Goodness Gracious
Hemp & Cotton Fitted Baby
Diapers
�Ģ Why Use Cloth Diapers?
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Gracehopper Diapers �Ģ
�ĢLinks for Diaper Sewing �Ģ FREE
preemie/doll diaper pattern �Ģ FREE training
pants pattern �Ģ
�Ģ Info about using cloth diapers without a home
washing machine (it can be done!) �Ģ
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make copies, etc--just don't edit it! ) �Ģ
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Grace�Ģ
My ���mission��� is
to make it more painless for parents in the Huntington area (and other places)
to choose the environmentally-, economically-, health-friendly option of
diapering their babies in reusable cloth diapers instead of disposables.
I've also created a diaper pattern to give diaper-sewing mommies one more
option to help them get started!
I am no longer selling
diapers or kits, but you can still find lots of information here and I *do*
sell my patterns still. I changed ISPs, so if you ever have a hard time
reaching me, try emailing my yahoo mail (I do not check it often now!)
[email protected]
WHY
YOU OUGHT TO USE CLOTH DIAPERS on your baby (Which reason is the most important varies from family to
family, but here are the biggies):
- Save
your earth!
Do you know that the average American baby contributes over SIX THOUSAND disposable
diapers to our landfills? And their parents have to pay for every
one of those diapers to be manufactured, just to be thrown away after a
few hours of use! And do me a favor--if you don't dare make the
plunge to using cloth diapers, PLEASE do one important thing: dump
the poop out of that disposable into the toilet before you throw it in the
trash! This is actually written on the diaper package, but most
people either do not know about it or do not do it. This causes
untreated human waste to go into the landfill, and you probably do not
want to know what happens to it after that...!
- Save
your budget!
There are so many options out there for practically-painless cloth
diapering that can save you up to $2000 during your child's pre-potty-training
years...! There are prefolds (rectangular white cotton diapers you
probably think of when you think of cloth) that are quite inexpensive (but
don't get the ones at Walmart or you probably won't enjoy it because they
aren't very good quality). You could get prefolds and good basic
covers with velcro closures (like a Prorap classic--see below) for a
couple of hundred bucks for ALL the diapers you'll need until
potty-training. Or you can get All-In-One diapers that are fitted
(like disposables in shape) and have a built-in waterproof layer so you
don't need a cover--these are anywhere between $6-$20 each, but they are
pretty easy to deal with (some day cares only allow AIOs for cloth
diapered babies--
WV law DOES allow the use of cloth diapers in day care), but this
still saves you a bunch over buying disposables for $0.27/ea for 6,000
changes! If you (or someone you love) sews, you can easily make your
own really great fitted diapers or AIOs for practically free (a pattern
and some elastic & velcro and a dozen yards of fabric plus covers or
waterproof fabric to make AIOs or covers).
- Save
your baby!
Your baby's bottom is more likely to be cool and rash-free (really!) in
cloth diapers and s/he can avoid possible problems with asthma flare-ups
and overheating of reproductive organs associated with disposables.
How would you like to have paper and plastic and mysterious gels on your
bottom 24 hrs a day for nearly 3 years? I like wearing cotton a lot
better!
Getting
Started:
You need a
minimum of about 2 dozen diapers (for full-time cloth diapering) in the size
your baby is. And you���ll need some covers (3-5 per size--Proraps work
great with these diapers!), a diaper pail (a kitchen trash can with a lid will
work), washcloths for wipes (we use those big packs of cotton washcloths from WalMart).
You���ll probably
have to change your baby every 1.5 - 2 hours, depending on how often s/he pees
or poops (some newborn babies poop a lot of times a day) and how well s/he
tolerates being wet. One reason we switched to cloth is that my first son
always cried as soon as his diaper was wet, even in disposables, and changing
him that often and throwing all those diapers away was costing us a lot and
putting lots of diapers in the landfill.
With your diapers
you���ll get another pamphlet with more use & care information.
