Pillowcases, finally.

So a little over a year ago I bought two yards of fabric because they were *mildly* on sale (albeit still very expensive) and they matched our bedding. I intended to use them to make pillowcases, but somehow never got around to it.

A few weeks ago I was reorganizing my fabric stash, and came across the two yards. I considered adding them to the two large bags of fabric that I was giving away because it no longer inspired me and was taking up precious room, but these two, they mocked me. If you have fabric that has been laughing at you for a while, you will understand.

At any rate, I recently scored a Brother 1034D serger from fabric.com with a sweet 25% off coupon. (I’ve noticed that the base price has since risen, but back then it was listed at about $200, with free shipping on orders over $150. As this machine has a list price of just shy of $400, I should perhaps underline the “score” part of that first sentence.) I have since checked out several books on sergers from our local library, and while they have been helpful, most have projects that aren’t really all that interesting to me, or are presented in very – shall I say, matronly? – fabrics. No likey.  I have long thought that any sewing/quilting book should be re-done ever few years, with newer, cooler fabrics…I’m sure they’d sell a lot more that way.

The book that arrived today was Ready, Set, Serge: Quick and Easy Projects You Can Make in Minutes. It contained a pattern for a simple pillowcase that looked much like I wanted it to look: a long body in one fabric with a border in a second one. The aforementioned fabric has been sitting on my nightstand for a week now, reminding me that I had decided to finally turn it into something cool, so I just went for it. I had to fudge a bit – I only had a yard of each fabric, and the pattern calls for just a bit more. The result is slightly shorter (length-wise) pillowcases, but they are still big enough for our pillows. The subtitle of the book is no exaggeration: this took me about 45 minutes while my son was awake, which translates into 15 or 20 if he’d been napping.

The book also contains other patterns that I’d like to try, many of which would make great gifts. Granted, these pillowcases cost about four times as much as the ones on the pillows just behind, which I bought on sale at Ross – but that was my fault. Had I bought less expensive fabric, these would be very thrifty. I think they’d make great gifts, too…. maybe I’ll start scoping out the bedrooms of our friends and try to find matching fabric!

Here, again, the pillowcases:

Cloth Diaper Wish List

While we certainly have everything we need for the moment, (in fact we are currently going on three days without washing) I do have a mental check list of things I’d like to have or try for Nikolay, things we may need to get for Nikolay if he gets too tall or heavy before potty training, and things I’ll want to get when we are expecting #2. As we didn’t begin cloth diapering until very recently, we have no newborn or small diapers or covers. It makes me ache to think of all the money we threw into the trash along with the disposable diapers that he wore for the first sixteen months of his life. If only we had started out with cloth! But thankfully, as we are intending (Lord willing) to have several more children, any money spent on new, smaller diapers will not be wasted.

Without further ado, here is my list of things I’d still like to try for Nikolay:

1) Wool covers (soakers and longies)

Ideally, I would like to use these for night-time diapering. Wool is said to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and can absorb a third of its weight in moisture. We currently use Smartipants one size pocket diapers with two inserts for nighttime, but I’m not happy with how we occasionally wakes up with a damp pajama bottom.

2) Muslin Flats

Also called “Euro Flats,” these are large (80 cm x 80 cm) squares of muslin fabric which quilt up nicely after washing. I purchased a dozen birdseye flats at a local cloth diaper store and haven’t been all that in love with them, but these look VERY different. The photo above was posted to the Green Mountain Diapers group on Yahoo, and compares a washed and folded muslin square to the same birdseye flats I own (even bought at the same store). You can see for yourself how fluffy they are!

Imse Vimse Organic Muslin Squares.

3) BumGenius, BumGenius Organic Cotton, and GroBaby

These are a real challenge for me. There is a part of me that says “You already have nine Smartipants, which were inexpensive and work just fine as Daddy/Babysitter diapers. Stop coveting already.” Then there is the voice that reminds me of the little things I dislike about the Smartipants, both practical (the one row of snaps, the risk of inopportune leaks) and impractical (the pastel colors), which reminds me that BumGenius will soon be coming out with a snaps version of their one-size pocket diaper, and also offers colors like THESE, which just happen to be my favorite. (This is a customer photo from Amazon.)

