Babyville Boutique™

Make Designer Diapers with Hidden Babyville Boutique PUL

Ellie Joos — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:47:52 -0500

As cute as the Babyville Boutique fabrics are, occasionally you may find a designer print that is so irresistible and you just have to make it into an adorable diaper.

In one of my earlier posts, I talked about Quilt Festival, my favorite consumer show, (November 2011) and showed you this picture of fabrics that I loved and purchased for future hidden Babyville Boutique PUL lined diapers. Well, the holidays are over and I have at last put away the last of my Christmas decorations (who out there can relate?), so I now have time to sew again.

Last week, I made the adorable Valentine diaper cover and embellished T shirt for our new grandniece which I showed you in my blog post. Now, I’ve finished several more pocket diapers and covers using these colorful cotton prints from Amy Butler and Kaffe Fassett and this soft cuddly fleece from Shannon for her as well.

This FOE (fold over edge) diaper cover with inside yokes is made from a bold tropical type floral from Amy Butler’s Lark collection. I cut out my diaper cover and PUL backing from the Babyville Boutique pattern in Cloth Diapers Made Easy. I backed the cotton with the Babyville Boutique PUL using a fabric glue stick and treated the two layers as one fabric. I then finished assembling the diaper.

With the extra fabric, I also made the matching bib using the pattern in Baby Essentials Made Easy. If you don’t have the book, make your own pattern by simply tracing one of your favorite bib styles on paper, cut out two layers of PUL fabric for the bib, a pocket from the cotton fabric, and line the pocket with PUL. Sew a top hem on the pocket, and stitch it to the front of the bib. Stitch both layers of the bib together along the outer edges, wrong sides together. Encase the raw edges in FOE (fold over elastic) and stitch. Add snap closures, and you’re done.

These two diapers are Turn and Topstitch diapers and are lined with PUL which was glued to the outer fabric prior to assembling as I discussed above. As with the Yoke Diaper Cover, I then treated the two layers as one and continued to finish my diapers.

Backing cotton fabric with Babyville Boutique waterproof PUL provides opportunities for you to make an array of other finished projects, and by expanding your diaper stash, your darling baby will be the envy of her/his play date circle of friends.

How do I love thee. . . .

Ellie Joos — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:56:33 -0500

Although we moms (and grandmas) express our love for our “babies” every day, on Valentine’s Day, we enjoy giving cards, candy and flowers to our loved ones (we like to receive them too). Those of us who sew and craft especially like making special tokens of our affection. Now that I am a “diaper making” nana with Babyville Boutique products, I made this Valentine diaper for our little niece. For the heart appliqués on the “tush”, I made my heart shape patterns from folded paper like we all learned to make as kids.

To apply the hearts to the diaper, I appliquéd them in place, using another layer of oval shaped PUL on the inside and then stitched another oval layer of PUL to the outside edges of the first oval shaped PUL. By doing this, I added another protective layer to cover the stitching and prevent leakage.

While I was at it, I made a coordinating T-shirt using a store bought shirt and adding the hearts and ruffled lace.

What gift would be complete without a gift bag and card? Using a plain red paper bag and red cardstock, I decorated them with PUL hearts, ribbons, appliqués and bits of lace.

Valentine’s Day also creates a great opportunity for kid crafting. Just provide stickers, paper, free clip art from the internet, bits of trims, appliqués, labels, and any other decorative items you have on hand and I am sure the kids in your life will surprise you with love-filled mementos that you will treasure.

Fancy Food Show and Stores

Ellie Joos — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:03:40 -0500

In my marketing career in the sewing and craft industry, I have had many opportunities to attend a variety of industry trade shows. In an earlier post, I wrote about my favorite show, Quilt Market, which is so beautiful and creative. Well, woman can’t live by fabric alone, so my second favorite show is the Fancy Food Show. This show takes place twice a year and if you are not careful, you can literally eat your way through aisle after aisle of samples of everything from soup to nuts. I attended this show in San Francisco recently and learned that 71% of consumers between the ages of 24 and 35 buy specialty food products. This could be anything from organic foods to imported foods or even products from up and coming bakers, chefs, or WAHM’s who have perfected their own recipes and are selling to retail outlets.

While in San Francisco I thought it would be interesting to learn about the cloth diapering community in a city that was one of the first to ban the use of plastic bags by retail stores. I googled “cloth diapering in San Francisco” and discovered Natural Resources, a premier destination for parents desiring to learn more about birthing options, cloth diapering, and other issues for new parents.

Bobbi, the knowledgeable consultant, told me that Natural Resources has been around for over 23 years and has classes for expectant and new parents and sells thoughtfully selected products including diapers, baby clothing, toys, and other needed products for baby and mom. Their best selling cloth diapers are one-size and also diaper covers. Bobbi was intrigued to hear about Babyville Boutique and the growing community of cloth diaper sewing mamas.

Since many young families in San Francisco do not have washers and dryers, Natural Resources also sells compostable inserts, which are picked up by diaper services and taken to compost facilities.

They also provide a comfortable space for moms to meet and relax, as well as a child friendly play space.

