Blooming Bums

Boingo Baby!

2011-11-12T19:20:00.001-07:00

Has anyone heard of these nifty little things? They are a new alternative to pins/Snappi. They started taking pre-orders months ago. I did pre-order one pair because shipping was free then. I don’t normally like pre-orders, you wait and wait for something while your money is already gone.. and accruing interest for someone else..lol. Sometimes companies run into problems with production, shipping, imports, etc. As was the case with Boingo, but they were great about keeping customers updated the entire time. Anyway, they seemed trustworthy enough so I waited.

I was initially surprised at how big they are. I’m used to using a Snappi, though I find them a pain. Snappis don’t hook well on certain fabrics, and I seem to always have issues with them staying on. So first thing, I compared the Boingo to a Snappi. The angle of the teeth is the same. But the Boingo has smaller teeth. I think because of the smaller teeth they hook into fabric easier. It was easier to attach the Boingo than a Snappi, though I had to try it a couple times to get it right. I was using a knit diaper, perhaps they are much easier to hook on a prefold.

Baby is 3 months old, about 14 lbs, and that’s a S/M diaper. I could hook both Boingos on the diaper as shown on their website, but with the tabs still able to cross over, this seemed like a better way to do it. I honestly can’t say if I prefer Boingo over pins because the pins I use are the ones my mother used on me.. so old and dull = not easy to put on, though pins do always stay attached. But upon their first impression, they are better than a Snappi! I do consider myself Snappi impaired, I think they are hard to hook on, some fabrics that are advertised as “snappi friendly” are nearly impossible IMO. A lot of the time one Snappi side comes off.. which if any of these hooks were loose in a diaper, that just scares me. So yay for Boingo, I think they are more versatile and slightly easier to use!

Here is their facebook page, and here is their website.

A few extras for sale

2011-05-19T15:42:00.001-06:00

I've been sewing for our new baby and have a few extras... These are listed over on Etsy.

All are one size pockets, poly PUL prints on the outside with solid poly PUL on the front wings. Polyester inners, the type of fabric is listed with each diaper. Insert not included.

Turtles with royal blue microfleece inner.

Giraffes with dark brown suedecloth inner

Bright ooga booga with plum microfleece inner

Dogs with dark brown suedecloth inner

One newborn-small diaper. This is a brand new version of my pattern that I drew up, it adjusts from my regular newborn pattern up to just over the fit of the small-tall size. I added a snap down for the umbilical cord, when using this snap down feature the diaper may need to be snapped with just one wing snap depending on the baby's size. Top snap for chunkier thighs or bottom snap for skinny thighs. Shown in the last picture :) I do find this one a little tight to stuff, will adjust that in the future.

Black/red ooga booga with gray suedecloth inner

DIY baby leg warmers tutorial

2011-04-25T15:48:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to do this tutorial for a while now. It's not my own idea, once upon a time there was a very similar tutorial online. If it moved, I can't find it and the bookmark I have says it's gone. So here's my version. Enjoy!

These are great for summer, crawlers, ECing, potty training, layering without wearing 2 shirts, summer nights when the mosquitoes are out, etc. The ideas are endless. The best part is these two sock sizes will fit a wide range of arm and leg ages and sizes!

First we start with socks. You can use womens or mens. I use two different lengths (heights?) of socks. The shorter pair makes a perfect infant leg warmer and the longer pair is great for toddlers and big kids. They even fit my arms. Target has a great selection, and they often have seasonal prints (FUN!). The knee highs are $2 a pair and the 3 pack of crew are $7. Not a bad price for what we're making! There are many prints that are suitable for boys too, and you can look in the mens section for dress socks too. I have girly colors here because that is who I am expecting.

We're going to cut them up. The first cut should be made just above the heel, and the second cut just under it. Cut the toe off also. The foot part that you are left with will end up as the wrist/ankle cuff. You can leave it as it is (makes a perfect size cuff for me) or trim the edge off as I have done in the picture (makes a infant or child size cuff). It's really stretchy material to start with, so don't worry too much about the range of fit when finished. I like the cuff part to be 3" wide. The length of the cuff is up to you (from heel to toe on our original sock). I prefer the length as shown here, nice for holding baby socks on.

The side you cut off (top of foot or bottom) makes no difference. I cut less off the smaller sock because I wanted to position the print in the center of the finished cuff.

Once it is all cut up, use the "foot" part to make a cuff. Fold it the opposite way so it is inside out compared to how it originally was. Pin the cut side so it doesn't shift. (I also pinned the fold side because I decided to even the design out a little bit more). Starting with a solid colored sock you don't really have to worry about where the designs/stripes are in the end, but you can see from these pictures how I accounted for designs.

Then you'll sew or serge the cut side. My sergers are huge paperweights at the moment. Instead of serging, I'm doing a false overlock with my sewing machine. You do this by choosing a zig zag stitch, with the right needle-down position going off the edge of the material. Then you go back over the left side of the zig zag with a straight stitch. A walking foot might be helpful here. I forgot to put mine on. Did you know that I always wanted one, and it took me oh... 3+ years after I got my machine to figure out it came with one? I still forget I have it..

After you have sewn the side of the cuff, fold it in half lengthwise, right sides out. Pin the edges. I pin at the seam, exactly opposite of the seam, then create equal fourths when placing the last two pins.

Do the same equal fourths pinning thing on the upper part of the sock.

Once the cuff is pinned and the upper sock is also pinned, we need to put them together. You can do this two ways, stuff the upper sock inside the cuff or turn the upper sock inside out and place the cuff inside. We're going with #2 here.

Then you'll need to match up where the pins are placed and reinsert the pins through all the layers. I also place pins halfway in between the original ones, just to make sure everything lines up perfectly. I end up with eight equal sections.

