Dyeing and more needlework

I decided to pull out the kool-aid. And dyed the last soaker using 2 orange, and one lemonade. I also knit another one, with bigger needles and more stitches. Then dyed it with 3 lime flavored kool-aid. I also crocheted using this (http://heavenlyangelsinneed.com/patterns/Yvonne's%20pants%20pattern.pdf) pattern. But it ended up seeming really small and instead of pants, are more like shorties. Probably because my baby isn't a newborn anymore.

Here's these 3.



Now I'm working on some longies using Yarny Bits pattern. (http://community.livejournal.com/yarny_bits/89662.html) I don't like how the short rows leave holes. Next time I'm going to find a better way to do them. I've read online how you can "hide" them. But I don't want to switch my pattern now that I've gotten started on it.



I've also been working on diapers. Found a new pattern. Rita's Rump Pocket. (http://www.jordanpaperarts.com/tana/diapers/RRP/Ritas-Rump-Pocket-Pattern.htm) I enjoy making these. My favorite is the one with the leaves. Inside was an old fleece sweater of mine. It's SO soft. I think I'm going to add touchtape to these though. I have a squirmy baby these days and even one pin through a lot of fabric just doesn't work these days.



And lastly for now... my fun diaper. I just HAD to make a diaper from this material. I only had enough for a newborn diaper. So I did that, even though I don't know when I'll be able to use it now. I used the mamabird fitted pattern, but I turned this into a waterproof pocket. It had PUL hidden layer and blue flannel on the inside. I don't care for the way the touchtape sewn on, but otherwise, I love this diaper! I learned to sew the elastic on the seam allowance instead of the diaper. Then if you don't encase it, it rolls nicely outwards. And here I thought I didn't have time for sewing anymore... :)

First Soaker!

My first knitted soaker. I used the Ottobre soaker pattern. Lionbrand Fisherman's wool and size 8 needles. I thought it was going to be WAY too small for my 16 LB little man, but it even fits his chunky thighs. :)



I'm definately making more of these! I may even learn about Kool-aid dyeing.

Another diaper in Action

Compare the little legs in the previous post to Joel's chubby legs now. :D This is one of my favorite diapers. I used the darling diaper pattern, but instead of turn and topstitch, I used foe. It needed a little longer tabs, but not bad.

In Use!

Now that Joel is here, and we are out of our newborn stash of disposables I can finally start using my cloth. I would have sooner, but my mother in law bought 2 more packages of newborn sposies. And, well, they don't stay that small for long, so I had to use them up last week. But... here's one picture of him in a fitted. They definately need the covers as Joel sure likes to soak them. About one an hour I think, unless he's sleeping. Guess I'll be doing lots of laundry. :)

More Newborn Fitteds

Here's a view of the latest fitteds that I've made. I used the mamma bird pattern. Which is the first diaper pattern I made. I made the wings bigger, and used wider touch tape. The result turned out much better than the first time. Must be from all those diapers I've made. :) The white terry cloth diaper I didn't use any velcro. Will pin or snappi it on. The floral print (the one dh says looks like an army diaper) I serged instead of turn and topstitch. I like the way it turned out, except for the wings. Need some more practice going around corners there.

The orange diaper is so cute, I had to post a pic of both the inside and out. The orange is an old shirt of mine I was going to give away, and the inside was some flannel I thought would never have looked nice or match in a diaper...It's hard to see, but in between the lines of brown, there are also lines of orange, perfectly matching the outside of this diaper.




It's been so much fun making these fitteds. More time and work than the waterproof pockets, but the colors are so bright. It makes sewing diapers so much more fun that making 10 diapers that all look the same... (and what a cute baby Joel will be wearing all these different diapers...) too bad he'll grow out of them so fast..

Medium Stash

I finally finished my mediums. Talk about cutting it down to bare wire. I am glad that they are all done before Joel is here. I still have other things to sew. But at least everything from here on out is for fun, not so much necessity.

Here are all the ones I made....



I've also felted a bum sweater for smalls. I have an idea of using terry towels and my soakers inside these until he fits into my pockets. A way to save $$ by using what I already have... I think I may need to make a little bigger though, the terry towels are a little bulky... But I tried it on a fitted I made earlier, perfect fit. I made this a 14 inch equalateral triangle. On the doll it is over the mamabird fitted diaper. Thinking of making a few of them if I have time. I don't care for fitted's too much, but for a newborn, it may be good to have some on hand.

Slings and Hats

I've strayed a bit from making diapers for a while. Just because all my diaper stuff is not home and I am. :D I made a fleece sling using the pattern from http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/pouch.html. The first one I made was a little too small. Didn't have a measuring tape, so I winged it. But it fits my super skinny husband nicely. So I purposely made the next one too big. It is a little too big, but figuring that I'll be wearing it in the middle of winter with heavy clothes, it should fit just right.

Here's a pic of the sling. I'm by myself now, so I couldn't get a pic with me wearing it. Maybe another time...



I also found this really easy hat pattern on http://www.carewear.org/patterns/sew/sewing.cfm?pid=_p46_fleece_hat.cfm. It gave the size dimensions for a fullterm newborn, so I made my own pattern and have made hats with what little material I have on hand. It is to be made with stretchy fabric. You can see in my sling picture, I made a matching hat. I also made a red hat with sweatshirt material. But it didn't stretch like I thought it would, and can't get it on any of my dolls. I had an old pair of shorts that I cut up and turned into a hat as well. I had to cut two pieces and serge together instead of cut on the fold. It turned out just fine anyway. It was super stretchy, and fits beautifully. Not as thick and warm as the fleece, but just right for a newborn's daily wear. Going to have to get some cute knits if I can find any.

Here's my hats...



Joel is going to have WAY too many hats. He's not going to be able to wear them all..as many as I've made, between crochet and now this super wonderful sewing pattern.