I stumbled upon these patterns & thought that they may be of interest. I don't knit, so I don't know how well these compare to current knit soaker patterns.
Vintage Soaker Pantie
Vintage Fancy Baby Pants
Sunday
Printing Both Sides of a Pattern
"Place on fold" is one of the phrases that drive me bonkers with diaper patterns. If I'm trying to lay out multiple diapers on a yard of fabric, it's very helpful to have multiple copies of the full pattern to get the best usage of my fabric. Some printers allow for "Mirror Image" printing. If it isn't easily found in the printer settings, check "Advanced" to pull up a list of settings. Under "Post Script Options" there should be an option for "enable mirrored output" - changing the setting to "yes" will allow reverse image to be printed (it should go back to normal after the Adobe's been closed).
My printer doesn't allow for printing mirror images. I get around this by "printing" a new PDF file with Bullzip PDF Printer. The controls look just like a regular printer, but it "prints" a new file. In the printer settings, check "Advanced" to pull up a list of settings. Under "Post Script Options" there should be an option for "enable mirrored output" - changing the setting to "yes" will allow reverse image to be printed (it should go back to normal after the Adobe's been closed).
The only diaper pattern that I haven't been able to do this with is the Diaper Revolution Pattern. I had to, uhm, make the file cooperate with some external help. A mirror image of the Cloth Revolution pattern (no instructions or the "regular" image of the file) can be found here. I'm sharing this in hopes that it will help someone else out.
The last thing to remember with printing *any* electronic pattern is to make sure that "Page Scaling" is set to "None" (it seems to default to "Shrink to Printable Area" on my computer).
My printer doesn't allow for printing mirror images. I get around this by "printing" a new PDF file with Bullzip PDF Printer. The controls look just like a regular printer, but it "prints" a new file. In the printer settings, check "Advanced" to pull up a list of settings. Under "Post Script Options" there should be an option for "enable mirrored output" - changing the setting to "yes" will allow reverse image to be printed (it should go back to normal after the Adobe's been closed).
The only diaper pattern that I haven't been able to do this with is the Diaper Revolution Pattern. I had to, uhm, make the file cooperate with some external help. A mirror image of the Cloth Revolution pattern (no instructions or the "regular" image of the file) can be found here. I'm sharing this in hopes that it will help someone else out.
The last thing to remember with printing *any* electronic pattern is to make sure that "Page Scaling" is set to "None" (it seems to default to "Shrink to Printable Area" on my computer).
Saturday
My 2 cents on Pocket Diapers
Most of the diapers that I use for my DD are pockets. It just made sense to me to be able to adjust the amount of absorbent filler as needed (very important for the one-size diapers that have to grow with her bladder) and they seem to wash and dry much easier than all-in-ones.
The difficulty with pockets is the opening. I have made both back-opening pockets (using the method shown in the Jalie Diaper Pattern tutorial) and sham pockets with a front opening in the liner fabric. The different methods for making pocket openings have their pros and cons - for both sewing and for use. We all have our different preferences and these are my observations.
My favorite method is the back opening. It takes more work than the sham pocket, but my hands stay cleaner when taking the diaper apart for washing. All it takes is grabbing the front part of the waist in one hand, the soaker material in the other hand, and a quick tug. So long as there is enough space in the "twist" in the crotch, even my non-petite hands can re-stuff the diaper without any hassle.
My favorite method for sewing, but not for use is the front sham. It sews together very quickly - only one piece of elastic in the back and no worries about leaving a turn hole that is required with an all-in-one. Stuffing isn't that bad, but it's the fact that it always seems to be a mess when I try to clean the diaper. I'm not squeamish, but it never fails that there's a mess that hits the sham opening. Icky-poo.
Last, and my least favorite, is just a slit cut into liner fabric in the back. This wasn't a diaper that I made, but one that I bought from a WAHM. Yes, it has a bit of the same icky-poo issues that the sham pocket has. No, the fabric didn't fray or tear (microchamois), but the way the fabric has stretched out of shape and it just looks unprofessional. Yes, it is a very fast and easy way to make a pocket, but it just isn't something that I would choose to do.