Over to the machine again, we're doing the same overlock stitch. Go slowly and make sure the layers stay lined up as you sew.

Here's what it looks like when it is all sewn.

Turn it right side out. Can you believe that's it?

Here's my model. She's 3 but you can see how the crew socks (infant size, white with argyle) fit on her arms. They also fit to just above her knees.

Last of all, modeling the knee high size pair.

Just for comparison, some of both sizes on an infant.

Gardening

2010-04-12T15:00:00.004-06:00

So a little hobby of ours is gardening. We used to plant mostly tomatoes and bell peppers, with a little bit of a lot of other stuff. We plant the tomatoes mostly for canning (the best way I can figure to avoid BPA in canned foods!) and for the best summer food ever – BLT sandwiches. Yum, there are not many better tasting foods than a BLT with home grown tomatoes and lettuce too if you are lucky enough. We freeze the bell peppers and use them throughout the year. We LOVE bell peppers and use them in so many meals. But they have a high pesticide load and the colored ones are expensive! I love to see my kids gardening. One year we planted only 2 or 3 pea plants. I sent my kids out to harvest peas, and had less than 1/4 cup left over when they were done. They started to shell them and ended up eating nearly all of them! LOL

Well, last year we discovered square foot gardening. It seemed easy enough. We decided to try. The problem was, we sold our house right when we should have been planting things. We sold it so quickly that we didn’t have everything set on a new place, so we moved in with my parents while waiting on a short sale we were trying to buy. My parents seemed fascinated with the idea of square foot gardening, so they went out and bought the stuff for 2 boxes and told me I could plant my starts in them along with a few things they wanted to grow. We didn’t get anything planted until well after it should have been, so we didn’t harvest much. I also didn’t realize the neighbors tree had grown so much (and they put up a shed!) since I lived there 8 years ago, so the gardens didn’t get enough sun until we moved them a month later. Oops.

So this year I am planning on doing much better. Last year I found a wonderful site that helps you know when to plant things. It was SO helpful! This year, the lady who created the site has put her information into two e-books you can purchase. I had to buy them the first day they were out. They are great! And it is very helpful to have the information printed out, and I can refer to it when I’m out working in the garden. She’s doing a contest for a free e-book right now too, if you’d like to check it out.

Not Me! Monday

2010-01-04T15:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this would better fit on my personal blog but since it's private, no one could read it. This is my first time participating in Not Me! Monday.

Today I most certainly did NOT wake up at 6:30 AM, and then wake my children up so they could get ready for school. We did not plan ahead yesterday for what they would wear on the first day back to school, and we definitely did not drive to the school this morning only to discover an empty parking lot. No, not me... I did not forget to check the calendar to see that today was the last day of Christmas break and school starts again tomorrow.

Also, I did not just begin to hang pictures in our house, the one we've lived in for over 4 months now. No way, I've got it much more together than that. :)

Tutorial: Fixing the elastic in a ruffle edge diaper.

2009-12-21T21:40:00.001-07:00

Ok, I've had these pictures sitting there for months... so I finally decided to write up this tutorial! Woohoo! Here's how I repair the elastic in a serged edge diaper. Our subject today is a Kissaluvs fitted. I've also repaired Mudpies, First Class Baby AIOs, and others I can't remember right now. You'll need a seam ripper, some replacement elastic, and a serger or sewing machine. Yes, you can do this with a sewing machine but the edge you open won't look exactly the same anymore. You'll be closing it back up with just a zig zag stitch. It's still perfectly functional though!

Start by ripping the stitches out of the back edge of the diaper, about the same length as the back elastic. Pay close attention to the straight stitches, there may be either one or two rows of them, and you'll have to rip them out in addition to the overcast threads.

Once the diaper is opened up, rip out the stitching holding the elastic in place. You'll probably be able to see where it was stitched in place, but you can mark the ends of the elastic with a fabric pen if you like. Turn the diaper inside out and carefully remove the stitching holding the leg elastic in also.

Measure the old elastic and cut new elastic to fit. This is where it gets a little tricky, but I've found if you use braided elastic you can get pretty close-to-original results. What I do is stretch the worn out elastic to its max., and measure it. Then, stretch new elastic to the same length and cut. Since you can't measure the worn out stuff un-stretched anymore, this method seems to work well. Be sure you are using an elastic that is made to withstand high temperatures and chlorine. There are two types of elastics, one says it will withstand up to 200 degrees, the other suggests hand or cold washing. Swimsuit elastic is a good choice too. My favorite elastic is Lastin, but figuring the exact amount you need can be difficult depending on the amount and thickness of the layers of fabric. So we're using Stretchrite braided here.. 3/8".

I'm starting with one of the legs here. Pin the ends of the elastic in place, the pins should be on the outside of the diaper, and the elastic inside will be pinned to just one layer of material right now. I leave about 1/8" - 1/4" elastic beyond the pin.

Now, from the outside of the diaper, carefully lay the layers of fabric straight, and reinsert the pin through all layers of fabric, still holding the elastic in place.

Now, carefully stretch the elastic out so the fabric lays flat. An extra set of hands would come in quite handy here. I put one pin/end of the elastic under the bottom of my sewing machine and stretch the elastic, holding the other pin in my right hand. Using my left hand, I feel where the elastic is laying in between the layers of fabric, and move it into place. I pinch it tightly or hold it against the cutting mat, then pin it with my right hand. I like to place the first pin in the middle of the length of elastic, then reduce the distance by half with each new pin to keep the stretch the same along the entire length. Use the original placement of the elastic as a guide, since the distance from the elastic to the edge of the diaper may vary with each brand. Continue positioning the elastic and pinning it in place while stretched until you reach the other end. I place pins every one inch or less.