Bobbi is also actively involved in www.MaternityXchange.com, a consignment site for mothers and babies and www.Birthandbabyfair.com, the premier event for new and expectant parents in the Bay Area.

Meanwhile, back at the show, I visited with two manufacturers of organic baby food. Our daughter made her own baby food so I was curious to see these other options. HappyBaby began just five years ago to meet the needs for healthy, convenient baby foods. Their eco-friendly portable packages contain food that is gluten free and contains Salba®, a nutritious super grain.

Plum™ Organics, another company created out of the desire by parents to have an organic choice for their babies, also exhibited their latest product line of foods for babies and toddlers in easy-to-use and carry along colorful packages.

Traveling to trade shows often mean hours spent inside convention centers on concrete floors, however when time permits, it is fascinating to explore and learn in other regions of the country and to share these experiences with all of you.

Turned & Topstitched Diaper with Blind Elastic (aka Ruffle Legs)

Jessica F. — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:20:06 -0500

Today we're making a Turned & Topstitched Diaper with Blind Elastic. For this diaper, I sewed monkey PUL to light green PUL to make a contrast back and wings. I sewed a monkey applique to the back of the diaper. For the inner, I am using modified welt opening for my inner, though you can make the inner as a back edge opening pocket diaper if desired. Since I am doing a pocket diaper with a modified welt opening in this tutorial, I will be stitching completely around the diaper, then turning right side out through the welt opening. If you are making a pocket diaper with a back gathered elastic opening, follow your pattern instructions for that type of diaper opening. Be sure to watch for additional tips to keep in mind for making AI2s.

Let's get started!

Collect your supplies. Here is what I used: My diaper inner (brown crushed panne velour), outer (PUL), 3/8” elastic, ball point pins, Mark-B-Gone washable marker.
Mark the elastic placement on your outer fabric using the Mark-B-Gone pen. Make sure to extend the marked line past your seam allowance. We will need to see the marked line after turning. If you are using snaps, you will want to apply the snap sockets to the outer fabric now. Be sure to reinforce each socket with a square of PUL on the cap side of the snap.
Pin the right side of the inner to the printed side of the PUL. I use a LOT of pins when I am working with crushed panne velour as it is pretty slippery. Try to keep the pins in the seam allowance to minimize holes in the PUL.
Sew the diaper outer and inner pieces together using the seam allowance recommended in the pattern. NOTE: If you are making an AI2 or a back edge pocket diaper, make sure to leave a hole for turning.
Trim the seam allowance all the way around your diaper 1/8” from the seam. This is very important! You will be using this to help guide your elastic when you are sewing it into the casing. NOTE: If you are doing an AI2 you will not trim around your turning hole as this will be needed to case your elastic.
Turn the stitched diaper right side out.
If you marked your diaper correctly, you should now be able to see your elastic marks for the leg and back elastic.
You can use the recommended chart included with your pattern for elastic length, or use my favorite technique for measuring elastic. Measure from one elastic mark to the next. I do this actually using the elastic.
Fold the elastic in half. Add 1/2” to allow for seam allowances, then cut the elastic.
Repeat with elastic for the other elastic marks.
Insert the elastic into your diaper body through your pocket opening. If you are doing an AI2, you will feed it through your turning hole. For my diaper, I am feeding it through the welt pocket; it will be a snug fit for your hand. Pin the end of the elastic with 1/4” overhanging the elastic mark.
Carefully bunch up the fabric and pin the other end down at the second leg elastic mark. Make sure to keep the elastic flat.
Repeat with elastic needed for the other leg, and at the back of the diaper. Pin elastic at each mark.
To prevent shifting of the pane velour, pin your tummy panel and wings for topstitching.
Start topstitching your diaper. I topstitch with my needle moved to the left position. I like to begin at one side of my belly panel.
Now comes the tricky stuff! When you reach the first elastic mark, stop sewing. Position the sewing machine needle in an upright position. Change the machine stitch setting to a long and wide 3-step zigzag. Very carefully, lift your presser foot and slide the fabric over. I find the edge of my pressure foot to be the perfect distance for me to be able to catch all of my elastic. You will need to play with your machine to find your sweet spot. Set the needle into the end of your elastic, then tack the end of your elastic down well. I like to hold my fabric in place and go back and forth a couple times with my 3-step zigzag.
Stretch your elastic, positioning the elastic up against the seam allowance at the edge of the diaper.
On the legs, I like to reach up and grab the center of the elastic while I have it stretched and sew that in place before sewing the other half of the leg. It gives me more control over what I am doing. Slowly sew your elastic down, checking every few inches to make sure everything is still lined up.
When you reach the other end of the elastic, tack it down securely, just as you did at the opposite end of the elastic. Lift your needle up. Switch your machine back to straight stitch. Shift your fabric back to the left and continue topstitching to the next leg elastic mark. Repeat the process for stitching the elastic at the other leg using the three-step zigzag. Continue topstitching until you come to the back elastic, then repeat the process to stitch the elastic using the three-step zigzag.
Add snaps to the front and wing panels, sew on a cute monkey label, and you are done!

