I am hopeful that this considering cloth series is somewhat helpful for those navigating the diaper scene. I must admit, there are many terms to learn and lots of shorthand in the diaper community. I do not even want to get into how long it took me to figure out what the term "sposies" meant. Its embarrassing in hindsight. But, my mistakes might just be your gain! One category I heard a lot about but about which I had no firsthand knowledge is the AIO, or all in one diaper. So, for this installment we will get down and dirty with some AIO deets.
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Laundry is one of life's great companions. Regardless of how much or little clothing you own, laundry is always there for you. As you journey through life the items change but the laundry remains constant. Sometimes you take it out for a trip to a Laundromat, other times you visit friends or family together, and if you are lucky, you are able to care for it in the comfort of your own home. If you are considering cloth diapers for a wee human in your life, your laundry may be a stressful topic. As we Covered in Cloth Diaper Care: Part Two diapers are treated a bit differently than standard laundry because they have a different function than shirts and pants. If you plan to invest in cloth diapers it is important to know how to properly care for them to retain their value and that value is tied to the effectiveness of the material to keep urine and feces contained.
If you are looking for an alternative to disposable diapers, you might be considering cloth. Cloth diapers are an option for those looking to decrease their environmental footprint and focus their consumption on reusable items. You may be imagining wrapping baby up in large sheets of linen that must be fold just so, stabbing yourself with diaper pins trying to fasten them, and the horrible smell of the plastic or "rubber" pants. I am here to tell you, cloth diapers are so much more than that. Its 2019, this is the age of the cloth diaper. Cloth manufacturers have listened to care givers and potential parents and cloth is now a huge range of products that are made to fit the needs of each child and family. On the scene today: pocket diapers. Be prepared to be amazed by the ease of use and customizable features of pocket style diapers.
Appliques can add an element of whimsy to a standard garment or accessory. I enjoy creating these fun add ons and then sewing them to projects that match their personalities. Patterns for appliques can be simple, like the heart featured here, or highly complex pieces of art and design.
My daughter loves hearts, especially pink or shiny hearts, so this shape just makes sense to add to my line-up. Since creating this shape requires both basic and intermediate crochet stitches to complete its a great way to work on your skills in a quick project. To complete this applique, you will need a small amount of yarn and a crochet hook sized appropriately for the yarn. Remember that the weight of the yarn and the size of your hook will determine the size of the finished applique. It is important to leave a long tail for sewing the applique to your project. To begin, make magic circle. Then, in circle, chain 2, 2dc, 2hdc, sc picot sc, 2hdc, 2dc, chain 2 ss in circle, ch 1 join with ss to top of chain 2. Tighten magic circle and finish off your yarn. I recommend weaving the end of the tail into the next stitch to secure the shape. There are plenty of variations of hearts available on both Pinterest and Ravelry.com that will bring you hours of fun and add plenty of creative spirit to your projects. If you have read my other posts on cloth diapers you may have caught on to one theme in my personal love affair with cloth diapers: I like things that are easy and affordable. If you are considering cloth diapering you may be shopping for prefolds or fitteds, pricing pockets and all in ones, figuring costs of water and detergent. One thing I would add to your list: search your house for anything made out of cotton fleece.
Recently I have had the pleasure of meeting many parents who use cloth and many more who are or were "considering cloth." I think the process of discernment for parents is critical to the success of the options we choose for our children. Taking time to think through the pros and cons of a strategy allows for confident problem solving and a desire to overcome obstacles. Strategies are adjusted as we learn and grow as parents in order to meet the ever changing needs of our children.
There are few words that could not be attributed to my life-long best friend. Amazing, yep, challenging, you betcha, infuriating, that is an understatement. But my favorite word for her, is grandma. The luck of my birth has been felt continuously as I spent my days with this woman. Thousands of children are born every day, thousands more people die, move away, get too busy, forget their responsibilities, check out on their families, you get it. How I was the one to be born in my place, at my time, to my family, boggles my mind.
crochet pattern
dual color (color one is leaves, color 2 is flower petals) hook size USG6/ 4.00mm color 1 (grey) chain 120 turn and hdc in 9th chain from hook, *chain 2, skip 2, hdc * across, turn (it will look like a ladder at this point) turn, chain 2 ss in top of hdc, chain 5, ss same stitch; repeat 5 more times, chain 2, ss in next, turn.(base for 6 leaves) Dollars to donuts you are looking for ways to save money as often as possible. Raising a child can be profoundly intimidating in both scope and cost. When I decided to research cloth I was amazed at the range of prices that somehow were labeled "affordable." Sure, even if you purchase 30 of the fancy designer diapers and the matching accessories package you will not be even close to the price of disposable diapers, but a couple hundred dollars is quite the upfront investment.
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Liz England
I am a highly opinionated and sassy mother of three and wife to one. I hope you enjoy reading about my efforts to tackle the infuriating obstacles of life using straight talk and humor. If I say it, I mean it, or maybe I am being sarcastic. I like to focus on topics from my everyday life: parenting, cooking, crocheting, and a whole list of other things that inspire my rage. Archives
April 2019
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