ETA: VERY IMPORTANT!! When using Lastin, the pins should not go through the lastin as they do with the braided elastic, the pins should go through the fabric on either side of the lastin, creating a path for it to lay but not piercing the elastic. When using Lastin, I pin the ends then pinch the ends when stretching it to sew so that I am not putting stress on the pin holes in the ends.

This is what the first leg should look like after the elastic is pinned in place. You can tell by the gathers if you've stretched it equally along the length. If one area looks too gathered or not gathered enough, now is the time to fix it.

Now, place the end of the elastic under the presser foot of your machine. Your needle should make the first stitch right behind the pin (remember that extra 1/8" - 1/4" elastic beyond the pin?). I prefer to use a 3 step zig zag. It looks nice and it is the best stretchable stitch for holding elastic flat in place. It is necessary to use this stitch if you are using Lastin. If you don't have this stitch, a wide, long regular zig zag will work with braided elastic. I set the machine to 0 length, regular width 3 step zig zag so that it stitches from left to right and left again without moving forward. This holds the end of the elastic in place. Then set it to regular stitch length and slowly sew down the elastic. It should be very easy to follow where the elastic is since your pins are placed in the elastic. Stretch the elastic as you go, and finish with the 3 step zig zag in place at the other end of the elastic.

There, that wasn't too bad. :) Your diaper should now look like the one pictured below. Now, go ahead and repeat these instructions for the second leg before you move on.

Next, we'll be doing the same thing with the elastic in the back of the diaper. This one is a little easier to be sure you are pinning it straight since the back is open. Place the pins at the ends of the elastic, leaving a bit beyond the pin for that first stitch to hold it in place.

The edges of the fabric may want to curl a bit, and they may look stretched out since we removed all the stitches here, so take your time to be sure the fabric is laying straight as you pin the elastic in. Here I am starting with one end of the elastic held under the machine (or call your extra set of hands back in!), stretching it out, and placing a pin in the center of the elastic.

Because the fabric curls and stretches here, it may be easier to pin the elastic to the lower layer of fabric first, then line up the top layer of fabric.

Pins are in place in half of the elastic. Continue carefully laying the fabric straight, edges matching, with the elastic laying along the original stitching lines.

Once the elastic is pinned in place, stitch using a 3 step zig zag again.

Now that the new elastic is all done, we need to close the diaper back up. If you are using a sewing machine, set it to a medium to long length and width zig zag stitch, and sew along the edge so when the needle is down on the right side, it is just off the edge of the fabric, creating a false overlock.

If you are using a serger, carefully stretch the elastic as you serge along the open area. If you like, lower the blade so you don't worry about cutting into the fabric. Tie the extra thread off so it doesn't come unraveled. I like to pull the 2 needle threads seperate from the overlock threads, and then tie the two groups in a square knot.

Lovely.

Looks nearly new :) Pat yourself on the back.

I do offer this diaper repair. Contact me for more information.

My status

2009-10-17T14:21:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone. Sorry I have been gone so long. Moving twice over the summer was stressful, and though I've been at my new house almost 2 months I still don't feel like it's home yet. I am ready to take diaper repairs and sewing orders though! I have a much larger sewing area here, which has been nice so far.

I am still up in the air about whether or not I'll sell diapers. I am mostly waiting to hear the final outcome of CPSIA regulations, but also I'm a little stressed with attempting to understand the current requirements. I am so confused, reading all the different information about it and hearing different interpretations from others. I would LOVE if someone spelled it out for us. LOL I have so much diaper fabric, some even cut and ready to assemble, and we'll never use all that I have here. Until I am sure I can legally comply, I will not be listing any diapers in my shop.

I am going to continue to sell other things not geared towards children. I just love the lens cap straps and lens bags I've made and would love to share them once I find a good place to purchase the materials I need in larger quantity. My swiffer broke, after 7 1/2 wonderful years, (LOL) and I have purchased the latest model of swiffer only to find all the redesigns do not work with my reusable pads. So I have been working on a new style of mopping pad for that. I will sell both styles in my Etsy shop.

I am thinking I'd like to move away from the Blooming Bums name, so that I can incorporate more items than just diapers into my shop. I do like the orange flower graphics though, so if anyone has a name that would still work, PLEASE leave me your ideas in the comments!

As of right now, diaper repair costs are $1 per elastic in a casing (FB and BG style) and $3 per diaper for snap conversion and hook and loop replacement. I will be raising the costs at the beginning of the year. I prefer to keep prices as low as I can to make it affordable for you, but with rising costs all around us I need to keep up and not end up in the negative. Thank you for understanding. :)

BumGenius snap conversion tutorial

2009-10-17T14:03:00.000-06:00

This is a fairly easy conversion to do and doesn't take much time. You'll need a snap press or snap pliers. I have not used snap pliers so I do not know how they work. I also used some scrap pieces of PUL.

First you'll need to remove all the old hook and loop. Carefully cut the seams using a seam ripper. Sorry for the quality of the first few images, I'll redo them next time I do a BG conversion!

Remove the hook and loop from the wings.

You can remove the laundry tabs if you'd like to. Pick out all the loose threads.

Next you'll need to measure and mark where the snaps will go. I like to measure each diaper individually instead of making a template, I find the rows of snaps end up more straight this way. I placed the snaps 1" apart.
First, find the center front of the diaper, and measure 1/2" to either side and make a mark. Then, making sure you are marking the same distance in from the front edge of the diaper, make another 3 dots on each side of the diaper front, each 1" apart. I have found the best tool for marking snap placement is a clear quilting ruler. I placed the snaps approximately 1 5/8" down from the front edge, which would be the center of where the loop was. Do not rely on the stitching holes from the loop to measure, as it is not always put on straight.