Buy
the Goodness Gracious Fitted Baby Diaper Pattern
to
make your own diapers at home and save even more money!!
My pattern is
for sale (for your own home use) with an instruction booklet for $9 (including
postage in the US--NOTE: There is no shopping cart, email
me with your requests and I'll get back to you!)
Other places
(outside US): I could mail the pattern to about anyplace in the world for
an extra $2.00 for postage (US$11.00 total). DiaperCuts in West Virginia
and Bubba Earth in Australia, and Bumbles in New Zealand are currently
retailing my pattern.
I would describe
this as a fairly straightforward fitted diaper with:
- front closure (for
aplix/velcro/touchtape or snaps),
- elastic in legs and
back waist,
- thinnish inner soaker
- and front-attached
flap soaker for faster drying
- umbilical cutout on
newborn size.
The quickest method of
making it is with a serger (you need a regular sewing machine, too), but you
can make it without a serger by doing a turn & topstitch (allow for extra
seam allowance) or fold-over elastic (or bias strip) binding. All the
sizes are included (nb, s, med/infant, l, xl--most babies will only need nb,
med/infant, and l) up to about 45 lbs. If you don't have a zig zag on
your sewing machine I've included instructions for making the whole thing with
just straight stitch. See pictures of some finished diapers here . Coming soon: Sew & show page (mine & yours!).
There are also
brief instructions for making:
- wool or fleece
covers,
- PUL-outer AIOs,
- swim diapers,
- pocket diapers,
- wool/hemp
snap-together (almost AIO) sets,
- side-snap diapers .
I
include drawings that show how to convert the pattern to a side-snap diaper or
cover and shows how to make the "insert" for the hemp-wool
snap-together set. I send the Use & Care Information (and
Introduction, if you want it) brochure along with the pattern and the
instructions booklet. Email me and get ready to paypal me to get your
pattern right away! I gave it to an almost-non-sewing friend and she
managed to make the diaper with only a couple of questions (which I've added to
the instructions, but you could always email me).
To make the
diapers from my pattern you'll need:
- cotton or hemp/cotton
fabric (figure a little under a half yard of fabric per diaper, but it
varies wildly depending on which size you are making and how absorbent
your fabric is--i.e., how many layers you'll need in the soakers),
- 3/8" elastic (I
buy those purple wrapped packages at Walmart, if you are using all flannel
you can use 1/4" instead--you need a bit less than 1 yard for each
large diaper),
- thread,
- a washable fabric
marker,
- scissors (or a rotary
cutter & mat),
- pins and/or clips,
- tissue or red-dot
interfacing for tracing the pattern,
- a sewing machine
(serger optional),
- proper needles for
your sewing machine (if you are using knit fabric you need universal or
ball-point needles),
- fasteners (snaps or
hook & loop tape) for your diapers.
Preemie
Pattern for FREE!
I'm working on a preemie/doll diaper that I have put here-- it is printable-online-FREE . Let me
know by email how you like it!! :) I think it
would be best to print on legal size paper or to get it enlarged at a copy
shop. It prints differently on different applications, I think... If you
can't get it to print properly, paypal me a buck or send me a self-addressed
stamped business size envelope and I'll mail you a printout of the preemie
pattern. My paypal (funded or echeck only, please, no credit cards) is
[email protected] --if you email me I'll send you my snail mail address.
Pocket-style
Training Pants Pattern for FREE! At least for a little while, I am offering
this pattern for FREE. When I put it on my son he can pull it on and off
okay without it unsnapping. Estimate of size range is 25-40 lbs. I
would appreciate having feedback from those who use it. If you think it
is the greatest thing ever, support my efforts by paypal-ing me $1-2. You
have to print the back piece and the front piece and make sure they are the right
size/scale and then tape them together and start! 
