i posted a quick picture the other day of the diaper covers i was working on but thought i'd share the finished products. hopefully you are aren't tired of baby posts yet!
i used this basic pattern for the covers, though i basically cut out the middle section by folding it down to make teeny newborn sizes. for the blue and grey ones i made them out of recycled cashmere sweaters, because who wouldn't want cashmere covering their rump? i felted the sweaters first by washing them on super hot in the washing machine and drying (you may need to do it several times). it causes the fibers to shrink up. i then layed out the sweater and pinned the pattern on and cut through both sides to get a double layer. you then simply put the sides you want out facing each other and sew around it, leaving an opening along the top and both sides. turn them right side out and add elastic to the openings and then stitch the open edges together and it makes a kind of ruffle. the first one felt very tricky but they got easier as i went on. fatter elastic helped too.
you then add velcro, making sure the scratchy parts won't come in contact with the baby. i made mine so the side tabs can also cross over each other to make them more fitted, or they both attach to the front piece to allow room for growing.
you can also add cute little details like a heart on the tushie! i want to make some with my little animal shapes also. an elephant or giraffe?!
i bought this white wool fabric years ago with the intention of making wool covers for my daughter but didn't have the confidence. i ended up making countless animals out of instead. i'm sure you may recognize it:) it's very cute as a sheep or a diaper cover i think, and i had just enough to make one cover from it.
you can also improvise a little bit if your sweater isn't quite big enough. you can use two different colors, or add in a little extra fabric if it happens to be a v-neck, like i did.
i'm really hoping they work well, and i can make more. wool diaper covers can be quite expensive and making your own cuts down on the costs dramatically. sweaters are only a few dollars a piece and then you just need velcro, elastic and maybe some patience.
after they are sewn up i washed them again with a wool wash that contained lanolin. to make sure they are extra good i also lanolized them in the sink. you add hot water and lanolin and let them soak. then role them in a towel to squeeze out extra water and lay them flat to dry (which took no time outside in the sunshine). the lanolin will make sure they absorb a lot of water but keep them from leaking onto other surfaces or babies skin. if the get wet with urine, they only need to be hung to dry. wash them every few weeks unless they get pooped on and then just re-wash with wool detergent and air dry. re-lanolize them when they aren't working as well. i use pre-fold inserts like these inside, along with a snappi which makes them more form fitting.
in other news, i officially put the shop on vacation mode today. it will be closed for the next month. i sold my last order yesterday... one of these babies! i'm excited for them to participate in some ones special day.