Next you'll need to measure and mark the wings. I placed the snaps 3/8" in and 1 3/8" in from the edge, and approximately 1 3/8" down. Try to place them vertically where the center of the hook and loop tabs were, but pay close attention to your placement because these stretchy tabs are often not perfectly round or the exact same size from diaper to diaper. Also, the stretchy tabs on the BumGenius 3.0 are smaller than the ones on the 2.0, so use your best judgment here.

Apply the snaps to the front of the diaper. Some prefer to use a tool to punch the hole first, some gently tap the snap press to allow the cap to poke the hole. Scrunch up the fabric and go in through the pocket opening. There is already a second layer of fabric there so you should not need to reinforce these snaps.

When applying the snaps to the wings, you'll need the PUL scraps. The stretchy tabs will run and stretch with the use of snaps, so the PUL is an extra step to prevent the snaps from ripping out. Cut pieces about 1/2" wide and 1 3/4" long, depending on how far apart you choose to put the snaps. Carefully turn the wing inside out and place the PUL in the seam where you can see that the hook and loop tabs were sewn in.

Carefully turn it right side out, holding the PUL in place. Feel for the edges of the PUL to be sure it is in place where the snap will be applied, then apply the snaps. You should not need a crossover snap, so wait until all snaps are applied to see how small the waist ends up. If you feel you need one, it would be very easy to add one on one wing.

Enjoy the snaps and forget about the worn out hook and loop!

Moving Day!

2009-08-20T15:32:00.002-06:00

We are preparing to move as I type. In just a couple more days we will move into our new house! I am so excited, but so stressed since school starts a few days after we move. I will be unpacking and arranging the house as much as possible, and sewing again soon.

On another thought, due to the CPSIA regulations regarding labeling and testing of products for children under 12, I am still unsure of my future selling cloth diapers. The added expense for the labeling requirements is very frustrating, since I prefer to keep costs down. I will continue to sew cloth diapers, but selling them is still up in the air. I will continue to repair diapers.

gDiapers Review

2009-07-01T12:50:00.010-06:00

Don't forget, use code g1213Hadley for $30 off an everyday 6 pack through the month of July!

I have heard about these for a long time now. They intrigued me, but I always thought they wouldn't be something we needed. I guess you could say I was in the "I don't understand why that's any different" crowd. While we are in the process of moving to a new house we have a little time with less access to a washer, and with the big sale on the everyday 6 packs, I figured what better time to try them? Plus gDiapers had just come out with their own brand of cloth inserts.

I ordered a 6 pack, a glory g, a package of cloth inserts, and a package of flushable inserts. You can see how to use them and more extensive info on the website, but here are the basics. The diaper consists of 3 parts, the cute outer little gPants, a waterproof liner, and an insert.

The waterproof liner snaps into the gPants, then you lay an insert in the liner and put it on. They go on looking like they are backwards, but they really are easy to put on this way, and I believe this design makes it easy to put on properly and not too tight. There are videos on the gDiapers site that show you how to put them on properly. I was worried that I'd forget something, but it really was simple.

When it's changing time, things are nearly as easy. Undo the velcro and stick it to the laundry tabs. If you've used a cloth insert, just put it in the diaper pail and care for like a cloth diaper. If you've used a flushable insert, you have a few options. Toss it (shake the poop into the toilet first! Did you know you are supposed to do this with disposables too??), compost it (wet ones only!), or flush it. The flushing may take a little bit of getting used to. For me, it took until the second flushable liner. First one I had to flush twice to clear the bowl, but in the toilets defense, my swishstick hadn't arrived yet. Once I had that, no problems at all! I wondered how it might work in a public restroom though, since I don't have plans to carry my swishstick everywhere I go. Most public restrooms have more powerful flushes, so maybe it's not an issue. Or you can just toss it in the trash when you're out. You must tear the insert open and dump the contents of it in the toilet first for it to flush properly. It sounds gross, but it really is not. The inserts are so long that it was easy to tear from the cleaner end.

If you choose to compost the inserts, they are supposed to break down in 50-150 days. There are instructions and a video on the website. I'm not sure I'll do this, as our compost ends up in our new square foot gardens. I don't know that the SAP would be good in "Mel's Mix"... Now there's a good question to send into Mel...

The flushable inserts are a pleasant change from a disposable diaper. I often wondered about the mess that might happen when a child tears apart a disposable diaper. Not to mention the plastic would be a scary thing for them to choke on, and the rest of the contents... well baby's put a lot of stuff in their mouths. Disposables are SO easy for a baby to take off also, which some of us don't worry about, but I KNOW some of us do worry! gDiapers will come off, but it's trickier, and there's no plastic to choke on.
gDiaper flushable inserts seem to absorb as much as a disposable diaper does. They are constructed of nearly the same materials, the gDiaper flushable is chlorine free and comes from sustainably managed tree farms. It also has SAP, sodium polyacrylate gel. I have not yet experienced finding gel beads on my baby's tushie as seems to be common with disposables. The gDiaper flushables are not scented so there is no "disposable diaper smell". I do detect a faint smell though, and I wonder if SAP just has a smell to it, though this is nothing near the smell coming from a disposable diaper. I know, some of you are thinking I'm crazy, but a few of you reading this know just what I'm talking about.

