Easy Peasy Bandanna Bibs

So my little girl is almost 4 months old and drooling like crazy now! It's pretty funny that I didn't know what drool bibs were our first time around since baby #1 didn't drool hardly at all!

I went out searching for some cute bibs for her and couldn't find any I liked. I liked the style of the bandanna bibs, but I didn't like the fabric used... It price.

I zipped off to the fabric store a couple of weekends ago and bought the following supplies. I've been able to make 12 bibs so far.

13" of each fabric. I used 3 cotton and 3 flannel cotton pieces.

A pack of snaps (mine say they are for jersey... And there are ones you can get with the tool included that crimps/fastens them down in the fabric)

Spool of white (I picked my fabric so that they would all coordinate fine with white,)

Steps:
I have a rotary cutter and self healing Matt which makes cutting fabric precisely and quickly a breeze.

I cut out 12" squares, then cut those in half to make triangles.

I sewed the triangles right side to right side with one cotton piece and one flannel piece. I left a small opening so that I could turn the triangles right side out.

I used a chopstick to help me turn the fabric right side out. I didn't bother raven seeing them shut since I did top stitches around the edge to finish the sewing.

Then at the end I popped the snaps on. Then that was that. So so easy. Sew easy?! Baha.

Enjoy!

Nesting Doll Onsies - DIY Babushka Baby Shirt

A small dilemma we have had lately, is that Baby #2 is a girl but is wearing a little boy's, Baby #1's hand-me downs. I personally don't like to dress my littlest one in head to toe pink anyway, so like I said, small dilemma. I also don't want her looking like a boy so I got to thinking about how to "girlie" some of baby boy's hand me downs for my little girl. I've seem lots of ideas on Pinterest on how to doll up plain onsies to make them more interesting, but none of them were really my style.

If you read my blog, you might have seen my post about my collection of Russian Nesting dolls/ Matryoshka dolls. I really like them and have gathered a number of them over the years, so I had a lot of reference to work from for this project. I've used fabric paints with much success in the past so I messed around a bit and came up with these. 

Its easier than it looks! 

This is what I used: 

1 small paintbrush

primary set of fabric paint (blue, yellow, red, black)

plain onsies

sticker paper (I used Avery Labels)

scissors

scrap cardboard (like from a cereal box)

These are the steps I took: 

1. Draw the basic Nesting doll shape, or you can print out this jpg. image out on the sticker paper. The doll is about 6x4 inches on a 0-3 month sized onsie.  

2. Cut out the doll's body shape. 

3. Remove the paper off the back of the sticker and place the sticker where you want the doll to go on the onsie. 

4. Stuff some scrap cardboard into the shirt before you start to paint, or the paint might go through to the backside of the shirt. You might want to use a couple clips to clip the fabric onto the carboard so it doesn't move around. I didn't since I've got a pretty steady painting hand. 

5. Paint around the outside of the stencil onto the shirt. Work with small amounts of paint in dashes around the doll's shape. If you feel your line getting wiggly, just pull the brush towards the centre of the stencil then start again. It doesn't need to be perfect. In fact, I highly suggest not to get too intense about keeping things tight, loosen up, it will look great in the end after all the details are added. Its also best to do two coats rather than one thick one. 

6. Cut out the head scarf shape (the oval for the face and the line below it). I worked from the same sticker paper. I just folded the paper non sticky side to non sticky side symmetrically and in half, then cut out the headscarf shape. 

7. Apply the headscarf shape sticker where you want it to be. 

8. Paint the oval for the face and line under it. 

9. Wait about half an hour until these lines are nice and dry. 

10. Embellish and be creative filling in the rest of the features of the doll. If you need inspiration there are lots of pictures online of nesting dolls. I used mine as reference for painting the eyes, and flowers on their tummies. For finer details like lips, eyes and outlines of flowers, I used the paint directly from the tube of fabric paint. You could also just use a tiny paintbrush! 

Let me know if you have any questions. 

Enjoy!

Cloth Diapering - Update

I figured it has been a while since I wrote about cloth diapering, something I've really enjoyed. 

Our first born is almost two now! How time flies! So that means we have been using cloth for about 20 months? I took a few months off my total because we started when he was a month old. I wanted to wait until the newborn poop was all done (meconium) and the umbilical cord was off. I should have mentioned it before, but I was glad to not have invested in newborn cloth diapers. Since our first born was 8lbs and 11ounces birth, he fit our all-in-ones pretty much right away! 

We also used disposables when we were on vacation (which hasn't been very much). I know some people do it, but I just couldn't wrap my head around it since we didn't have access to our own washing machine.

Then recently, for a month and a half, he was in the disposables again when I was dealing with some mad morning sickness with this pregnancy. I could BARELY change his diaper as it was. Life hits you sometimes, right? We do what we can to survive...

For the time that I have been cloth diapering though, it's been pretty smooth sailing. We are still really happy with our stash and they have held up really well. I wouldn't consider myself an expert, but our system has worked for us and is relatively easy. 

In our stash we have:

6 flip covers

6 organic inserts

6 stay dry inserts

3 apple cheeks organic bamboo inserts

12 Bum Genius elemental all-in-one diapers

It's not the biggest stash, but its enough for 27 changes. 