You need some waterproof/water-resistant
fabric for the outer layer, something soft for the inner layer by the toddler's
skin, some 1" "diaper FOE" to bind all the way around, snaps of
your choice (I like to be able to take them off easily if there is poop!) and
something to stuff in there for a soaker pad. Here is a photo of what one looks like. In case you have
trouble printing it out the proper size, the total rise is 16.75", the
front width is 6.5", the back wing width is 9.5". If it
absolutely won't print and you want me to mail you a copy of it, paypal me $2
with your address and I'll send it to you (no credit cards, please! gracepoo @
ezwv.com ). I have done a medium training pant pattern too, but haven't
gotten it online (I can send you a hard copy, $2 for one or $3 for all three
free patterns).
For sewing your own diapers (instructions and other help):
Debi's
Sew Your Own Diapers Page (She tells you how and has sources for fabric,
etc)
Cheryl's
MyFreeDiaperPattern (a free, printable-one size pattern. I've not
used it, but I "know" Cheryl online)
Diaper Supply Sewing Help
(Denise's free help)
Mama Bird Free Online
Pattern (Robin's pattern for 2-size fitteds and AIO with great
instructions/pics)
Free
Online Diaper Pattern (I've never used this pattern)
Instructions for
making faux fuzzi bunz (for home use only, of course)
Fern & Faerie's Frugal
Diaper Sewing Pages (new in 2004 and cool, uses thrift shop clothes to make
dipes)
Phan's
Butt Sweater (instructions for making a wool sweater into a pull-on cover)
Born To
Love knit cover/soaker patterns (in her Frugal Baby Tips area--how to knit
& crochet wool covers)
Ottobre Design free
online diaper pattern (it is in German, sorry! this is a
toddler/large size diaper)
Diaper
Sewing N More Tutorials (how to's from a yahoo group moderator)
How
to make a simple All In One Diaper (basic instructions & pics--I liked
this page)
How
to sew a fitted cloth diaper (on the cheap) (just what it says, with
pictures)
How to Make
Diapers for Baby (general ideas, by a midwife)
SewDiapers.com (non-profit help section by
the OSDS mama, Jessica)
Many Moons instructions
for mama pads
Grace's free instructions for pantiliners (coming
soon)
Cyndiegran's
diaper sewing page
Woodard Family Diaper
page
Rev Jan's Baby Crafts (Cool
stuff like converting regular bras to nursing bras, making gussets on any
diaper pattern, Sling stuff, pumping bra)
Sew A Baby Sling (not
diapers, but this is a great online instruction for a pouch-type baby sling)
SewingBabyDiapers YahooGroup
(list owned by Grace, but you don't need to use my pattern to participate)
Diaper Sewing N More
YahooGroup
SewYourOwnDiapers
YahooGroup
Click to subscribe
to sewingdiapers
Patterns
(don't forget my pattern!) and fabrics for sewing your own diapers:
Goodness Gracious Fitted Baby Diaper
Pattern (multi-size for nb to xl/toddler)
Goodness
Gracious Preemie Diaper Pattern (free, online, printable--I've been told it
works well on nb if knit & serged)
Goodness Gracious Pocket-Style Side-Snap Training
Pants Pattern (free, online, printable--could also use as a low-rise side
snap diaper or bedwetter pants with micro lining)
Diaper Supply (Canadian
one-stop diaper sewing stuff, WAHM Denise**
Diaper Supply sells my pattern in Canada!)
Janelle's PULs (WAHM sells PUL
waterproof fabric, aplix, FOE...)
HempTraders (will sell retail hemp
fabrics--call & you can get "knit hemp scraps" by the pound,
maybe!)
ElizabethLeeDesigns (WAHM who
sells patterns for nursing garments AND SnapSource long prong snaps & the
Better Baby Diaper pattern)
Wild N Wooly Goods (sells co-op
style, lots of natural fabrics like hemp & wool)
OneStopDiaperShop (another
WAHM--Jessica-- who sells stuff to make your own diapers, fabrics, etc)
SewingMommies
(WAHM--Liz-- who sells fabric, kits, hemp, aplix...)
Sweet Harts/Make it Snappy
(WAHM who sells snap presses & plastic snaps)
Phoenix Textiles (an online fabric store that
always has flannel and sometimes other great stuff for making diapers)
FabricMart (an online fabric store that
often has great wool jersey and cotton knits!)