The liner can be used again until it gets poop on it. So far most of the poopy diapers have contaminated the liner, only one has gotten away clean. Luckily, those snap right out and can be hand washed or put in the washing machine. I've been tossing them in the cloth diaper pail or hand washing. For those who do not have a cloth diaper pail, a small trash can would hold the liners until you had 2-3 days worth to wash with a small cycle in the machine, then hang dry. They are fairly simple to wash, but I've read not to use vinegar. No bleach also, that's a no no in the cloth world. The gPants stay clean, we've only had pee leak onto one so far, and that was because I didn't put it on properly. (Note to self... take an extra 2 seconds to make sure you've put them on properly the first day you use them!) The gPants can be washed with your regular laundry if you prefer, no bleach again! The liner will most likely get poop on it, no matter which insert you use. Maybe once a toddler does not nurse anymore it doesn't happen as often, but I imagine a newborn would go through a lot of liners. I don't know how these fit newborns, the small size says it fits starting at 8 lbs. 2/3 of my babies would have been over that limit, but it would take A LOT to convince me to not use fitteds the first few months. No review on that here, my baby is 16 months.
My first concern with the liner was how stiff the material might be. Once I felt one I did not worry. The material is nylon, but it is still soft. I don't even know what to compare it to... maybe the material from an umbrella, but one side has a slight rubbery feel. It is soft against the skin though. The liners may leave light red marks on baby, similar to if you lay your arm on a button for long enough. But on the gDiapers site, it says this is normal but soreness would indicate a problem. We haven't experienced any problems with that yet :)

Here's what happened to the one liner I didn't notice and it went through the dryer. It's a cooked salmon color now, which is odd since every diaper it was washed with has been washed hundreds of times before. It still works, but I imagine many trips through the dryer would cause it to break down and leak.

I know of a lot of families who do cloth part time. These diapers would work wonderfully for those families. Say you are running errands all day and would use a disposable. Just take along some extra flushable inserts and a couple liners. The same diaper will hold a cloth insert when you are home. You can even double up the flushable inserts or cloth inserts if you need for night time.

The gCloth inserts are made of 2 layers of microfleece and 2 layers of hemp fleece. I was very skeptical about them. I can't tell if the 2 layers of microfleece help keep baby drier at all, that just seems like unnecessary bulk to me. But the 2 layers of hemp work surprisingly well. Nothing I'd use for going out or bed, but the way the liner works really helps the hemp perform well with so few layers. Once on the baby, either is ever so slightly bulkier than a disposable, but I think the fit is better than a disposable. Both are trimmer than most cloth diapers.

Please excuse the focus issues... I need 2 hands to operate my camera. LOL

I am very happy we decided to try these. I really was very skeptical about how they'd work, and how much we'd actually use them. But they fit right in with our diapering routine, and even make it slightly easier, since switching inserts is so simple and uses the same diaper. DH has used them and seems to have no trouble with them. Yay!

The gPants may seem expensive to a disposable diaper user, but considering you need so few of them, it's not bad at all. The everyday g's 6 pack is a GREAT deal right now, use code g1213Hadley to bring the cost from $70 to $40. That's only $6.67 per gPant! The 6 pack only comes in orange and vanilla, but apparently they are very easy to dye, and making a matching tshirt would be cute. I have some Dylon in storage that I was going to use for some bamboo velour, I'll be adding some gPants with it! You can also put little patches on them for fun, like you find at a craft store. Or rhinestones, iron ons, etc. The gCloth inserts are a bit expensive for me (I might say that about anything since I sew my own), but any insert will work, even prefolds if you don't mind the bulk. You can even make your own. The gRefill flushables are expensive, but gDiapers sometimes sends coupons with their orders, coupon codes are easy to find online, and some stores like Whole Foods offer discounts on cases. Once you consider those discounts, flushables are only slightly more expensive than Huggies, and are very similar in price to 7th Generation, and slightly less than Tushies. For us, as little as we will use flushables, this is very reasonable. No matter the cost, I love that they are chlorine free and flushable. It just makes more sense, "green" wise for us. (I got this comparison info from a file at the gDiapers yahoo group, link at the top of the gDiapers website. It might be different considering where you purchase from.)

I am not sure of the environmental impacts of a gDiaper compared to a disposable or a cloth diaper. But let me share my thoughts. I think gDiapers are equal to or better than the use of cloth diapers. I would love to see some extensive research though!

Disposables - there is less to a gDiaper flushable than there is a disposable diaper. There is no plastic layer. The flushable is made with the environment in mind, and is compostable. It will break down in 50-150 days, where there are estimates that it may take a disposable 500 years or more to break down. Yes, you do need to wash the liners and gPants, but the amount of water used doing that would be less than the amount of water used to make a disposable. They can be washed with baby's laundry. Of course water will be used to make the flushable, and that is where I do not know how to compare to a disposable. For us, the few flushables we will use are a much better choice than buying a pack of disposables. I do use water each time I flush an insert, but if you choose to compost you would only be flushing the poopy ones.

Cloth - We are washing less with gDiapers, even when using cloth inserts. The gPants do not need to be washed as typical cloth diapers do, if my baby wears shorts over them then they hardly get dirty. I wash them with our clothes. The liners do need to be washed, when poopy, and less often when just wet. The inserts must be washed after each use. There is less to wash every 2-3 days than typical cloth diaper laundry... our cloth diapers are all pockets. A pocket diaper and inserts require more water than just washing an insert for gDiapers. The liners are small, and require less frequent washing. So I can wash using less water. Just inserts dry faster than AIOs would, so less time in the dryer, though I prefer drying outside in the sun when possible.

Now, I may find gDiapers easier to use than I expected them to be, since I was already a cloth user. I hear there is a learning curve coming from disposables, I did not find that the case at all, but I did have a learning curve when I went from disposables to cloth. Plus, with the amount of help found on the yahoo group, and supposedly the helpfulness of g customer service, these are a great alternative to the disposable and the cloth world.

gdiapers - A review

2009-07-01T12:30:00.002-06:00

Coming soon! They rock. :) I am prepping pictures to go with this. In the meantime, use code g1213Hadley for $30 off a 6 pack of everyday g's. Good until July 31, 2009.

Thoughts on diapers...

