Flats and Handwashing Challenge Day 3- Why Wool?

When I first started cloth diapering over 17 years ago, I heard about wool covers. The only ones I found were really expensive and I read mixed reviews on how well they actually worked. Some people really loved them and others absolutely hated them. Since I was on a really tight budget, I decided not to try any.

I cloth diaper my kids for many reasons. Finances are actually the deciding factor on how I diaper, but they aren't really the main reason WHY I cloth diaper. The main reasons why I use cloth are that I feel it is much more ecologically sound and that I have children with very sensitive skin who break out from disposables. For both of those reasons I remained intrigued by wool covers. While cloth diapers are pretty eco-friendly, covers can be a bit less so. I still feel that the chemicals and production costs of reusable covers is a better alternative than single use diapers, but I still thought that there must be something even better.

Then baby number four came along. He was a super wetter! One of those kids who could completely soak a diaper in one pee. During the day, I was able to add a doubler to his diaper and change him promptly. Every night we had leaks though. I started looking for different options and kept coming up with wool covers again. They were still outrageously expensive to buy, but I found tutorials on how to make my own out of thrift store sweaters. I promptly went to our local thrift store and bought up a few wool sweaters. It turned out to be my diapering solution! Unfortunately, it became very popular in my area for moms to make and sell these on the internet and I had a really hard time finding cheap sweaters. I eventually was able to buy some wool fabric from a co-op, but that wasn't a very good option. It was still pretty expensive and it's a pretty long process. I also had trouble finding the right fabric when I wanted it.

That's when I discovered patterns for knitting your own wool covers. Wool yarn can be found pretty inexpensively at stores like Joann and Michaels. There was only one problem. I didn't know how to knit. I'd been crocheting for pretty much ever, but I'd never been able to figure out knitting. I finally found some crochet soaker patterns and made up a few, but there weren't nearly as many patterns for crochet. Then, my daughter had the opportunity to take a knitting class and parents were invited along to help out. I decided that if children as young as 8 could take a knitting class that I could learn too. I spent the next year making scarves and then finally started knitting soakers!

What do I love about wool soakers besides the fact that they are so cute? First, they are incredibly easy to take care of. I didn't believe this at first, since I kept reading about handwashing and lanolizing, but the thing is you don't have to do that very often. I wash soakers fairly often now, because I have a very messy toddler and they get food and dirt on them, but on a smaller or less messy baby soakers only need washed every few weeks. Second, they really are the most leak proof covers I've ever used. Third, they can be used as outerwear, saving even more since I don't have to buy separate pants. Fourth, I feel that they are the most ecological option, especially if you are careful to buy eco-friendly, untreated wools. Finally, most importantly, my kids don't break out in them. I've always had to be super careful about which covers I use and how long they stay on, and what detergent I use to wash with. I don't have to worry about that with wool at all. If one of the kids gets a rash, using only wool covers and natural fiber diapers for a few days clears it right up.

Owen wore this pair of longies for nearly two years!

I highly recommend everyone try some wool covers. Especially since they can actually be one of the most inexpensive cover options if you (or someone you know) knits or crochets.

Testing, Testing

I recently had the opportunity to TEST a new crochet diaper cover pattern. I love testing patterns. Partially because it is so much fun to see how they evolve over the testing period and partially because I like getting to be among the first to try out a new pattern.
I've used cloth diapers with all of the kids. With the first three I had heard about wool covers, but they were a little out of our price range, especially considering the fact that I didn't know if I'd like them. When I was pregnant with Duncan, I really wanted to try wool, so I started making my own out of recycled wool sweaters and wool fabric. I fell in love with hand knit soakers, but I didn't know how to knit then and I had never seen any crocheted ones. I discovered a couple of crochet patterns when Morgan was a baby and have been crocheting my own ever since then. I also learned to knit around the same time and so I make knitted ones too.

I actually like crocheted covers better than knitted ones for overnight use. It looks like they have more holes in them, but the fabric is thicker than knit, so they are actually more water resistant.

This particular pattern has several features I really like. Laura used a simple technique that makes switching from the waistband to the main body of the cover easier than other patterns I've tried. The method for adding extra diaper room to the back is really easy too. I chose to make a large cover even though Brenna measured up as a medium, so it is too big for her right now. I'm hoping it will fit this Summer. I love little soakers under dresses! I will be trying a medium size for her soon, but I have a few other projects to finish first. I would definitely recommend this pattern, even for a beginner.