I really like the assortment we have because they pretty much have had us covered this whole time. We use our "Flip" covers with our organic cotton inserts for everyday alongside the "BumGemius all-in-one Elementals". Then we use a "Flip" cover with a stay dry insert for nap times. We use a Flip cover with an "Apple Cheeks" bamboo insert layered under a "Flip" stay dry insert. YAY! 

Early on, I decided to stick to buying cloth diapers all from the same manufacturer so that when it came time to wash them I could do all of them the same way. It is SO SO important to check what the manufacturer recommends because... well they know their diapers the best and will know how to tell us how to get the most life out of them. Also, companies like Cotton Babies (who is the manufacturer of our diapers with the acceptation of our Apple Cheeks inserts) will offer a warranty that could be voided if the recommendations aren't followed. 

With a small stash, we have learned that it is really important to rotate the diapers evenly so that they get even wear. What we do, which has worked really well, is a system with two baskets, a drying rack and a diaper pail with two liners. 

Usually every 2-3 days we wash all of the cloth diapers that are in the diaper pail (usually there are half of them in there). 

Solids must be rinsed thoroughly into the toilet. If they aren’t there will be poo in the washing machine. Rinse the solids using the diaper sprayer, before putting them into the diaper pail. We have a roll of flushable liners that help with the #2 mess too. Just lay them on top of the diaper, between the cloth and baby’s bottom.

Our Regular Diaper Routine:

1. Dump all of the diapers and pail liner into the washing machine with ½ a tablespoon of Nellie’s Laundry All-Natural Laundry Soda or Rockin’ Green (we will have one or the other). We have been using Nellie's since I was able to find the 50 load bag of washing soda at Winners for only $5.99 CAD!

2. Do an additional wash with another ½ a tablespoon of soap. 

3. Dump all of the inserts and all-in-one diapers (Bum Genius Elementals) into the dryer on a low heat setting. Hang dry all of the diaper shells/covers (Flip), and the diaper pail liner inside-out to dry.

4. Usually the diapers will not fully dry in the drier (after about half an hour), which is what we want. We hang the inserts and the all-in-ones up to finish the drying process. 

5. Here comes the rotation! I have one basket under the change table that has all of the diapers from my previous wash. I move these, and fold them neatly into the basket that is on top of the change table. Then I grab the diapers (inserts, shells/covers, and all-in ones) off the drying rack and dump them into the basket (the left one in the picture) under the change table. In the right basket under the table we keep wipes, our extra wet bags, a small stash of disposables, and our first born's towels. 

I think that washing and stashing diapers away, really only takes about 5-8 minutes of my time every 2-3 days. Not bad, not bad at all! 

It is rewarding to think about all of the money we have saved (at least $900 by now) and more importantly all of the diaper changes that haven't ended up in a landfill. Plus, our first born has really sensitive skin, and we have noticed that he does better in the cloth. Horray! A happy baby makes a happy mommy.

Cloth Diapering as a First Time Mom

Whether to cloth diaper or to use disposables is just one of the important decisions we have had to make as new parents. Early on in my pregnancy we decided that cloth diapering was something that was worth trying out. I felt urged to find out for myself if cloth diapering was/is right for our family.

A few major facts that caught my attention:
1. It takes a disposable diaper 550 years to decompose!
2. At 6 diapers per day for 2.5 years (the average age a baby will potty train using disposables) is 5,475. That’s about $1,500 vs. $600 to buy a set of 24 quality cloth diapers plus the accessories. So that’s $900 worth of saving, plus they can be used again for subsequent children.
3. Disposable diapers are full of mysterious chemicals that are harmful to the environment as well as baby’s skin and body.
4. Cloth diapered children tend to potty train sooner, since they can feel that they are wet.
5. Cloth diapering is not what it used to be, thanks to advancements in the textile industry, they are easy to use and function well.

Sources:
http://www.thegreenmama.com/analyzing-environmental-life-cycle-costs-diapers
http://behealthyandrelax.com/2007/11/how-long-does-it-take-to-decompose/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rNYzSH-BA (plastic island)

I started my search online, looking to find out where I could buy them. I was overwhelmed! There are so many companies making cloth diapers and so many different styles, fabrics, and colours to choose from.

Watching people’s reviews on YouTube was helpful place to start, since I did not understand the cloth diapering jargon on review sites or blogs. It was a learning curve, but I found that some web stores had some really helpful pages dedicated to helping out newbies like me understand what cloth diapering is all about. I didn’t know the difference between a prefold or an all in one. Now I do.

• Flats – diapers are a single large layer of cloth that must be folded into the correct size to fit a baby under a separate waterproof cover.

• Prefolds – diapers are a simple rectangle of layered absorbent cloth folded into thirds and fastened under a separate waterproof cover.

• Fitteds – diapers are made of a few layers of absorbent cloth material sewn to resemble and fit the same as a disposable. They are fastened shut by pins, snaps, or hook and loop tape (velcro). They also need a separate waterproof cover.