PUL Sleeve Guards

Jo M. — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:55:15 -0500

Ok, so I have to admit that I like instant gratification. I am not the most patient person in the world, so when I start a project, I like to be able to finish it fairly fast - even more so when my sewing time is limited by small children! The other day I was watching said small children make a big mess with Vegemite on toast (yes, I am that much of a dinky-di, true blue Aussie) and thought “Gee it would be nice if they had something more than just a bib, something to protect their sleeves as well.... Hang on a sec, PUL sleeve covers!!!” They could be made out of any fabric, but PUL protects from moisture (aka puddles from spilled drinks) as well as food and crumbs. They don’t have to be limited to mealtimes, they would also be useful for messy play with paint, playdough etc. They also don’t have to be limited to being worn on sleeves. Make another larger, longer pair to wear over trousers for rainy days when it is mandatory to jump in puddles.

Anyway, without further ado....Sleeve Guards!!

NOTE: For your convenience, we have converted and included measurements from centimetres to inches for this tutorial.

Project requirements:

Plain paper to make up your template
Pencil
Ruler
Measuring tape
PUL, 8”-12” (20-30 cm) depending on desired length of Sleeve Guards
FOE
Thread
Embellishments, optional
Glue stick, if using tags for embellishment
Small, messy child :)

Step 1. You need three measurements: (A) around the wrist of intended wearer, (B) the length that you want the sleeve guards to be and (C) the measurement around the top of the arm where you want the Sleeve Guard to end. When you take the upper measurement, make sure you take it over the clothes that the child normally wears when they are eating, otherwise the Sleeve Guards may end up being too tight or too loose. Too loose isn’t so bad because the PUL is firm enough that it won’t collapse down their arm, but too tight will be a problem.

For this tutorial my daughter’s measurements are approximately: A= 5” (12cm), B= 8” (20cm), C= 7” (18cm).

Now for a little math: Take half of the wrist measurement and then add your preferred seam allowance (I used approximately 3/8” (1cm metric). Being from Australia, I think in metric and that’s a really easy seam allowance to use with my sewing machine feet) plus an amount for wearing ease (I used ¾” (2 cm) but you can use whatever amount you like). Do the same for the upper arm measurement.

So for my daughter this becomes 3½” (6+1+2=9 cm) for the bottom measurement (we’ll call this D) and 4¾” (9+1+2 cm) for the top measurement (we’ll call this E)

Step 2. On the bottom edge of your plain paper, measuring from the side edge, mark measurement D (bottom measurement). Now, along the side edge of the paper, measure up and mark the preferred length of the Sleeve Guard (B). Finally, where you’ve marked the Sleeve Guard length, measure across your paper again marking measurement E (top measurement).

Step 3. While your head is full of numbers, mark on your pattern the amount of FOE you will need. For this, simply use the original wrist and upper arm measurements, adding ¾” (2cm) to each one for your seam allowance.

Here is the pattern I drew for my daughter:

Step 4. Lay out your fabric so that it has a vertical fold in it. Place the long, straight edge (not the angled one) of your pattern on the fold and cut out the Sleeve Guard. Repeat so that you have a pair.

Sleeve Guard cut out and laid flat:

Step 5. Measure and mark your FOE. I have marked my seam allowance on each end so that I know where to stop and start stretching when sewing. I only mark one piece of FOE at a time and don’t cut it off my roll so that I don’t have to try to hang on to a tiny tip of FOE when I get to the end of my sewing. I cut it after I have finished sewing the FOE on.

This piece is for my wrist edge:

Step 6. Fold your FOE in half along the fold line, sandwiching your PUL between the FOE with the edge of the PUL resting up against the fold line, and stitch.

Don’t stretch the FOE in the seam allowance, just in the main length of the FOE. I have used pink thread for contrast so that you can see where I have stitched. Also, I have chosen to use a straight stitch because I hate seam-ripping a 3-step-zig-zag, but it does mean that you can see where I went a little crooked. Use whatever stitch you prefer.

Step 7. Repeat for the top edge. When marking my FOE for the top edge I also marked the midway point and then marked the midway point on the PUL so that I could make sure I stretched the FOE evenly.

Step 8. Fold the Sleeve Guard, right sides together, and stitch up the side seam.

Step 9. Trim or serge the side seam, if you like, and turn right side out.

Step 10. Repeat steps 4-9 to make as many Sleeve Guards as you need.

Pair, inside out, side seam serged. Ta daa!!

Modelling shots:

Now, let’s make a prettier pair!!

Step 4a. Choose a tag, pop a dab of glue on the back of tag and stick tag on to PUL. Stitch around tag to secure it, using either a straight stitch or narrow zig-zag.

Continue on as per normal. This time I used thread that matched my FOE.

The Challenge of Cloth Diapering the Heavy and Fast Wetter

Kristin D. — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:56:18 -0500

There are a few challenges to cloth diapering that some parents face, which can sometimes lead to second thoughts about using cloth diapers. One of those challenges is having a heavy and/or fast wetter.

When I first started cloth diapering, I had a 2 year old daughter and a 9 month old son. I started with prefolds and wool and fleece covers. They worked awesome on my 9 month old. However, even a premium prefold with a second premium prefold folded inside the first did not work for my 2 year old daughter! I obviously had a heavy wetter on my hands. As I continued on my cloth diapering journey, everything worked with my son, yet nothing was working for my daughter.