Knitting Tales

I made these mitts for Devon about two years ago. I decided that she was old enough to appreciate nice things, so I knit them out of an incredible merino cashmere blend. Devon wore them a lot. I mean a lot! This winter, I noticed that she wasn't wearing them even when it got really cold and she was complaining about freezing. Last week, Devon asked me if I could wash her mitts. I always hand wash good yarns even if they are supposed to be superwash just in case. One of the mitts was pretty dirty, like dropped on the ground while camping dirty. Only I hadn't seen Devon wear them in a long time, so I wasn't sure how they got so dirty. As I was washing them, Devon came in to see if they were alright and finally spilled the story. It seems that sometime last quarter, Devon wore the mitts to school. Partway through the day she took them off and put them in her car and then couldn't find one of them. She was afraid that she had thrown it away when she cleaned out her car or that maybe she had dropped it at school. So, she put the other mitt away and decided not to tell me she had lost one. Last week, she was coming home from school and ran over the mitt in the driveway. Now, the mitt had not been in the driveway all winter long. One, we would have noticed it laying there, unless, two, an animal ran off with it and chewed it up. The mitt was in very good , albeit very dirty, condition, so I'm pretty sure it hadn't been a squirrel bed all winter. My best guess is that it was hiding somewhere in her car and fell out when the boys helped her clean it a few days before she found it again, but Devon said she tore the whole car apart looking for it and is sure it wasn't in her car. So, where was the mitt all winter? No one knows and the mitt isn't telling.

Some close ups of the mitt because I'm really proud of this one.

This hat also has a story. Only we know pretty much exactly how it's story goes, no mystery here. I made this hat for Cameron since Boy Scouts go camping in all sorts of weather. That means that my boys need nice wool earflap hat to keep warm. This was the first time I had ever followed a pattern chart, so I was very proud of this knit too even though I pulled my strands a little too tight keeping the top of the hat from stretching as much as the bottom. Cameron chose the yarn himself and loved the finished hat. So he wore it to a camping trip in the mountains and on the second day, realized that he didn't know where his hat was. So, he tore apart his bag and searched his tent, still no hat. The hat was finally found in the DIRT ROAD leading into their site. In the mud, after having been run over by several trucks and trailers. Amazingly enough, although the hat was extremely dirty ( Devon's mitt times 12) the only parts that were ruined were the ties and the crochet edging. None of the rest of the hat was damaged! I was able to take off the edging and redo it and add new ties and the hat is as good as new. Cameron has been wearing it regularly ever since. Although he has been a little more careful with it since then.

Today, we noticed that the dress Brenna was wearing had a string hanging from it. Brenna has caught her dresses on things before and I've had to fix some snags, so I assumed that's what happened this time. Only this "snag" isn't quite so fixable. It has been pulled about 1/4 of the way around the whole dress and one of the three strands of yarn broke completely. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to fix this one yet. I might have to undo the bottom few rows and re knit. I think I have a little bit of this yarn left over, but I decided that I'm going to put it away for a few days before I work on it.

In this picture, you can see the difference in the edging where the yarn got pulled.

Why do I continue to knit for my family when so many things get damaged? These are only a few examples, just off hand I can think of a mitt that mysteriously got cut and several pairs of longies that don't have knees anymore. I'm sure there are other things that have been lost or ruined that no one has told me about. I love to knit! I love my family! So, I love to knit for my family. Yes, sometimes things get lost or destroyed, BUT, what that means is that my family enjoys the things I make. That they wear them and use them. I don't really want to knit (or crochet) things no one likes enough to actually use. I don't want to put tons of time, money, and energy into making things that will never be worn. Things that get used a lot wear out, or get broken, or get lost. That's just how it works. Sometimes I get a little sad when something I've worked that hard on get ruined, but at least that means it is getting used and appreciated. To me that is the greatest compliment!

What I Like Best About Fall

Not the colored leaves falling off the trees.

Although I really love this tree!

 Not the hearty soups I make this time of year. I forgot to take a picture of our potato soup, so you'll have to settle for a picture of the burn I got making the potato soup.

My favorite thing about fall is babies in handknits (and crochets)!

UFO No More!

 In the crafting world we refer to unfinished objects as UFO's (UnFinished Objects). I started this little dress for Brenna in April, I think. I can't even remember for sure. It kept getting pushed back for other projects. I finally decided I wouldn't pick up any thing else until I finished it.

 Brenna was only willing to model the back of the dress today, So pictures of the front are lacking. I love how it turned out though. The yarn is this super soft alpaca that just makes your fingers happy to touch it. I've been asked several times why I use "good" yarn for children's clothing (especially diaper covers). The main answer is that I'm the one who makes the item. I like to use good yarns, so I do. I have a much easier time finishing a project that pleases my senses, than one that doesn't. So, the majority if the time I use materials that I find enjoyable to work with.

 Hand made items also take a lot of time and effort to make. I'd rather put my time into materials I know will last than cheap ones that might wear out or just not end up with the look I want. Even with cheap yarn, I can usually buy a sweater or hat for less than I can make it for, especially if I put proper value on my time. If I'm going to put that effort into something I want it to be worth it.

 Yarn is also my splurge. I don't drink coffee, so no $4.00 Starbucks every day. I don't get my nails done, and I only get haircuts once or twice a year. I only shop for clothes when I really need them and only for the items I absolutely can't live without. Instead I buy yarn. At least it usually goes to clothe my children after I've gotten to enjoy working with it.

Finally front views!

  I should add that after Devon finished taking these pictures Brenna fell down and landed on a big blob of chicken poop. The dress washed just fine, no stains. At least she didn't drop it on a campground road where it got run over and ground into the mud by several cars like the hat I made Cameron!