Diversion, in which I attempt to talk myself out of my passionate desire to try the Gro Baby System:

As for Gro Baby, the voice of reason has JUST about talked me out of them. In truth, though they are economical they aren’t as economical compared to prefolds once you factor more than one child in diapers into the equation. At this point, prefolds and covers win because Baby #1 can be using the medium or large diapers while Baby #2 is in the newborn or small ones. The “ease of use” argument may well be won by using prefolds in Booroi covers. That would require no pins or snappis, and they could be prepped in advance for the Papa or a babysitter. In both cases, the cover would have to be washed if it were soiled, but such is life. The other covers (Thirsties) would not need to be washed each time they were used. Of course, newboorn poop is another animal entirely, but over a month and a half of Thirsties cover use (both v. 2 in medium and the Duo in sz. 2) has yielded only one case of a soiled cover. In general, a snappied (or pinned) prefold will hold just about anything in. As for the snazzy Gro Baby colors … while I may not find precisely the same ones elsewhere, I can find bold colors in Thirsties and Booroi covers.

Another argument for me is the durability option. One reason I love the prefolds over more expensive fitted or all-in-one diapers is that they have a proven track record. They last and last and last. Especially for me (as I own a serger) the risk of a prefold coming “undone” is very, very slim. Over the years they may thin out – but they’ll still be quite useful around the household and for other baby purposes. I would find it hard to imagine using a busted pocket diaper shell as a burp cloth!

I don’t know how Gro Baby soakers and boosters will hold up over time. They are too new to have a proven track record – but one thing is certain: assuming I have 24 Gro Baby soakers and 24 in each size of the prefolds, each soaker will see far more wear and tear than the prefolds, because as part of a one-size diaper system, they’ll be in use far longer. Add to that that I could buy several prefolds (anywhere from three to six, depending on the size and brand) for the cost of a single Gro Baby booster and the value argument seems stacked in favor of prefolds again.

Another thing that I must consider is the durability of the covers. Two things that have a nasty tendency to wear out are elastic and velcro/aplix. (Snaps less so.) The type of elastic used in Thirsties covers is a fold-over elastic which I could purchase and replace more or less easily. The velcro bands, while not my first choice (I would prefer snaps) are also a simple repair job for anyone who sews. Not so much internal elastic (such as that in my Smartipants or in Gro Baby or BumGenius); this would require opening seams and repairing them … much more annoying than fixing some fold over elastic.

All that being said? I still LOVE the colors, they are said to be super absorbent and fit well, and they are coming out with new prints in a few weeks, as well as new colors this winter. If someone were to buy us a Gro Baby kit with a few shells and soakers, I certainly wouldn’t say no. For now, I am talking myself out of it in the name of reason and thrift – especially as I already own and use some prefolds and covers.

So, without further ado, the current wish list for Baby Numero Dos, whenever the time should come (also found on Amazon, and subject to change):

2-3 dozen Muslin Flats (Imse Vimse, 80cm x 80 cm, 100g)

2 dozen NB (orange edge) Cloth-eez Bleach Free White Prefolds (Green Mountain Diapers)

2 dozen SM (yellow edge) Cloth-eez Bleach Free White Prefolds (Green Mountain Diapers)

4 Thirsties sz. 1 Covers (Probably Green, Blue, Orange, and either Yellow or White …though color choices may vary if #2 should prove to be a girl)

4 Booroi sz. SM covers (Blue, Green, White, … Red? a new color? TBD)

2 Aristocrats sz. SM covers

All this, pending shipping costs and such, would total around $350. Assuming that Nikolay doesn’t need larger sizes, we should then have everything we need. If he does, we may have to order 2 dozen LG (brown edge) Cloth-eez Bleach Free White Prefolds from Green Mountain Diapers, as well as a couple more Thirsties Duo sz. 2 covers. (We already own 2)

Washing Day

Free SmartiPants Giveaway at the Cloth Diaper Whisperer!

