Wordless Wednesday – I love cloth diapers!

These are Thirsties Duo Wraps, Duo Hemp Prefolds, and Fab Wipes.

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How to Knit Newborn Baby Mitts (No Scratch)

Recently, I knitted some baby mitts.  They’re also good as no-scratch mitts if you have cooler weather.  The green set will fit a newborn and still fit several months later.

Click here for the pattern.

For the blue set, I used a Weight 3 yarn (baby alpaca?) with US 6 double pointed needles (DPNs).  For the green set, which came out smaller, I used Sensations Sincerely in Grass Green (Weight 4) with US 6 DPNs.  I cast on 24 for the blue set and 16 for the green set.

I made changes when I did the green set, because I wanted to use a larger weight yarn (to make matching mitts for a Yoda hat).  I also wanted to make the mitts smaller.  See below for the adjustments I made to the pattern.

Pattern Changes for the Green Set (to make them smaller):

CO 16 (instead of 24)

R1 – work for 10 rounds (instead of 12)

R2 – end up with 20 stitches (instead of 30)

R4 – end up with 24 sts (instead of 36)

R5 – do 8 rounds (instead of 10)

R6 – no changes

Delete R6-8

R9-12 – no changes

Here they are with the baby Yoda hat and sleep sack that I knitted.

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How to make a Dirty Clothes Bag for the Side of Your Changing Table

Is your nursery pressed for space?  I made made large wet bags for cloth diapers and ones without PUL lining for baby clothes.  Both types can hang from the side of a changing table.  This way, you don’t need two separate hampers/trash bins.

Here’s how I made hanging hampers for baby clothes.  I recommend making two, so that you have one to use when the other is in the wash.  I tried to stay frugal by using fabric I had on hand.

1.  Cut out two large rectangles for your hanging bag.  You’ll also need three long, narrow rectangles for your straps.

2.  Fold the straps right sides together and sew along one short end and along the long edge of each one.  This will leave one end open.  Turn right side out.

3.  With the large rectangles, put them right sides together and sew along one short end and both long sides.  Fold over the non-sewn edge and press, then turn right sides out and press the entire piece flat.

4.  Sew down the folded over edge of the opening.

 

For each strap, tuck in the open edges and top stitch around all four sides.  I sewed 1/4 inch from the edge.

Place the straps against the outside of the bag, maybe an inch from the top edge.  Put one in the center and the other two a couple inches from the outer edges of the bag.

 

Sew the straps in place.  I sew a rectangle to get it tacked down very well.

 

This picture shows how it will look later on.  I pinned it to the changing table to make sure it would fit well.

 

Now, attach snaps to each strap, as well as one to the top of the bag (to keep it closed).  I highly recommend purchasing a snap kit.

 

Here is the finished bag!  The clothes bag and the wet bag can be kept next to each other on the changing table, which maximizes space!

 

Here are some pictures from the other bag I made.

 

 

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Knitted Baby Sleep Sack

Recently, I knitted a baby sleep sack to match the Yoda hat I’d made.  I love this pattern, because it unbuttons at the bottom for easier diaper changes.

This is the Snug in a Bug Sleep Sack pattern.  I used Sensations Sincerely in Grass Green (Weight 4) and US 8 circular needles.

Here is a personal pattern note:  When working on the buttoned bottom, it says to BO 36 sts and K the next 36 sts before turning your work.  In my personal notes, I wrote that I knit 35 and had 36 sts on the needles, because I had one left from binding off.

This is with a Star Wars wet bag that I made.

This shows how the sleep sack looks with a regular knitted hat (non-Yoda).

This shows how the sleep sack can be unbuttoned.

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How to Knit a Baby Yoda Hat

I wanted to knit a baby Yoda hat, but I couldn’t find a pattern that was just right.  I found it best to knit a hat and then add the ears on.  This is based on the You Seek Yoda Hat by N. Lutz, but you don’t leave holes in the hat for the ears.  The beauty of doing a complete hat first is that you can always remove the ears when it’s not Halloween time.

I used Sensations Sincerely Yarn in Grass Green (Weight 4) with US 10 double pointed needles.  The hat is a baby size.  I know it’s too big for a newborn, but I don’t know what size baby it would fit after that.

First, knit a baby hat.  Then, make the ears.  For the ears, you will be working in the round, but on double pointed needles (not circulars).

Yoda Hat Ears (Make 2):

CO 22

R1-4 knit

R5 K1, K2tog, K to last 3 st, SSK, K1 = 20

R6-7 knit

R8 repeat Row 5 = 18

R9-10 knit

R11 repeat Row 5 = 16

R12-13 knit

R14 repeat Row 5 = 14

R15-16 knit

R17 repeat Row 5 = 12

R18-19 knit

R20 repeat Row 5 = 10

R21-22 knit

R23 repeat Row 5 = 8

R24 knit

R25 repeat Row 5 = 6

R26 knit

R27 repeat Row 5 = 4

Cut yarn, pull through, and weave in ends.  You can stuff the ears with extra yarn if you like.  Then, sew them onto the hat.

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Knitted Baby Bear Hat

I knitted a baby hat with bear ears.  It’s very long and meant to be folded up so that it can fit a child as they grow.  It turned out pretty large.  I know it’s not newborn size!