• Pocket diapers – diapers include a waterproof outer layer and a moisture-wicking inner layer that is sewn together to create a stuff-able pocket. The pocket is stuffed with absorbent material called an “insert” and can usually accommodate extra layers of fabric called “boosters”.

• All-in-one diapers (AIO) – diapers have a waterproof outer layer, sewn together with a moisture absorbing inner layer(s).

• All-in-two diapers (AI2) – diapers can function as an all-in-one diaper or as a diaper cover. An all-in-two diaper has an insert that can be removed. With the insert removed the diaper can be used as a cover over a “prefold” or “fitted” cloth diaper.

After understanding what the different types of diapers were and the abbreviations used, some blogs were helpful with reviews on certain brands and comparing different brands to each other. I wanted to find something that was made in North America, trim, cost effective and above all functional. I found a brand called Apple Cheeks that I liked the looks of and read blog reviews favoring this brand because of their diaper’s low rise (as not to rub little umbilical cord stumps) and trimness as a two size All-In-2. I liked that the insert would come out of the cover because I hoped to be able replace the inserts after they were soiled and use the cover for more than one change. The inserts coming out would also mean they would dry faster too. Plus, they are made in Canada!   

At this time, my little wee one was still a dweller of the tummy. I was almost completely sure that I wanted to go with this Apple Cheeks system. When you are cloth diapering you want to have enough for 24 changes. I almost ordered 24 changes right off the bat, but I thought I shouldn’t be too hasty. I was nervous about its performance and fit when the little wee actually came. I ordered a mini test kit and washed it in preparation.



When our first born arrived, life was kind of crazy, as expected. What wasn’t expected however, was how long it would take for me to recover! (It was a long delivery) I thought maybe a few days but it was more like a week before I could even do stairs comfortably. My midwives strongly urged me to stay with my mom so she could take care of me. The last thing on my mind at that point was my little mini test kit since I wasn’t even the one changing his diapers. 

our first born in his Apple Cheeks Diaper

At about 2 weeks old we tried the cloth diaper. I was instantly glad that I didn’t commit to the whole system because the leg snaps were already at their loosest setting! our first born was still under 10 lbs and the diaper is estimated to fit babies from 7-20 lbs. I understand that this weight guide is not exact... but he is long and skinny. I would expect the diaper to be ill fitting on a chubby thighed baby, not him. The cover also would get dirty nearly every time he soiled (newborn poop is liquid not solid) it; defeating the purpose of using the cover for more than one change. Occasionally we forgot to point his little pee pee down, or maybe it managed to move while the diaper was on him, we found that his pee would wick up to the top front and then on his clothes. I didn’t have a problem at the time with the bulkiness of the diapers, I expected some bulk with cloth. I was suprised that Jesse, my husband, did however have a probem with the way the bulk looked. In short, these were not working.

I emailed Green Ninja, and let them know about my experience. I told them that we wanted to find a cloth diaper that was as trim as possible. Green Ninja’s site I found especially helpful with information, tips and suggestions. Their response to my e-mail was quick, detailed and personal.

I visited a couple local shops that carried cloth diapers to see and compare how they felt and what they looked like in real life. I wish this was the first thing I did. I understood so much faster what I liked and did not like from just doing this. For example, I hate the feeling of micro-fibre/fleece! It gives me the heebie geebies! Now, this is totally my personal preference because there really isn’t anything wrong with micro-fibre/fleece but how was I to know this unless I felt it and saw it in person? I went ahead and ordered a BumGenius Elemental to try out right away after seeing it in the local store and Green Ninja’s suggesting it in the previously mentioned e-mail.   

our first born in his first Elemental Diaper

We tried the Elemental diaper as soon as we could and were very impressed by its design. It was trim enough to go under our first born’s jeans even. Its absorbent layers were of organic cotton, not micro fleece and we did not have leaking or fit problems. He will hopefully fit these diapers for a while still since he is still on the second tightest setting in the legs and waist and on the tightest setting for the rise. The only drawback we have found with these so far is that they are higher in price and they take about 2 hours to dry on low in the dryer. Hopefully the weather will get nicer so that we can hang them outside. 

part of our cloth diaper collection

We now have 12 bumGenius Elementals and 2 Flip covers with 6 inserts. I decided to get some Flip diapers because they are so versatile. Our first born isn’t peeing too much at night now, but I there is an option to double up on the inserts with the Flip diaper (or any pocket diaper) when he gets a bit older. They also are great because they dry fast and have an organic cotton insert option, the same material that we loved about the Elementals.

Some pleasant surprises I’ve learned about cloth diapering:
1. There is a huge supportive and very friendly community of parents who cloth diaper.
2. Its been a lot easier than I thought it would be! I’m only doing one more extra load every other day.
3. Its fun and almost addictive! I want to find out how other people are doing cloth diapers and what they use, their experiences, what they wash them with, how they store them etc.
4. I really like the way they look and feel on our baby. The cloth diaper gives you something to grab onto when you are holding him and they are super cute!
5. I feel really good about making this decision for our family every time we put a diaper on our baby.  

My Favorite Cloth Diaper Links so far:
Diaper Pin - unbiased reviews on different products and brands
Green Ninja - helpful “diaper training” for a newbie like me