and now for something completely different

Saturday 21 March 2009
thank you all for your advice re Anna's poo habits - she seems to have settled into a routine now of only going every few days which according to you all is normal. I guess it's a good thing because it means less really messy nappies to clean up, especially as now I have a laundry again I'm going to start using cloth nappies which was my intention from the start. While Anna is still relatively small I'm going to use terry towelling flats since I have a stack of them thanks to the lovely Raewyn who gave me a heap last year and they are a better fit on little bot bots.

But you know you've sewn almost everything when you've made one of these:






Ok, sewing your own menstrual pads may be much weirder, which plenty of people do I have discovered while researching nappies! Anyway I'm not going down that path, but I have made a pocket nappy, made from the Wee Weka pattern, and it's designed to convince lazy and recalcitrant husbands that using cloth nappies is no harder than using disposables! It's made from a PUL outer layer, which is some fancy schmancy waterproof but breathable laminated fabric, with a lovely soft microfleece inner against the skin, and in between those two layers (ie in the pocket) I've got some bamboo fleece which is ultra absorbent.

It even has leg gussets to contain leakages, and with the velcro across the front it's just the same as a disposable but won't contribute to landfill and huge energy costs required in it's production and transportation. I know, I know there's huge debate over whether the water and energy used in washing is less evil environmental issue than that of the disposables, but since I have a water efficient front loading machine and will dry in the sunshine since we have that in abundance, for me using cloth nappies makes environmental and financial sense. Rightio, I'll get off my high horse now......

It was pretty simple to make, thanks to the wonders of fold over elastic, but a bit fiddly. Given the cost of the fabrics and the time to make it I can see why these are selling for $20 - $30 a pop, although I would never pay that because I'm extremely thrifty (*cough* cheap). For anyone else who may be interested, I got my fabrics online from Green Beans which is a New Zealand company but have such good prices that even with postage it was the best value I could find, plus they posted really quickly. There's also a comparison of the three most popular free nappy patterns here, which helped me decide which to use.

So this week I had what could almost be called a social life! I went out to a restaurant with my parents and Anna slept most of the time in her pram until the end when she sat quietly in my lap, much to the visible relief of the other diners (it was a small restaurant). Then on Wednesday I watched a movie with my mothers club group in a cinema that has one of those crying rooms but none of the babies cried the whole time anyway! And then yesterday I met up with some friends for a walk in the park and yum cha for lunch, and since Anna was being so good I even took a walk around Ikea. That place is baby central during the weekdays, of which I am now one of those ladies of leisure with nothing better to do than shop during the day (ha ha just kidding, I wish!).

In response to Benes' question in the comments to the last post, half of the room has louvre windows, the other half is a big glass sliding door, and the triangle windows on top are fixed glass. They are fantastic in a temperate climate like here in Sydney because you can control how much the windows are open so you can get as much or as little breeze in the house as you want. Unfortunately though the new room is so bright during this summer sunshine we're having it practically burns my retina, so my mission this weekend is to find some fabrics to make some sheer curtains to filter. Looks like it's time to break the fabric fast......

Oh and a big congratulations to Carolyn over at diaryofasewingfanatic who welcomed a second grandson into the world this week! Also congratulations to my friend Jenny who just found out she is going to be a grandma for the second time, which is fantastic news since her daughter had a cervical cancer scare recently but thankfully was ok - go have pap smears ladies, it may save your life.






11 comments:

  1. Congrats on sewing your own cloth nappies - I did the same for my first bub and am now using them on my second. I still use disposables at times when it suits me, but generally we use cloth. I prefer it, and I'm certain that with an efficient washing machine and line drying it simply has to have less environmental impact. And it's definitely cheaper. You've sewn that one beautifully!

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  2. Great new photo! Hope you're enjoying being back in the sewing, well done on the nappies. Natasha

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  3. Wow Kristy, I am in awe. You have opened my eyes to a whole new world of nappy styles (not having any kids may explain my previous ignorance in these matters!). You did a great job with the researching, sourcing and sewing.

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  4. That piece of research done in the UK comparing the environmental impact of cloth nappies versus disposable was found to be faulty.

    They washed the nappies in hot water, with a normal load of detergent and put them in the dryer.

    Best cloth nappy practice involves using a half load of detergent, warm water, and line drying.

    So in fact, the environmental impact of cloth nappies is way less than disposable. Apart from anything else, you have to think about what it means to put untreated human waste straight into unlined landfill.

    I use mostly cloth, but not totally - so I'm not totally sanctimonious about it - but the excuse that cloth nappies have just as much impact of disposable, is just that, an excuse.

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  5. Congrats on using enviro nappies - I have 2 kids and have used washable nappies for them both. I have saved literally thousands of dollars, not to mention thousands less nappies going to landfill. They are so much better for babies delicate skin as well - I shudder to think of all the chemicals that are absorbed from disposable nappies.

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  6. Looks like your .....back in the saddle again.... mom!
    Nice to be able to get out and about hmmmm? Goooo Mom... with the nappy sewing! They are soo cute! Even if they are going the way of the poo! Enjoy it now... later, well... it just gets stinkyier! Lol....
    More pictures please!!!! Of the house.... (of course would love more of Anna too... but can understand if you don't want to do that!) Enjoy your days out!

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  7. I have nominated you for an award, see it here.

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  8. Yah, another mum doing (and making!) cloth nappies :D
    What is the PUL like? Is it fabrite?
    I sewed all my son's nappies (I made heaps of one size PUL pockets) which has saved us heaps :D they are still all working fantastically and my son is almost a year old! I can easily see them lasting another baby... Must say I loved that I sewed the one size adjustable nappy (similar to the bumgenius/haute pocket)... saved me making a million in different sizes! Definitely recommend it!

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  9. Kristy - thanks for the shout out for Daniel - the little prince!!!

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  10. Wow, I'm amazed. I didn't realize you could sew your own nappies given that they have to be sturdy enough to contain all the poop and wee. Well done!

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  11. oh, my! sewing your own nappies! That is amazing. Just that you have time to do all that with a newborn. I babysit my nephew for a few hours and I have to take a nap!

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