The difficulty with pockets is the opening. I have made both back-opening pockets (using the method shown in the Jalie Diaper Pattern tutorial) and sham pockets with a front opening in the liner fabric. The different methods for making pocket openings have their pros and cons - for both sewing and for use. We all have our different preferences and these are my observations.
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| Back-Opening Pocket |
My favorite method is the back opening. It takes more work than the sham pocket, but my hands stay cleaner when taking the diaper apart for washing. All it takes is grabbing the front part of the waist in one hand, the soaker material in the other hand, and a quick tug. So long as there is enough space in the "twist" in the crotch, even my non-petite hands can re-stuff the diaper without any hassle.
 |
| Front Sham Opening |
Last, and my least favorite, is just a slit cut into liner fabric in the back. This wasn't a diaper that I made, but one that I bought from a WAHM. Yes, it has a bit of the same icky-poo issues that the sham pocket has. No, the fabric didn't fray or tear (microchamois), but the way the fabric has stretched out of shape and it just looks unprofessional. Yes, it is a very fast and easy way to make a pocket, but it just isn't something that I would choose to do.
Monday
Epic Fail - F-21 error on my Maytag Epic Z, that is...
Grrrrr.... My washing machine started blowing codes and not wanting to finish washing. Not good when there's a load of wash waiting to go in & the kiddo has a gut bug. Maytag's site said that the F-21 error may be caused by a clogged or kinked drain hose. Well, that was not the case.
So I called my local appliance shop. I love these guys - rather than drag me along waiting for a week, they say "let me double check, but your model probably has a clean-out that is right behind the front panel. Put some towels down before you open it." All it took was removing three screws with a quarter-inch socket & opening the valve that just screamed "clean-out trap" to find the build-up of lint, hair, safety pins, and other gunk that had been caught in the trap. Nice change from my Neptune that took the same repair guy an hour to clean out the two pumps when I washed a denim rag rug that *really* shed.
Considering the diaper chunks, cat hair, my long hair, and "I thought I cleaned out my pockets" - this is probably going to be an annual cleaning. Seriously - the hardest part was how stiff the clean-out was to turn.
So I called my local appliance shop. I love these guys - rather than drag me along waiting for a week, they say "let me double check, but your model probably has a clean-out that is right behind the front panel. Put some towels down before you open it." All it took was removing three screws with a quarter-inch socket & opening the valve that just screamed "clean-out trap" to find the build-up of lint, hair, safety pins, and other gunk that had been caught in the trap. Nice change from my Neptune that took the same repair guy an hour to clean out the two pumps when I washed a denim rag rug that *really* shed.
Considering the diaper chunks, cat hair, my long hair, and "I thought I cleaned out my pockets" - this is probably going to be an annual cleaning. Seriously - the hardest part was how stiff the clean-out was to turn.
Tuesday
Link of the Day - Tinkle Time Trainers
Well, DD is getting curious about the bathroom. She's almost 1 1/2, so we're getting close to the start of potty training. I listened up to several suggestions & bought the Tinkle Time Trainer Pattern. I haven't out one together yet, but I've printed out a copy and I'm really impressed with the pattern. The instructions seem clear (after a quick look-through) and the (with the download) the different sizes are in separate PDF files (much easier to navigate & get to print straight).
The pattern is done like most other diaper patterns - the pieces are drawn for cutting on a fold. I plan on printing out mirror-images so I can pin the pattern down on flat fabric instead of wrestling with a fold - this also makes it easier (for me) to lay out multiple copies and do a mass cut-out.
The pattern is done like most other diaper patterns - the pieces are drawn for cutting on a fold. I plan on printing out mirror-images so I can pin the pattern down on flat fabric instead of wrestling with a fold - this also makes it easier (for me) to lay out multiple copies and do a mass cut-out.
