing down the length makes a huge different.  I intend on
adding velcro to the tabs on all of these, but unfortunately, can't do
it until payday!  So, for now we use diaper pins.  Which is
actually working not too badly.

I really love the way these fit him.  They aren't too bulky,
they're nice and trim around his legs, and when he got up this morning,
the fleece had whicked all the moisture to the outside of the
diaper.  His skin was pretty dry.  Another great
thing??  We haven't had a diaper rash around here since we stopped
using the disposables.  oooeee!

And now I leave you with Keyzia, trying to strangle her brother with love.

Wool Soakers

So, the cloth diaper obsession continues… 
I've been making wool soakers for over top of the diapers I got for a
dollar a piece at the used place here in town.  Okay, so I've only
made two so far, but plans for a couple more are definately in the
cards!

My dream pattern?  Little Turtle Knits Ribby Wrap.  I love how easy and trim fitting it looks. 

Anyways, I made this crochet wrap out of stuff I got from Amanda for other projects… ((sorry, Manda!!))  Pattern is free from Tickle Turdle.

I hate to say it, but I didn't really like this pattern too much. 
I find it a bit bulky in the crotch, and it doesn't necessarily stay
over the diaper very well.  This wasn't a good wool choice for it
either.  Too heavy, I think.  And, most telling of all, Eph
hates it.  He walks like a cowboy who's been on a horse too long
when he has it on! 

It also has a weird bum bubble too…

Now, I am amazed that the thing, as long as it completely covers the
entire diaper itself, is totally waterproof.  Overnight toddler
gallon pee water proof.  That part was awesome.

So, then I tackled this one from Tiny Birds.

I think that the right leg hole is a bit bigger than the left… 
I crocheted to rows of singles around each leg, and then one row of
doubles.  My advice would be to count the number of singles you do
on the first leg, and duplicate that on the second!

It covers the cloth diaper quite nicely.  I used some wool that I
got from my Gramma eons ago for this one.  It was a bit rough
until I washed it.  I did a short cycle on hot, and it felted just
slightly.  Made it really really soft too.  I'm
impressed.  I think it must be some kind of barn wool, because
occasionally it had bits of twigs and stuff in it.

He's much more comfortable in this one, that's for sure!  It just
seems so huge.  That must be something I'll have to get used to.

Next on the agenda?? This one.  It's a seriously simple pattern.  We shall see how it turns out!

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You know, that Little Turtle Knits Ribby Wrap pattern would make a great Christmas present….  yes, yes it would!