Wipe Wallet

Need a *cute* *easy* *fun* *compact* and yes *organized* way to carry your CLOTH wipes?

Check out my latest creation:

Inside view

Outside view

Lay cloths in the inside

Fold upward

Close

VOILA!

This is a rough draft, my top seam is a little crooked and it really needs to be longer to accommodate more wipes. This one holds about 5, 2-ply, standard size (8x8) wipes. That may work for a quick outing with 1 little monster, but not triplets!

Paper Towel Replacements

I've been busy tonight sewing 'family cloths' aka cloth 'paper' towels. We keep a dish towel handy for drying our clean hands. But sometimes (a lot of the time here) we don't want to use that 'clean' towel for something, so we'll reach for the ole disposable paper towels. Not any more. I've just sewed our first batch of flannel family cloths to be used in place of paper towels.

I'm going to sew some sort of container to put the dirties in too... I have to make this as easy and convenient as possible for it to work with the boys. I'm thinking of making a huge oven mit that hangs right by the washer to toss them in... (My kitchen and laundry room are side by side) Any other ideas? I could use a girls dress and just sew the bottom closed and toss the dirties into the neck opening... Hmmm... Brainstorm time.

My first fleece soakers

I'm SO excited! Since I have been cloth diapering the boys (ya know, less than a week) I'm having to alternate between using covers, not using covers (which is dangerous using only prefolds!), and disposables. The only covers I currently have rub the boys legs and tummies. So, I hopped on the Internet, consulted with Jen who's having the same troubles, and finally decided to try to sew my own fleece soakers. Since I don't own one, have never seen one, don't have a pattern for one, I wasn't really sure where to start. I sat and brainstormed for a few minutes and decided I needed to start by measuring the boys' tummies and thighs. Now what? I sat again and brainstormed; finally deciding the best way to get a diaper that fit like a disposable was to 'trace' the shape of that diaper, but wing it a little and using my measurements. I've had this fabric for a few weeks, but I've been afraid to cut it, afraid of messing it up. Tonight I finally got up the courage and got out the scissors!

Please keep in mind, the only thing I've ever sewn is a pillowcase or the like. All straight edged, square pieces of fabric using a standard straight stitch, I've never even touched the dials on my machine! Until tonight that is. Tonight I ventured out and used a double zigzag.

The first cover I tried was a failure. When I tried to sew the first leg cuff I realized the raw, stitched side would be seen when flipped back right side in. I thought, oh well, I can live with that. Then I also realized I cut the fabric so that the stretch was top to bottom, not side to side. So, it wouldn't work. Lesson #1, got it!

I re-cut fabric, this time also remembering to add an additional 'soaker' in the wet zone.

Alright, enough gibber jabber. Here they are:

First Attempt

Inside out, showing stitches and double wet zone soaker

3 hours later = 3 covers

Carter modeling one for me