I’ll have to be honest here… with my ten SmartiPants, I’m probably all set for our own needs. That being said, I happen to have SEVERAL cloth diapering friends who are expecting, and who would no doubt love to receive a three-pack of these lovely diapers.

SmartiPants are definitely Daddy and Baby Sitter approved, and at $15 a diaper are a bargain compared to comparable brands. All that, and they don’t need to be unstuffed before the wash – that’s not just smart, it’s genius.

Check out the Cloth Diaper Whisperer for more information on the giveaway!

Cloth Diapers, or “Prefolds and Pockets and Covers, Oh My!”

I have realized recently how blessed I am to have two local real-life friends who are using cloth diapers (and several more who are using them, but live in other states, as well as those who have used them in the past, but lack a baby to diaper). Add to all this that I am within easy driving distance of not one, but two brick and mortar cloth diapering stores, and I have a very sweet set-up. With all that, it still took me until Nikolay was sixteen months to “buy in” and get started.

My first thought was that I’d want all-in-one diapers, called AIO, to transition from disposables. These are called all-in-one because they have both the absorbent “soaker” part of the diaper and the waterproof exterior in one piece. I bought fifteen brand-new AIOs from an eBay source that seemed like a really good bargain. $70 for 15 wonderful diapers would indeed have been a bargain, but $70 for so-so diapers really isn’t. Thankfully, I had only washed and used five of them, and was able to get a full refund for the remaining ten. I’m not really certain what to do with the five that were used for two weeks or so … they certainly “do the job,” but I found that there were several factors that I didn’t like. For example, they are meant to be washed inside-out, but lack laundry tabs for the velcro. This means that I had to close them back up after they’d been used and then turn the inside-out. Pretty grody, especially when you forget to do it right away, and have to do it as you are transferring the diapers into the washer.

Next, I bought four unbleached premium prefolds, a snappi, and a medium ocean blue Thirsties cover from one of our local cloth diaper stores, Wildflower Diapers. I also bought a wet bag  (to transport used diapers) for my diaper bag, and a much larger “wet bag”/hanging diaper pail (to store all used and soiled diapers until laundry day).

I was so excited about the prefolds. They’ve cheap, they’re long-lasting (elastic and velcro in other diapers can wear out over time), they’re “old school.” (That being said, claims that women have been using them for many generations are a bit overrated: I believe they were invented fifty or sixty years ago. Before then, women used single “flat” sheets of fabric. These, usually found as large squares (or close to squares) are still around and going strong, and referred to as “flats.” They require a bit of know-how and practice to fold them into a usable diaper, but once this is mastered, I’m told they are the most versatile (and truly “one-size”) diaper out there. I also bought a dozen flats, though I have yet to fold them and use them.)

The prefolds were, at first, very disappointing. They seemed excessively bulky, and I couldn’t get the fit right. I was going to give up on them when I realized that part of my frustration had to do with the length of the prefold: it was too long to fit in my son’s size medium covers without folding, which is what made them so bulky. Soon enough, I realized that there was a company out there selling prefolds that are trimmed to just the right length for newborn, small, medium, and large covers. I ordered some “red edge” medium prefolds (see above), as well as a couple more covers, and hoped for the best. After they were washed and prepped, I admit I was a little annoyed that they weren’t as soft and “stretchy” as the unbleached prefolds from Widlflower Diapers. Then I researched a bit, and found out that this softness had to do with the natural oils of the cotton, and that it will fade with washing. The sturdier GMD prefolds would hold longer, and withstand more washings. It has taken a while to practice some folds and snappi-ing. I bought pins, but I prefer the snappi so far. I found that the red edges fit well, though I would prefer if they were a teensy bit wider and/or stretchier. To help with this, I bought some “toddler” snappis, which aren’t that much bigger than the regular ones, but have helped make it just a tiny bit easier to close the prefolds.  All in all, I am becoming more and more convinced by the ease of use and versatility of prefolds. Another unexpected bonus: I don’t get quite as irked when my son soils a prefold – poop on a $2 diaper is much easier to bear than poop on a $14 diaper!