2009-06-24T21:47:00.003-06:00

I have had a few emails asking if I am taking diaper repairs. Typically I do. But we are still searching for a house and all my sewing stuff is in storage. As soon as we are moved in to a new place I should be able to sew again. So stay tuned for a message that we are moving in!

Let me start by saying how much we LOVE cloth diapers. A month ago we moved and anticipated not having a washer available so we bought a pack of disposables to use for a week. We have been using cloth diapers for 6 years now, and couldn't believe how expensive disposables are! We also remembered quickly why we love cloth diapers so much. But oh, not having to wash... I really liked that. We bought a front loading HE washer a little over 2 years ago. It was not rated one of the best in the cleaning category, but it wasn't bad either. (Consumer Reports ratings). It does not have a "sanitary cycle". In the 2 years I've had it and talked with other moms, I've learned that the sanitary cycle makes all the difference when it comes to washing cloth diapers. Some can get by just fine without it, but it really does seem to make washing diapers much easier. I have had a heck of a time coming up with a wash routine that works well in our HE machine. Once I found it, I stuck with it!! Well, I was excited when we moved because I would have access to a traditional machine until we find our new house. That excitement didn't last long. I cannot get the diapers clean in my parent's washing machine! I've tried all my old tricks and nothing is helping... they still stink. I don't think the agitator in this machine works as well as the traditional machine I owned long ago. Plus my poor baby keeps getting an awful rash, so I know they are not rinsed well enough, even after 3 washes (with no bubbles!) in super hot, soft water. Sigh.

Moving on... I've wanted to try gdiapers for a while now. They are doing a promotion right now, $30 off a 6 pack of gpants. It's a great deal, and I will post a code here in the next few days. I took the plunge tonight and ordered some. The exciting part is that they now sell cloth inserts! I know many families use prefolds in gpants, but IMO, prefolds are bulky. I'm excited to try them out, I think gdiapers are a great alternative to cloth. Plus, when we do find a house and move again, I can just use the refills instead of buying disposables again!

Last of all, I have SO many cloth diapers. I've wanted to de-stash for quite a while now. I gave a bunch to my friend Kalley at Cloth Diaper Exchange a while ago and she sold them for me. I would love to do that again, but she's not taking diapers anymore, I'm not sure what her plans are for the future of the Exchange, but it's not looking good for those who need to sell diapers. So, I need a place to sell tons of diapers. I'm a member at diaper swappers, but I don't post or check there very often, so I can't sell there. I need someone who I can trust to sell these for me, someone who is an active member at a group that has a busy buy/sell board. I'd give you a description of each diaper, and you can take a commission on each sale. I may list some here if I can't find anyone. We'll see. Once we find a house though, I'd like to clear out some diapers :)

Crayon rolls

2009-04-22T13:00:00.000-06:00

These are very easy to make. I made 7 in no time at all. I used the tutorial here. I changed some things slightly. I didn't use stabilizer. I used solid color PUL backwards hoping it would keep the crayons from sliding out and getting lost. Some of them I used print PUL. 2 of these I made with wider slots, making it longer overall. That allowed the chunky Pip Squeaks and fat crayons to fit better. 3 of these have elastic cord with a button instead of a tie. My son prefers those since he can close it by himself.
Only 5 are pictured here.

Teal one is print PUL, with solid magenta PUL inside.
Flower one is cotton woven with play pink PUL inside.
Blue sports is a print PUL with blaze orange PUL inside.
Basketball is a print PUL with royal blue PUL inside. This one has wider slots and is a bit longer. It closes with elastic cord over a big button.

Cotton woven with celery PUL inside. Closes with elastic cord and a button.

Chalk cloth place mats

2009-04-20T13:00:00.000-06:00

These were fun to make, and the kids love to use them. I had no idea how to do a mitered corner back when I made these, so that's why the corners are odd.

I used a piece of chalk cloth about the size of a place mat. Then I cut some woven fabric for the backing, binding, and wrap around part. I put iron on stabilizer on the woven fabric. The black 1/4" elastic is for holding 4 pieces of chalk. The closure wraps around a loosely rolled place mat and keeps it closed with hook and loop. They are great for keeping the kids entertained before dinner comes at a restaurant, or they like to use them at home or Grandma's house since they are so portable.

Lens cap strap

2009-04-16T13:00:00.002-06:00

I always forget which pocket I put my lens cap in, and sometimes I don't have pockets. My dad bought a generic tether for his lens cap, so I thought why can't I make one myself? Here's one that I made. It has Velcro to attach it to the lens cap so it is easy to switch for a different strap. Convenient, since I also made some camera strap covers, now I can have matching straps :)

This was very simple to make. I measured around the lens with my elastic and made it tight enough it wouldn't slip off, yet not too tight that it was a pain to get on. Then I cut my fabric and made a tube for the elastic to go through. I used white cording to attach the two pieces. The owl is a square of fabric, with the edges folded under and sewn onto a square of touch tape hook. The loop part is sticky to attach to the lens cap.

Crafts

2009-04-14T13:30:00.003-06:00

I am going to do a few posts about crafty stuff I've made. I get bored easily and crafts keep me entertained :)

I decided to try and make magnets. They are very addicting. LOL Lots of fun though :)

This is a selection of some that I've made recently. Some of these are made with scrapbook paper, some with graphics. The cutest graphics are from Cupcake Cutiees. These are very simple to make and you can find many tutorials for them online. DH says I've made too many and I need to start listing some sets.

Website

2009-03-25T22:10:00.002-06:00

I have decided to close my website. It should expire any day now. I will keep this blog and my Etsy shop.

I have been focusing on a lot of diaper repairs lately, but there are a couple dozen diapers and swiffer cloths cut and waiting to be assembled. Life has been busy, and so I have not been doing custom orders. Anyway, just an update, I have not disappeared :)

Long time no blog!