Financially, I really needed to sew my own diapers, but I started thinking perhaps I should purchase a name-brand diaper, try them and try to figure out what I was doing wrong with my daughter. I eventually found a good sale on a couple of AIO microfleece diapers with lay-in boosters which were also topped with microfleece. So I purchased a couple of those to give them a try.

The first time I used one, it worked like a charm. It held without wicking for a 2 hour road trip. I was temporarily encouraged.

However, the next time my daughter wore the diaper, she was standing up and wouldn’t you know - peed straight out of the diaper. I pondered if there could be something wrong with my wash routine and my diapers were repelling, but everything still worked fine for my son. It took me a long time with much trial, error and research to figure out that my daughter was not only a heavy wetter, but was also a fast wetter (the dreaded combination)! Most stay-dry/wicking inners just don't wick fast enough for a fast wetter’s assault.

If you have a fast wetter, you should either avoid stay-dry/wicking inners, or lay or insert an absorbent layer on top of the wicking inner. Once I figured out what my problem was, I laid in a cotton velour insert every time I used one of the microfleece diapers and that completely solved my absorbency problem.

After figuring out the issue with stay-dry/wicking inners, I have only used absorbent inners for my daughter. My preferences have been cotton/bamboo velour or bamboo French terry. It is important though when using absorbent inners to make sure the legs are rolling in. The way I accomplish this is to sew the elastic in the seam allowance on the PUL side, and then carefully topstitch making sure the outer is rolling in.

Ultimately, just plain heavy wetters will also present a challenge. Regular absorbency doesn't usually cut it. I tested everything I could get my hands on. I'd read that microfiber worked well for heavy wetters, so I picked up some microfiber kitchen towels. The first batch of microfiber towels I tried were not the right kind. I looked up more information about which towels to get and found most sources recommended the automotive microfiber towels from either Sam's Club or from the Dollar Store. There are no Sam's Clubs around me, so I picked up a couple of different kinds from the Dollar Store. One kind that I got seemed to work better, but my daughter was still pretty much leaking out of every diaper. I’ve since learned that Costco has some pretty decent microfiber towels for this use.

When discussing my frustration with the absorbency issues with my husband, he suggested “Sham-Wow” towels. You know, the super absorbent towels from the TV commercials. I laughed, but actually made a trip to Walgreens to pick some up that same day. Desperation with a heavy wetter makes you “boldly go where none have gone before…..” Walgreens also had some nice super- absorbent microfiber pet towels! Amazingly, wrapping a bi-folded cut from a Sham-Wow towel in a microfiber pet towel contained her fairly well!

I had also been reading about hemp and bamboo being great for heavy wetters. I hated the extra expense of ordering supplies online but thought I should give it a try. I found some hemp/bamboo fleece and thought that might do the trick. I ordered it and made a yard's worth of 2 and 3 layer inserts. It took about 12 layers of the hemp/bamboo fleece to contain her well enough during the day; but her diapers were just so thick!

When ordering the hemp/bamboo fleece, I noted that the site also carried heavy bamboo fleece. At this point, I figured I might as well try that out too, so I made 2 layer trifolds with the heavy bamboo fleece. Total success, finally! Those ended up being my ultimate solution! They worked well enough to contain her and the diapers were much trimmer! The only drawback with bamboo fleece was that it was a little slower to absorb, but all of my daughter's pocket diapers were lined with an absorbing material anyway. If you are using stay-dry/wicking inners, you will want to pair the bamboo fleece with something that absorbs quickly (cotton/bamboo velour, terry, flannel, etc). After all the trial and error in my search for proper absorbency, I was so happy to finally find something that worked for her that wasn't too thick to fit over pants!

Another fabric that many with heavy wetters turn to is Zorb 2. This product was introduced about the same time my heavy wetter started potty training. I use it in her trainers, and I do find it works pretty well. But, it does need to be washed about 10 times to reach its full absorbency (as does the bamboo fleece).

Based on my experience, my recommendations for the heavy wetter would be to pull out the big guns and get either heavy bamboo fleece (2 layer trifolds) or Zorb 2 (two 2-layer inserts seem to work best for us).

So if your little one is a heavy wetter, fast wetter or a combination of the two, don’t despair…it’s just a matter of experimenting with the right materials to find a combination that works best for you.

Note: Because of the drying properties of microfiber materials, they should never be placed directly against a baby’s skin. It’s best either to use microfiber inserts in pocket diapers, or to top them with another natural fiber when laying them into a diaper.

Modified Welt Pocket Tutorial

Jessica F. — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:37:06 -0500

There are a lot of different diaper styles and pocket openings to choose from. My favorite is the modified welt pocket. I love how they look and like that it tucks the insert all the way in and away from baby. This tutorial will show two different ways to center your modified welt pocket so that if you do not have a larger quilting ruler, you will still be able to have a nicely centered welt pocket.