My covers thus far are the Thirsties v. 2 in “ocean” and “melon,” and the Bummis Super Brite in yellow and green. Both were chosen because they have a single layer of PUL (which allows me to wipe them clean and are easily re-usable if they haven’t been soiled) and doubl  leg gussets – very important for catching anything that might try to escape onto clothing! Sadly, Thirsties came out with their new Thirsties Duo Covers right after I bought the others. I am trying to convince myself that I don’t need them, though I hear tell that they fit much more snugly than the regular Thirsties. I can’t even consider trifolding the prefolds in the regular Thirsties because they are a bit loose in the rump. Hmmm… perhaps eventually. I am definitely considering getting them for Baby Number 2 when the time comes!

UPDATE: since writing the draft of this post, I caved and bought two Thirsties Duo size 2 covers, and I love, love LOVE them! For photos comparing the fit of the Thirsties v. 2, Bummis Super Brite, and Thirsties Duo, see here.

I have also ordered some Booroi covers, which allow you to trifold prefolds and not have to snappi or pin them. The Booroi holds them securely. You can even have several prepped and pre-stuffed into the covers, which in essence turns them into “convenience diapers” great for outings/babysitters/dads. My main concern with these is how they’ll do with poop, but we shall see. (I haven’t had any poop get on the other covers – it’s been very well contained in the prefolds.)

I currently own nine Smartipants diapers. They are very highly rated on diaperpin.com, and the price point – I bought three 3-packs for $36.95 each – can’t be beat. They are a pocket diaper with synthetic (microfiber) inserts. Once stuffed, they have the ease of use of a disposable, bearing in mind that they do have a snap closure. These are our baby sitter and daddy diapers… in fact, just this morning when my husband changed the baby, he selected an aqua-colored Smartipants. Some dads love the challenge of a snappi or pin … but thus far, my husband has not found the prefold love. I have also been using these as our nighttime diaper, stuffed with two microfiber inserts. This has worked most nights, though one time there was a bit of moisture wicking out the top where N had been laying on his stomach. This may be petty, but one thing I dislike about these is the pale colors. My favorite one is the aqua, modeled in the first photo above this post. I also like the white, suprisingly, though I had thought after my eBay diaper experience that white was boring. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I would really love these more if they had bolder colors (like the new BumGenius green and orange, or the GroBaby green and orange… can you guess that green and orange are my favorite colors?).

I will probably write a separate post about using gDiapers “little g” pants with cloth inserts. I have gone back and forth on this, and am still partially undecided – although at the moment I’m leaning towards selling the starter pack I bought and using the money for the GroBaby shell I’d like to try.

I will write a separate post about cleaning our diapers. Products to be discussed include Maggie’s Soap Nuts, Country Save Detergent, Potty Pail, and ye olde Baking Soda/Washing Soda/Vinegar…. and perhaps Tiny Bubbles, if we win some for free.

Up next:

• I have pre-ordered two Booroi diaper covers (the new version 1.5, which will be shipped around July 27th).
• I am jonesing for some GroBaby Shells and soakers. I love the Kiwi Green and Mandarin Orange, though they’re also coming out with new patterns this September and new solids this winter. I figure I might buy one or two to try out, and if I like them enough, I might buy more as the new patterns and solids come in (4-6 total shells, ten to twelve soakers) and replace the Smartipants with these. Smartipants, though awesome, have two things going against them: they use synthetic fibers, which I would prefer to avoid, and they are pastel, which I’m not a fan of…bring on the bright, bold colors
• I also really would like to have one of these “Potty Pail” Diaper cleaning/spraying systems, though I would imagine we could rig something like it for much cheaper. My parents have a utility sink, which is reaaally helpful for washing out soiled diapers
• While I am not terribly tempted by the $25-$35 “designer” fitteds like GoodMamas, I would like to look into sewing some of my own, perhaps especially after I buy the serger I’m hunting for.
• I would also like to try my hand at sewing some “prefold-fitted conversion” (or “prefitted”) diapers.