Friday
Document, Document, Document
I'm really bad about "Winging" things. Just ask my husband about how I cook - Mix-n-Dump. After buying a new sewing machine and learning its quirks, I decided to actually write down the settings I was using for diapers. My old method of top stitching wasn't cooperating with this machine & I decided that I really needed to write down what I did that worked. All it took was a silly little moleskine notebook that lives by my sewing machine (when my DD doesn't take off with it).
My new machine has three feed dogs (one under each side of the foot and one in in the middle behind the needle). My old method of lining the fabric up with the right edge of the presser foot has a nasty habit of wandering (PUL has a mind of its own). What worked well was to actually line up the fabric with the center of the foot (I'm using a teflon foot) with the needle adjusted to the left (the right side of the presser foot has nothing but air under it). I also made sure to write down needle settings (stitch length & position) & the tension settings.
My new machine has three feed dogs (one under each side of the foot and one in in the middle behind the needle). My old method of lining the fabric up with the right edge of the presser foot has a nasty habit of wandering (PUL has a mind of its own). What worked well was to actually line up the fabric with the center of the foot (I'm using a teflon foot) with the needle adjusted to the left (the right side of the presser foot has nothing but air under it). I also made sure to write down needle settings (stitch length & position) & the tension settings.
Saturday
What Do You Do With Ten Yards of Elastic?
I'm trying to reclaim my sewing area. I have a mound of FOE that I just didn't know how to stash & then, when I ran out of elastic at an inopportune moment, I bought 10 yards of elastic. Ok, what am I going to do for putting this mess away without it turning into a tangled mess like my Christmas lights? Chain Locker.
Huh? Well, in one of my previous work incarnations (like 16 years ago), I worked on a tug boat. Have you wondered where the anchor chain goes when a ship brings the anchor in? The chain gets dumped into a large space called a chain locker. What does this have to do with elastic? Well, it's how the chain doesn't get tangled that matters. The end of the chain is secured to a spot in the chain locker. The chain never loops around and gets knotted, so no tangles.
What I ended up doing with my elastic was to use a zip-lock baggie. I pinned the tail end of the elastic to the inside of the baggie with a safety pin and cut a small hole in the opposite side of the baggie. I fed all of the elastic into the baggie and poked the free end out of the cut hole, using a clip to keep the elastic from getting pulled back into the baggie when it's not being used. The 10 yards of elastic fit into a quart-sized baggie & the FOE is in a gallon baggie. I can actually sew the elastic without having a total mess - the baggie sits next to the sewing machine and I feed what I need out of it. I really wish this would work with Christmas lights (tried it - the lights get snagged so the strands won't feed evenly).
Yes, I know, pictures. First, I have to find the camera ;-) It's probably under a stack of fabric (or in some strange spot that my DD decided to stash it).
Update - Found the camera. Here are my zip lock baggie elastic "chain lockers":
Huh? Well, in one of my previous work incarnations (like 16 years ago), I worked on a tug boat. Have you wondered where the anchor chain goes when a ship brings the anchor in? The chain gets dumped into a large space called a chain locker. What does this have to do with elastic? Well, it's how the chain doesn't get tangled that matters. The end of the chain is secured to a spot in the chain locker. The chain never loops around and gets knotted, so no tangles.
What I ended up doing with my elastic was to use a zip-lock baggie. I pinned the tail end of the elastic to the inside of the baggie with a safety pin and cut a small hole in the opposite side of the baggie. I fed all of the elastic into the baggie and poked the free end out of the cut hole, using a clip to keep the elastic from getting pulled back into the baggie when it's not being used. The 10 yards of elastic fit into a quart-sized baggie & the FOE is in a gallon baggie. I can actually sew the elastic without having a total mess - the baggie sits next to the sewing machine and I feed what I need out of it. I really wish this would work with Christmas lights (tried it - the lights get snagged so the strands won't feed evenly).
Yes, I know, pictures. First, I have to find the camera ;-) It's probably under a stack of fabric (or in some strange spot that my DD decided to stash it).
Update - Found the camera. Here are my zip lock baggie elastic "chain lockers":
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| Quart-sized baggie & 1/4" elastic |
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| Gallon baggie & FOE |
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