Before you start, assemble needed supplies:

diaper inner fabric (I am using brown crushed panne)
3” x 7” piece of same inner fabric for your modified welt
pins
measuring tape, hem gauge, or large quilting ruler
sewing machine
marking pen or chalk wheel (for dark colors)

1. Measure to find the center back of your diaper inner fabric. I use my Dritz chalk wheel for this, as I love how I can just wipe the marks off with water. To find the centerfold, fold your inner fabric in half and mark a line on the fold.

2. There are two different options for centering your modified welt pocket.

Opt. 1: If using a regular ruler, or hem gauge:

a. Measure from the center 3.5” and make a mark.

b. Measure down from that mark 2” and make a right angle mark, one portion down and one part of the line towards the center.

c. Repeat Steps a and c for the other side of the welt pocket opening, then align the top corners of your 3”x7” piece of fabric with your marks. Make sure the 3” x 7” fabric is right side DOWN on your inner fabric (the right sides of each will face each other).

Opt. 2: If using a large quilting ruler:

a. Line the center dash on your fabric up with the 3.5” mark on your quilting ruler and the top edge of the fabric at the 2” line.

b. Line your 3”x7” piece up with the 0 mark and 7” mark.

3. Use a 1” wide ruler or mark your welt at 1” from the top.

4. Fold the bottom of this piece up to your ruler, effectively in thirds.

5. Pin this piece down.

6. Sew a tight rectangle around the edge that is folded over and the portion that is not.

7. You should now have something like this.

8. Now to cut your welt open. I like to fold the inner in and give a little snip on the back of the fabric.

9. Then you can fit your scissors in and cut it all the way open.

10. Next pull the piece of your welt that is currently at the top of your diaper down into your opening.

11. Pull the piece that is down up over your opening.

12. Tuck the ends of your welt pocket under.

13. Pin!

14. Make sure you catch the bottom piece of the welt when you are pinning.

15. Sew the end of your modified welt down, making sure to sew past the bottom of your welt by 1/4” or so. Repeat on the other side.

16. Your front of your diaper inner should now look like this.

17. The back of your diaper inner should look like this. Note how the bottom flap is caught in the sewing, keeping it held down.

You have now sewn a welt pocket! Now finish your diaper!

Contrast Wings/Tabs Tutorial

Valarie W. — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:06:23 -0500

Here is a wonderful way to make some cute diapers by using up your scraps and being frugal at the same time! And with this new Babyville Boutique™ PUL that doesn’t stick, sewing it is such a breeze. I think of all the possibilities… these are my favorite style of diapers. So let’s get started.

Begin by gathering all your regular diaper making supplies. In addition to your regular pattern, you will need another piece of template plastic to trace the wing section of the pattern.

1. Trace tab pattern onto template plastic, tracing the long wing just past the elastic marking for the back leg and back waist. Note: Making a pattern on template plastic means your tab pattern is virtually indestructible!

2. Position ruler ¼” past the leg elastic marking, and again toward the back center of the diaper. Draw a line between the two points on the template. Cut out plastic template.

3. Lay out your wing tab template on your scrap fabric. Keep in mind how you want your wing tab to look. For instance, you probably don’t want all the dinos upside down. Then cut out your tab piece.

4. Next flip your wing tab template over for the next cut. Make sure you have one wing tab cut for each direction.

5. Put the tabs aside and prepare to cut your matching body piece.

6. Place your full diaper template on the PUL that you’ll be using for the body of your diaper. Trace the pattern onto the PUL using a Mark Be Gone pen. Note: Since I’m using the separate contrasting tab, I don’t need to worry about my fabric coming all the way out to the wing tab on the pattern. I am also making a diaper without a back pocket opening, so I’ve trimmed away that flap.

7. Mark PUL with Mark Be Gone pen ¼” past the elastic markings at the back leg and back toward the wing. This is where the contrast tab will be stitched to the diaper. Draw a line to connect the marks. Then cut your diaper from the PUL.

8. Match fabric side of wing tags to fabric side of PUL diaper body piece. Center the two, making sure you see the little points of the wing tabs hanging over the body piece. Pin in place in the seam allowance.

9. After pinning, I gently fold over the wing tabs to make sure they are placed where I want them. Then fold back to the original placement of right sides together.

10. Using a new ballpoint needle and polyester thread, place the wing edge up to your needle. Make sure the needle is ¼” from the cut edge and is positioned right in the “V” section where the two pieces of fabric meet. Sew a contrast tab on each wing.

11. Flip the diaper right side up and check your work. Make sure the seam allowance is facing the diaper body.

12. Topstitch on the diaper body side of the seam for the wing tab, 1/8” from the seam line. Repeat for the other side.

13. This is how your wing diaper outer with contrast tabs should look. If the edges aren’t perfect that is ok. You still have 3/8” seam allowance when you sew on your FOE or finish your diaper.

14. Finish your diaper as you normally would per the Babyville Boutique Cloth Diapers Made Easy book.

Now sit back and admire your frugal piece of adorable artwork!

What to do with “left-over” FOE?