2009-01-12T10:02:00.002-07:00

Hello! I am here, I have not disappeared. I've just been quiet online and spending time with my kids. I am finding less and less time to sew as my third child is getting older. I have been thinking a lot of what direction I want the store to go in. A lot of that is influenced by new laws concerning any item intended for use by children.

This law will go into effect in less than a month. If you have not heard about the new requirements concerning lead and pthalates levels and testing requirements, please read here. It is a HUGE deal, and the law is intended to keep our children safe. Many feel that the law was hastily written and not well thought out and are urging government to rethink and rewrite. Please do some research for yourself and take action if you feel it is necessary. Time is running out for us to give our input.

Depending on the outcome of the final law and its exemptions, I will decide whether to keep my Etsy shop open with children's items. I have been tossing around the idea of selling DIY diaper kits, with materials you would need plus my pattern so that you could sew your own. I am also thinking about using this blog as a craft resource, posting links for fun items to make yourself and images of what I've made.

I hope all is well with you and that you have a great new year!

Bamboo

2008-07-11T17:34:00.005-06:00

I've had these diapers sitting for a while, unfinished. They are done now, and they turned out beautiful! I'm having a hard time not keeping them all.

I will be listing them one at a time over the next week.

I have also been using the last of some knit prints to make knot dollys. I will list them as I finish them. My son has already claimed one as his own :)

To Do list

2008-06-28T00:13:00.002-06:00

I'm caught up with customs finally! Whew! Custom orders wiped out my small supply of hemp that I had left, so i've got some more on the way. As soon as that is washed and ready, i've got some more pocket fitteds to finish up.

In the meantime, I am still working on the wet jet pads. I decided finishing all two dozen at once was too time consuming, so i'm doing 5 at a time, then another project, then another 5. So the first 5 need elastic which i'll try to get done this weekend. I've also got a few knotted dolls to finish up and list. My kids love these things and they are a lot older than the intended age range.. LOL They are constantly sharing with our new baby, but they often return later to take their dolly back. Anyway, they are great loveys or teething toys, and they are machine washable.

I put a poll in the right hand column. When I get to the end of my knit fabrics (or flannels), I use the pieces that are too small for diapers and make wipes. Sometimes I send a free wipe with an order, but would you prefer to have some of these wipe sets up for sale? They are not always a set size, say all 8x8, but they are useable sizes such as 6x6, 5x8, 7x7, etc. I'll still continue to send out free ones here and there, but just wondered if there is an interest for purchasing them.

Speaking of wipes, I have a bunch of sets that i've never listed because after using the ones I made for us I realized I had bought the wrong kind of baby terry. They have too much polyester in the terrycloth so they don't feel as wet as the good wipes do. They also stick to each other or other materials in the dryer. They are functional, just not the quality I like. I will give these away for $1 a set plus shipping (each set has 3-4 wipes in it) so if you are interested email me and i'll send some pics of what's left!

Diapers, Diapers!

2008-06-23T20:20:00.002-06:00

The pocket fitteds were a hit! I got so many custom orders for more. That's why you haven't seen any more added to my instock. I have run out of most of my colored FOE (I bought it for fun, for our own diapers, and then used some to sell) so there aren't many choices left. I did order a few more colors but not much. As I get caught up with customs i'll work on more to stock. I love the colors, but just don't know that i'll stock so many in the future. I may stick with a few basic pastels or primary colors, i'll have to see what sales allow.

I have 2 dozen Swiffer Wet Jet pads ready to put together and add elastic to, then i'll stock them a couple at a time. I am slowly working on them between custom orders, but I am working on getting paid orders out first. Thank you for your patience!!!

Tutorial: Elastic repair (casing style)

2008-06-23T19:07:00.008-06:00

There's not much worse than a nice diaper with loose elastic! I appreciate the business I get from fixing diapers, and I know my customers appreciate these diapers having "new life"! LOL But I know some are the do-it-yourself types, so I thought it would be nice to include a tutorial for those who want to fix them themselves. Perhaps in the future I'll post a tutorial for fixing blind elastic (ruffle edge) such as Kissaluvs, etc.

This tutorial describes how to fix an elastic in a casing, such as Fuzzi Bunz, Bumgenius, Blueberries, etc. I get the most repair orders from FB and BG, I'll be working on a Blueberry soon, but it looks as though it follows the same instructions as a FB. The following pics were taken during the repair of a BG one size pocket.

First, turn the diaper inside out and find the points where the elastic attaches. You'll be able to see a small bit of elastic sticking out of the top stitching most of the time, sometimes you'll only see where the top stitching gets close to the edge again, at the end of the casing, you can tell where this is because you'll be able to see the seam allowance.

Using a seam ripper, gently undo the stitches hiding the end of the elastic. You'll want to unstitch all the way to the end of the casing. Sometimes you'll find the manufacturer was in a hurry to sew and caught the elastic in the top stitching for a half inch or so, just unstitch until the elastic is free from the casing but still attached at the end.

Using the seam ripper or scissors, carefully cut the elastic close to the stitching at the end. Leaving the end of the elastic helps you see where to attach the new elastic to. You can also unstitch the end and mark it, but I find it is much easier to accidentally unstitch some of the serging that way...
Go to the other end of the elastic and unstitch the casing in the same way. Pull the broken elastic out, and snip it off, either leaving the stitched end for reference, or marking where to attach the new elastic. Repeat this on both legs and the back, as needed. I recommend replacing both leg elastics at the same time.

For Fuzzi Bunz leg elastic (except for some older ones), it is stitched to the seam allowance the whole way down the casing. You have a choice of just threading new elastic through and leaving the old in place, or unstitching the entire leg casing, removing the elastic, and applying new.