I used US 13 needles and Bernat Softee Chunky yarn in Dark Taupe (Weight 5).

Click here for the pattern.

Starting the hat (above)

Starting the ears (above)

  

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Orange Earflap Baby Hat

This is the Papallona Earflap Hat.  Click here for the pattern.

I used US 7 circulars and Caron Vickie Howell Sheep(ish) Weight 4 yarn in Coral.  I made the pattern in the infant size.  I’m not sure what age it would fit, but it’s definitely larger than a newborn size.

I found Row 6 of the pattern to be very tricky.  I can best describe it as being similar to a butterfly stitch.

Here are my personal Row 6 notes:  K7.  [Take R needle and pick up all three strands as if to knit.  Yarn over and pull through (go back down through the three strands) sot he 3 strands are caught by this new loop.  Knit the next stitch and pass the loop over the knit stitch (like casting off – decreasing).  K9.]  Repeat brackets.  K2 (last set instead of K9).

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Lots of Knitted Baby Hats

I know a lot of ladies who are expecting fall babies.  I had some fun knitting baby hats for them!

I used Super Bulky (Weight 6) yarn.  The girl (pink) hats are made with Patons Melody Quick & Cozy Yarn in Happy Daze or High Energy.  The boy (blue/lavender) hats are made with Red Heart Baby Clouds Yarn in Lavender.

I cast on 24 stitches for each hat.

Both girl hats

Close-up of one of the boy hats

 

Lots of hats!

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Organizing & Storing Baby Clothes, Blankets, & Cloth Diapers

We were gifted with some wonderful baby clothes, blankets, cloth diapers, etc.  To organize and store them until they’re needed, I used large, clear stacking bins.  I divided the middle of each bin with a piece of cardboard.  Then, I sorted clothes by size.  I also had bins for blankets and towels/burp cloths, cloth diapers, wet bags, etc.

I love, love, love my cloth diaper stash!

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Pumpkin Hat

I have to say that this is such a cute hat.  It’s knitted with some golden/orange yarn (most likely weight 4), as well as Caron One Pound in Forest Green (also weight 4).  I used US 8 double pointed needles.  It is sized for a newborn.

I based it on a hat pattern, a stem pattern, and a leaf pattern.  There was a little experimentation as I went along as well.

It was tricky knitting in the round on double pointed needles.  I tried it on circulars, but the circumference wasn’t wide enough, so I had to go back to the DPN’s.

When it came time to tack down the leaf and stem, I kept the stem twisted so that I wouldn’t have to do an extra tendril.

Starting the stem

Starting the leaf

The finished hat!

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Storing Baby Bottles and Baby Food Containers

A kind friend of mine very generously passed along her collection of baby bottles, baby food cooker, and baby food storage containers.  I was so thankful to receive everything!

I did need to find a way to organize and store everything for when it would be needed in the future.  I was inspired by the photo I found here.  I liked the idea of using clear storage boxes with lids, so that things could be stacked and pulled when needed.

Bottles

Baby food cooker

Baby food storage containers

I put all of the bottles, bottle brushes, and anything else related to bottle feeding in one container.  I put the baby food cooker, baby food storage containers, and anything related to feeding solids in the second container.

Bottle feeding supplies

Baby food supplies

This gives you an idea of the size of the bins, which are the 12 gallon size.  I would like to point out that the lids don’t stay snapped down, so I’ll be taping them to ensure they don’t come off when lifting a bin.

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Thirsties Cloth Diapers

I recently received a Thirsties Duo Diaper (Hoot) from a friend.  I also purchased a Duo Wrap (Ocean Blue) and a Duo Hemp Prefold so that I could do a comparision.

The Duo Diaper is on the left and the Duo Wrap with Duo Hemp Prefold is on the right.

Thirsties has two sizes.  The above are size one, which go from 0-9 months (up to 18 pounds).  Size two goes from 9-36 months (up to 40 pounds).  Each size has three size adjustment settings.  I have both on the smallest setting.

We chose snaps so that we wouldn’t have to deal with any Aplix (velcro) problems, such as a clothesline of diapers coming out of the washer (if you forget to fold over the tabs).

The Duo Diaper (left) has a two-layer insert that you stuff in a pocket.  For the Duo Wrap (right), you simply place the folded prefold on top.  For a newborn, you only need one wrap for every three prefolds.

I tried prepping the Duo Diaper with the insert and I tried laying the prefold on the Wrap.  I found it a lot easier to use the Duo Wrap and prefold.  For me, I figured I would rather fold prefolds than stuff diapers after a wash.  I already fold cloth napkins, so it wouldn’t be much different.  This is a personal preference.  I do feel that a babysitter who is unfamiliar with cloth diapers might prefer the Duo Diaper to the Duo Wrap, due to the similarity to a disposable diaper.

The above shows the Duo Diaper and the two layers of the insert (one hemp, one microfiber).  The insert layers snap together at both ends.

The above shows the Duo Wrap and the prefold.  You can see that the prefold is a length of fabric folded over and sewed at one side, so that you have space in the middle for quicker drying.

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