Ellie Joos — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:33:52 -0500

A number of posts on the Babyville Facebook page have been about leftover products, FOE, snaps, or PUL, so I thought I would “think outside the box” and offer some suggestions and ideas in this post for using leftover FOE. Several of our talented design team members contributed their clever ideas as well. In upcoming posts, I’ll give you some suggestions for the colorful and functional plastic snaps you may have left-over after diaper making and some fun ideas for scraps of PUL.

FOE, or fold over elastic is packaged with enough product for two diapers leaving about a half yard or more of colorful, stretchy and useful product for a variety of end uses. In this age of technology, my work center is cluttered with cords and wires so some FOE with snap closures becomes a helpful organizer for electrical cords. My kitchen utility drawer is now neater with the collection of pens and pencils neatly bundled with FOE. Rolls of wrapping paper, posters, or rugs, just about anything that has to be rolled can now be contained with FOE instead of rubber bands. Again, I just added a snap closure so no sewing necessary! And one design team member suggested a great idea for saving fitted sheets with worn elastic - simply sew a length of FOE to the corners!

Often, flower deliveries come with plain glass vases. Transform a plain vase with a length of FOE trimmed with a “faux” flower or other decorative items. I’ve also used small lengths of FOE around bulging folders and binders and to add a clever accent to wrapped gifts. When traveling by car with a casserole dish, FOE with snapped ends secures the lid to the dish and prevent messy spills.

Cute accessories often finish an outfit so why not make some hair ornaments like headbands, and ponytail “scrunchies”, chokers or bracelets from FOE trimmed with novelty items. Organizing necklaces in a closet is easily done with a 6 inch length of FOE. Add snap closures to the ends, and with a staple gun, staple the center to a closet wall. Insert ends into necklaces and snap ends closed.

Now that you have read some of our ideas for left-over FOE, we would love to hear some of yours as well. Be sure to send pictures!

Newborn Diaper Stash

Ellie Joos — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 07:17:58 -0500

Happy New Year friends,

We wish you all a very Happy and Healthy 2012.

Recently our friend Maria of Change-Diapers.com gave birth to a baby boy (Congratulations again Maria) so I thought she could give great advise on a newborn baby diaper stash. We have seen this question before and are delighted to have Maria's input. Thank you again Maria, and all the best with your new baby!

Newborn Diaper Stash

The question, “How many cloth diapers do I need?” is a common one, and there isn’t a “one size fits all” answer. The easiest way to determine how many diapers you need is to figure out how many diapers your baby uses per day, then multiply by how many days you want to go between washes.

I began my cloth diaper stash very gradually, to minimize the impact on my budget. This means I was washing a lot, and I constantly felt under pressure to hurry up and get the diapers dry and stuffed. You really can’t expect diapers that are being washed and machine dried every day, to last through potty training, especially not for more than one child. (Imagine what your favorite pair of socks or undies would look like if you wore and washed them every day for 2 1/2 years!)

Once I had over 20 diapers, I felt far less stressed about keeping up with the diaper laundry. Personally, I feel the minimum number you should have is two-and-a-half days worth of diapers. So, if your baby uses 10 diapers per day, 25 diapers would allow you to wash every other day, hang shells dry (inside or out), and have a few to get you through until you get the diapers folded and put away.

Having more diapers means you can wash less often, however, I don’t recommend going more than 3-4 days between washings. Not only will diapers be more stinky and harder to get clean, but if you have a week’s worth of diapers to wash, you will have to do multiple loads anyway! If you overload your washer, you will have a hard time getting the diapers clean.

One benefit of having more diapers is that with a larger diaper stash, each diaper goes through the rotation less often and will sustain less wear-and tear. No matter how many diapers you have, I always recommend having some “backup” such as a few prefolds & covers if you are a pocket mama. I say from experience that when you think you’ve got it all figured out to get the diapers finished before you run out of clean ones, your child will dirty three diapers in a row!

Since cloth diapering a newborn, I recommend having even a few more diapers in your stash (not as expensive as it sounds if you are using prefolds & covers!) Having a newborn (and all the laundry a newborn entails!) is overwhelming enough without having to worry about diapers. Newborns are also notorious for dirtying one diaper after another, no matter how long you wait to make sure they are finished! Last night (as of my writing) I changed 6 diapers in 6 hours!

I used to be able to wash diapers, dry them, stuff them, put them away and have a clean laundry room for a day. Not so anymore since diapering two! My laundry room is in a constant state of chaos (see the first photo, that’s tame!) but I’m OK with that. Saves me a step.

Is there a “magic” number in your head that is the perfect number of diapers?

About Maria:

Maria writes the popular blog, Change-Diapers.com She is married and the mom to a 6 year old girl, 2 1/2 year old boy and now a new baby boy. Be sure to visit Maria at www.change-diapers.com and her facebook page at facebook.com/changediapersblog

How to get 2 Large diapers out of one Babyville PUL diaper cut!

Renee W. — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:54:00 -0500

A single diaper cut from the Babyville PUL 3-pack is 21" by 24". With a little bit of pattern modification, you can get two large diapers out of a single cut, which is a great way to get the most out of your money!

You will accomplish this goal by using the “embellished tab method” and narrowing the width of the front panel. My son is tall and skinny and he wears his large diapers on the tightest snap setting, so we don't miss the extra width at all. If you have a “chubster” you might want to check the fit with test materials before cutting into your PUL.