I also have a mental list of things I’d like to get for Baby Number 2, when the time comes. Of course, many new and exciting things may come out between now and then, but at present, it looks a little something like this:

• 2-3 dozen organic newborn (orange edge) prefolds from GMD (If 3, one dozen would be converted into prefitteds)
• 2-3 dozen organic small (yellow edge) prefolds from GMD (Ditto above)
• 4 Thirsties Duo size 1 covers (blue, orange, green, yellow)
• 2 Booroi size small covers (blue and green, unless new colors inclue an orange)
• Other covers to be determined: possibly some wool covers/pants/longies
• Possibly some newborn size all-in-ones

Tiny Bubbles

Switching from disposables to cloth has had a steep, but enjoyable learning curve. One of the things I’ve learned most about is the ingredients of laundry detergent. For a long time, I’d already avoided dryer sheets, using dryer balls instead to decrease static and soften and fluff up the fabric. I’ve used “free and clear” detergents for years, but I never really knew about what they were really free and clear of. These days, we had been using the Kirkland (Costco) Environmentally friendly detergent, but it turns out that the scent and enzymes aren’t good for baby’s bum, and hence not good for washing cloth diapers. There have been recipes posted about how to mix your own detergent, but most of those have been pretty heavy on the borax. Even the cloth diaper chat boards are filled with confusion.

Lately, another option has become available: The Natural Baby Company has launched their own detergent, free of all the nasties but perfectly capable of cleaning the nastiest soiled diaper. Oh, and they’re giving some away!  See here http://www.thenaturalbabyco.com/tiny-bubbles-p-732.html to find out more about Tiny Bubbles! Powerful, environmentally friendly, and free? It doesn’t get much better than that!

Win a Booroi Starter Pack at Mama B

I feel terrible that I haven’t been writing about anything, and instead shamelessly using this to promote giveaways…but hey, cloth diapering can be addictive! Anywho, I’m veeeery interested in a Booroi diaper cover, because they have a very innovative gusset design that allows you to hold a prefold or flat without pinning or snappi-ing. Check it out!

Mama B is giving away a Booroi Starter Pack… for more details, see here.

Smartipants Giveaway at Our Life Upstate

Having decided to give Cloth Diapering the old college try, I have been doing a LOT of research, and stumbled across a very promising (and inexpensive) prospect, the Smartipants. Now if only I had one to try out on Stinkerbutt. (Or rather, on Stinker’s butt.)

How wonderful that the mom of Our Life Upstate is hosting a giveaway!

http://www.ourlifeupstate.com/2009/06/smaripants-review-and-giveaway.html

Principles vs. Rules

“Anxious, inexperienced writers obey rules. Rebellious, unschooled writers break rules. Artists master the form.”

from the Introduction to Robert McKee’s Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting.

Small Events and Tension in Storytelling

The following quotation comes from the director’s commentary on the DVD of “Doubt,” written and directed by John Patrick Shanley. Though it applies specifically to the difficulty of putting a ten-minute “tea scene” in a modern film, it applies equally well to writing fiction. Like literary fiction, the film “Doubt” is a highly character-driven piece. In fact, it is based on Shanley’s four-actor play by the same title. As such, it does not rely on heavy action scenes to keep the viewer’s interest. Rather, the plot is moved by smaller incidents and the effect these have on the characters:

“It’s funny, these tiny things have to be dealt with in the same way that a car crash and gun fire would be in another movie. Any event has significance – or should – when you’re telling a story, no matter how small: the pouring of a cup of tea, the spilling of tea and drying it off. Every one of them inspires a camera move, and every camera move keeps the scene alive.”