Measure the new elastic and pin one end in place, on the seam allowance, using the markings you made or by pinning it over the old elastic end that you left attached. I suggest using Stretchrite braided elastic, but be sure you've got the kind that says it's good for swimsuits. It is made to use in temperatures up to 200 degrees and will withstand chlorine. Stretchrite makes elastic that looks exactly the same but does not withstand high temps, making it unsuitable for diapers, so read the back of the package!

You can use Lastin (I recommend 3/8") but you will have to unstitch the entire casing and attach the Lastin to the seam allowance with a 3 step zig zag.

BG and FB use 1/4 inch elastic. I'll try to remember to post exact lengths as I find my notes on them... BG one size uses 5" in the back and 6" in the legs. You can estimate how much to use from your broken elastic you removed too. Adjust according to your preference of course!

Stitch across the elastic a few times to sew the end in place tightly. Be careful not to stitch past the seam allowance. Then, using a safety pin, knitting needle, or your preferred method, insert the elastic through the casing.

On the other side, pin it in place and stitch again.

Once all elastic is replaced, snip thread ends and turn the diaper right side out. You will be able to see where you unstitched the top stitching and casings. Snip the original loose threads. Then, line your needle up with the original stitching lines, a few millimeters before the original thread ends and stitch/back stitch a few times before re-doing the casing. Be sure to pull the elastic tight as you go. Stitch/back stitch again a couple times once you reach the end of where you removed the stitches.

You can see the new casing here, it looks as good as new besides some overlapping top stitching.

Ta-Da! Ready for lots more use!

Finished!

2008-06-09T15:27:00.002-06:00

I finished uploading all the pocket fitteds this morning. They seem to be quite popular so watch for more!
Also, thank you to everyone who ordered customs after seeing them!

I added an upcycled ATD AIO to the shop also. The diaper turned out really nice, but this size has always been HUGE on my kids so it's up for grabs!

My goal is to get a bunch of wet jet pads sew up, so watch for those again soon.

Pockets!

2008-06-02T18:38:00.003-06:00

I've been busy sewing a bunch of pocket fitted diapers. These are great because they are trim, they dry fast, and they are cute! They are more of an "economy" fitted, just 2 or 3 layers. We like using them for day or night, because I can stuff them with as much or as little as needed. Here's a preview, watch for them to be listed over the next week or so.

Also, i've decided to make stuffable AIOs in addition to my envelope diapers. These have a sewn in soaker so the diaper is useable as is, or use the pocket opening to stuff with more inserts for additional absorbency.

And, here's a bucket hat I made for my son. I've never clamied to be a math whiz, and that's why this hat turned out too small for him. Now it's up for grabs! Perfect for the coming summer months.

I love bamboo!

2008-05-07T15:32:00.004-06:00

I have been in the mood to dye things lately! I have another batch of prefolds that I need to post pictures of, and decide if I want to embellish them. While dyeing the prefolds, I thought it would be fun to see how some bamboo velour would turn out, so I tossed in a few cuts.

Here's what I made this morning:

It's got 3 layers of bamboo velour in the body, the outer is dyed and the other two are natural. 3 layers bamboo velour in the snap in soaker (only the top is dyed) plus 1 layer of hemp fleece. I wish I hadn't run out of royal blue snaps, they matched perfectly but I didn't have enough! Oh, the snaps are hidden on the side wings, and the snaps to hold the soaker don't show on the back of the diaper. I think it looks classy!

I am interested to see how the dyed layer holds its color. I purchased some green and orange bamboo velour a while ago, and it didn't hold it's color at all. It has slowly faded. I don't know how it was dyed, what dyes were used, etc. So I don't know if all bamboo does the same, or if I got a bad lot then.

I haven't decided if we'll keep it or not. I did modify my pattern slightly to make it. I am working on modifying all my patterns, only slightly though. This will provide a better fit but doesn't change the dependable function of my diapers.

Watch for more dyed items, I will probably have some up for sale after my shipment of hemp gets here! The hemp will replace the hidden layers of bamboo for a sturdier feeling diaper.

Etsy Diaper Team and Free Stuff!

2008-04-17T13:06:00.003-06:00

Do you cloth diaper your little ones? Or have you thought about doing so? There has never been a better time to buy a few diapers than during our Earth Day Giveaway!

Beginning on Friday 4/18, over thirty team shops will be offering free items with designated diaper purchases!

Are you interested?! Visit http://etsyclothdiapers.blogspot.com/ for a list of participating stores, or visit our team shop http://etsyclothdiapers.etsy.com/ for links to all team members.

We can't wait to see you!

Stocked, and April 19th giveaways

2008-04-16T15:27:00.003-06:00

I just finished adding a lot of items to my etsy store. Diapers, mopping and sweeping pads, hats, sleep sacks, and a diaper bag.
http://bloomingbums.etsy.com

Also, the Etsy Cloth Diaper team is gearing up for a big promotion on Friday the 19th. Participating members of our team will have free stuff to give away. You will have to browse our listings to find the promotional listing. The person who purchases it gets something free. These range from free wipes, to toys, to diapers. Watch our BLOG for details!

A little preview

2008-04-11T16:07:00.005-06:00

Here is what the prefolds looked like after I finished.

And a little fun for our stash, I brightened up some diapers we've had for a few years.

Color :)

2008-04-08T22:27:00.003-06:00

Here's what my kitchen sink looked like today:

This was my first attempt at dyeing prefolds. I've used KoolAid for wool before though. I've got 5 new prefolds in 5 different colors that i'll add some cute fabrics to now. If they turn out too cute i'll have to keep them though... The Kissaluvs in the picture are part of our stash, just trying to brighten things up a bit :)

Hello!

2008-04-07T21:18:00.001-06:00

This blog will be used for updates to Blooming Bums, specials, and info about our products.