Step 1: Trace your pattern onto template plastic or stiff paper. Cut it out and redraw the front panel, eliminating some of the width. Trim off the excess from the front panel template, between the elastic markings as shown in the photo.

Step 2: Draw a line on the wing between the marks for the leg elastic and the back elastic.

Step 3: Add dashed lines for your seam allowance.

Step 4: Trace the wing shape onto a separate piece of paper or template plastic, along the inner seam allowance line (shown in pink).

Step 5: Cut the wing off along the outer seam allowance.

Step 6: Cut out the separate wing piece.

Step 7: With the diaper cut oriented landscape, trace the pattern on one side, then flip the pattern vertically and trace it again on the other side. You should just be able to get two full body pieces on there.

Now you can use a cute coordinating fabric to cut out the wing pieces. Sew them one at a time, right sides together to the body and you're good to go! The wing pieces don't have to be PUL since they will overlap the front panel. Using this technique, you can get 6 large diapers from one pack of Babyville PUL diaper cuts.

“Twas the night before Christmas” and some other lovely Christmas traditions...

Ellie Joos — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:29:51 -0500

When the shopping is done and the gifts are wrapped, what does your family do that makes the Christmas season so special? I asked some of our friends to share their meaningful and memorable traditions with you. Feel free to adopt any of these as your own, and if you have any to share with us we would love to hear from you.

For me, preparing for Christmas would not be complete without making my mother’s favorite Anisette cookies. Making dozens of these cookies each year reminds me of the wonderful times my sisters and I had when we were younger helping to make the cookies and of course sample them right out of the oven.

Briana shared a very sweet idea - she has decided to make each of her children a handmade ornament to open on Christmas Eve each year... ones that they will have when they get married. She remembers the first few years that she was married and her tree always felt so "generic". Now her children will have some ornaments that actually have some meaning to them to hang on their tree.

From Kristin – “For the last couple of years on Christmas Eve we have decorated cookies for Santa Claus. My kids love to decorate the sugar cookies, and love to eat them, so they typically don't last very long in our house once they are made. We turned it into a Christmas Eve family event. The little kids really enjoy being part of the cookie decorating, and then they each pick out their favorite one to leave for Santa.”

In Christine’s family, her dh makes an apple pie from scratch! This is a “Happy Birthday Jesus” pie complete with a birthday candle, and is eaten by the family following the opening of presents. “Letters from Father Christmas” by J.R.R. Tolkien is read by dh and is something that the children look forward to each year.

For those of you who are familiar with Pinterest, Christine shared an image of a “memory” ornament. Here is the link for you to see this wonderful idea for yourself.

Valerie’s family has several wonderful traditions that she shared:

We go as a family to purchase items for a family that is less fortunate than we are.
One evening we drive around drinking Spiced Apple Cider while looking at Christmas lights.
We read parts of the birth of Jesus all week long just before bedtime.
On Christmas Eve we eat snack food for dinner and listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas programs.

Our friend Jo from “down under” shared this tradition with us – “Every year my mum makes a batch of rum truffles and makes sure I get some as part of my present. We don’t have them at any other time of the year, and with 2 littles of my own there is no way I have time to make a batch myself even though I have the recipe. If I’m at Mum’s for Christmas Day then I also get to enjoy her homemade Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, custard and cream.” Yummy Jo, send us some of those truffles!!!

Before you know it, the holidays will be over, but the memories of the traditions that have become unique and special to your family will last for days and weeks to come.

Merry Christmas to all from your friends at Babyville Boutique!

PUL IPad Covers

Ellie Joos — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 05:10:07 -0500

Like millions of other people on Black Friday, my husband and I shopped on-line and treated ourselves to early Christmas presents, new IPads. A week later, when we were going to be traveling to Florida to see our son and his family for an early Christmas celebration, I decided we needed protective covers for our new tablets. In looking around my sewing room, I thought, what could make better covers, than Babyville PUL. The tablets would be protected from scratches and also from moisture, should they be placed on a wet surface.

For my envelope style cover, I wanted a colorful bold design so I used an Amy Butler fabric that I recently purchased. You may remember seeing this fabric in an earlier post about fabrics I purchased at Quilt Festival to make diapers lined with an inner pul layer. I cut out one each, 11” x 20” rectangles from the cotton fabric and red Babyville PUL. From each fabric, I sewed a hem at the short edges, and then with right sides together, I sewed the side seams with a 3/8” seam and leaving a 3” flap. I turned the cotton fabric envelope to the outside, placed the red pul fabric envelope inside and pinned the outer edges together before stitching all around the outer edges. To finish, I added EZ Adjust Tape as a closure.

My husband didn’t want a printed cover (really?) so I made his from 2 rectangles of solid blue Babyville Pul. He also wanted additional padding, so I cut a rectangle from a lightweight fleece, slightly smaller than the fabric rectangle and stitched it to the wrong side of the outer fabric. Then I completed it as above.

When we arrived in Florida, my son loved our covers, so of course, he will be receiving an additional Christmas present. Here are the pictures of his cover.