FabricLine
(haven't ordered from here yet, but they have microfleece, FOE,
waterproof-breathables)
Poo-Pockets (very popular one-size fitted
diaper pattern, cover pattern, some fabrics)
HB-Home Diaper Pattern
(a home version of HoneyBoys-a WAHM diaper)
Diaper Fabric.com (WAHM Mona sells fabric
for diapers)
Pollywog AIO pattern (I've never used
this, either, but Sara is very nice)
Wazoodle (Canadian fabric store that sells a
type of PUL called ProCare & other stuff)
CuddlebunsByU (a home version of
Cuddlebuns-a WAHM diaper)
Distinctive Diapers (another
Canadian WAHM, Julie, with diaper-sewing stuff)
Full Moon Baby Gear (a
WAHM diaper company that also sells hemp fabric--I haven't bought any here)
PMOrganics (organic fabric--I haven't bought
any)
BabyLove
Products (sells kit or pattern for their BabySoftwear diaper and velcro,
etc)
Born To Love (sells some patterns as well
as lots of cloth diapers and "frugal baby tips"--some about diapers)
Mother of Eden (sometimes sells the pattern
or a kit for Fuzzi Bunz)
Suggestions for those who want to use cloth diapers but do
not have a home washing machine:
This is not all my
personal experience--some of it is from online friends. But I know there
are people who live in apartments and do not have washing machines conveniently
available 24-hours a day like others of us, and this is my attempt at helping
you sort out some decent options.
�Ģ
Rinse/scrape/spray/swish/soak (with a diaper duck, spatula, potty-pail,
something) any poopy diapers right away and get them so they aren't too drippy
and DRY PAIL them (no soaking water). Exclusively breast-fed poop does NOT
really need to be rinsed in advance of washing! The early poop-removal will
result in fewer stains if you do ONE HOT WASH and skip the cold rinse/wash (the
cold pre-wash usually keeps most dipes from staining). Dry pail ALL your
diapers.
�Ģ Have a GREAT diaper
pail and/or wet bag for your diapers if you are carrying them to a coin-op
laundry. Something with handles? Bring a backpack or a tote-bag
with your coins, detergent, additives, a book...
�Ģ Have enough diapers
so that you can just go to the laundrymat on your "regular" day OR
�Ģ Handwash them at
home with something like a Wonder Clean or a PowerWash N Dry hand-turned
pressure washing machine (then you can have fewer, since you will do small
loads and then line/air dry them). Do a web-search for them (I also found
them in the lehmans.com catalog). I have done this a couple of times--it
works pretty well, the only drawback being that the diapers are DRIPPING wet
(no spin cycle) when they come out so they take a bit of time to dry.
�Ģ At coin-op, opt for
the LARGE front-loading washers because they have room for more diapers and
probably get them cleaner.
�Ģ One HOT wash with
detergent and an oxygen cleaner (shout or oxyclean), if it doesn't result in
any rashes, will be the least expensive in the coin-op laundry, versus doing a
cold wash and then a hot wash and then another wash without detergent for an
extra rinse.
�Ģ Plan and budget
your coins, detergent, time, etc to get to the laundramat before you are out of
diapers.
�Ģ If you decide to
hand-wash, use FLAT diapers, since they are the easiest to get clean and the
fastest to dry. If you are really partial to the cuteness and the ease of
fitteds or AIOs, consider using flats (birdseye, hemp, microfiber terry...?) or
folding-stuffers to stuff pocket-style AIO diapers. Most of the
pocket-style diapers are also pretty easy to wash and get dry quickly.
FWIW, I don't really like the microfleece lined diapers or pockets, but I do
like them with cotton knit or hemp knit inner layers.
updated August 1, 2006
Copyright Grace
Gooding/Goodness Gracious
A better place to see or
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. She gets them updated MUCH more quickly!
Send
email to Grace at [email protected]