I love my new cover and as it happens, just today, I received an e-mail newsletter from Amy Butler announcing her partnership with Skinit for cellphone, laptop, and tablet covers using her fabulous prints! If anyone you know is receiving a tablet for Christmas, why not surprise them with a Babyville PUL cover too, you still have time!

Reversible Bib Tutorial

Kristin D. — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:00:49 -0500

Supplies:

Babyville Boutique™ Bib Pattern (From Book Baby Essentials Made Easy)
Babyville Boutique PUL (Two coordinating colors)
Babyville Boutique Fold Over Elastic
Babyville Boutique Snaps (or you may use EZ Adjust Tape)
Babyville Boutique Snap Pliers
Ruler
Scissors
Transparent Tape
Tracing Paper or Template Plastic
Mark B Gone™ Pen
Fine Tip Marker for Tracing
Dritz® Fabric Glue Stick
Optional: Appliques or Tags

Step 1: Trace your pattern onto tracing paper or template plastic. Be sure to transfer marks to match the pattern pieces. Cut out traced patterns, match them up and tape them together.

Step 2 (Optional): If you want to jazz up your bib a bit and use 2 (or more) different fabrics, find a good spot to divide the pattern, then to add a 1/4” seam allowance to each piece on the cut line.

Step 3: Trace your pattern on the fabric. If you have decided to have two coordinating pieces for either side of the bib, make sure you add the ¼” seam allowance to sew the two parts of the bib back together.

For the reverse side of the bib be sure to flip your pattern over! Somehow I managed to forget to do this the first time around, as you can see in the photo I have two matching pieces!

Step 4 (Optional): If you are using more than one fabric on each side, match up the pieces right sides together then sew them together using 1/4” seam allowance. Flip the fabric right side up, press the seam down on the back side of the bib, then topstitch it 1/8” from the seam line.

Step 5: Sew any appliques or tags onto the bib now.

Step 6: Match bib with wrong sides together. I have found that using a washable glue stick helps to keep the fabrics from shifting while you sew. The glue will wash out. You’ll want to start your FOE binding in a spot that's not too visible, I usually start in the back.

The FOE will fold over the front and back of the bib, enclosing the raw edges of the PUL. Slide your fabrics into the fold of the FOE. Using a 3-step zigzag stitch (be sure to backstitch at the beginning), sew slowly along the FOE, making sure that both fabrics are in the fold of the FOE. You will probably want to stop, lift the presser foot with the needle down every so often to make sure the fabrics are still lined up in the FOE. Stitch slowly and carefully around the curves, realigning the fabric and FOE when necessary.

When you get back to your starting point, overlap the FOE about ½” or so, backstitch and cut off the excess FOE. Then you will want to do a regular zigzag stitch over the raw edges of the FOE.

Step 7: Add your snaps or EZ adjust tape and admire your bib!

Holiday Photography Tips

Team Babyville — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 13:00:42 -0500

by Melinda Moore, Guest Author

Tis the season for happy smiling children and a lot of activities that should be captured in photographs. I’d like to share some tips for helping you take great photos of your kids during the holidays. With a few simple guidelines you’ll end up with beautiful results and lasting memories during this special time of year.

1. Get down low

Shoot some photos on your child’s level. Bend your knees or lay on the floor and take in the world from their perspective for a little while. Shooting photos at eye level with your kids gives a whole new look to your shots, especially if you typically only shoot while standing above them. You’ll love the results, and the little ones will love to see you down on the ground with them.

2. Find the light

Want your baby’s eyes to sparkle? Face them towards a source of light, like a window or reflective surface. You’ll see an amazing energy and life to your photos when you capture light in their eyes. You can also get creative with lights, especially at this time of year. Christmas tree lights or the glow from a fireplace can make creative backdrops and really capture the spirit of the season.

3. Capture the emotions

You don’t have to settle for trying to capture the perfect holiday picture. Forget the ones where all the kids are sitting stiffly together with forced smiles and awkward body language and matching sweaters. Let the kids be kids and snap the photos that freeze their emotions. A look of excitement at a new toy, a little one asleep among piles to wrapping paper still in their pajamas, or even tears caused by Santa will be remembered fondly as the photos albums are shared for years to come.

4. Try close-ups

If you want a great photo of your baby during the holidays, get in close and fill the frame with their adorable faces. Don’t be afraid clip off the top part of the head or crop out the legs...photos don’t always need to have the subject perfectly centered. And while you’re in close, take some great photos of the details. Baby feet in footed pajamas or hands hanging ornaments on the tree add to the story of the season.

5. Have fun

There is no need to make picture taking a stressful activity. If the kids don’t want to sit and smile for the camera, let them do their own thing and keep shooting. You might end up capturing something more pure and fantastic that way. Use it as a way to experiment with different angles and ideas. Be patient and wait for a moment to happen on it’s own.

Bio

Melinda Moore is a lifestyle photographer based in Columbus, Ohio. She spends her days behind the camera photographing tiny babies, energetic toddlers, loving families, and amazing seniors. She can be found sharing photos and stories on her blog and facebook page.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/onalimbpaper
Website/Blog: www.onalimbphotography.com