So, I was cruising around a cloth diaper selling site when I saw them offering a wool wet diaper bag for $30+ dollars. Wait a minute, duh! I can use those wool sweaters that don't shrink so nice and make one myself! I'm just kicking myself for not thinking of it every time I put her in a disposable for a run to the grocery store these last two years when I knew I could get around it if I would just think.
First I took one of my really thick felted wool sweaters (shrunk in a hot/cold wash and dried in the dryer) that I felt was too bulky for a diaper cover or longie. I cut off the sleeves from the body. I will be making this out of the sleeves, I am reserving the body for a matching cloth diaper bag.
I cut the sleeves to the length of bag that I felt would contain a folded wet diaper by using a diaper as a "ruler."
Then I cut open the sleeves.
I placed the sleeves inside out on top of each other. Then I cut it into the shape of the bag I wanted. This sweater's sleeves shrunk with more of a bell shape than I wanted for a bag. Then, I sewed all around the edges leaving the cuff edge as the opening.
Then I decided on the number of buttonholes I wanted. It should be an even number and this one took 6. I marked where I wanted them with pins and took it to the sewing machine.
I made a drawstring by braiding three strands of yarn together and here is my dirty cloth diaper bag. I will wash it along with my covers and this will be reusable and not as stinky as a ziploc bag.
10 comments:
I just requested old wool sweaters from my family so I can try to make one of these. I have a waterproof one now, but it stinks so bad after a diaper has been in there for awhile that a breathable one would be a nice alternative.
I forgot to ask you in my last comment. Have you gotten a chance to use this wetbag? How do you like it?
I have used it a few times. It does quite well; hides the stink, keeps the wetness in and when I pull out the diapers I just let it air dry like I do my covers and no smell. I haven't used it tons, because I don't go out too much, but it worked well enough that I would continue to use it until it proved bad.
Definitely a HUGE improvement over when I used a large sized ziploc bag! That stunk!
Sorry, another comment on this one! Did you lanolize the bag, or just leave it as is?
I did not lanolize it and I have yet to wash it. I think I would lanolize it when I think it needs it like I do with my covers. Once it seems that I am feeling a slight dampness on the outside, I wash it and lanolize it. I do use a soap that has some lanolizing properties so it gets that at every wash, but I do use my leftover Lansinoh lanolin nipple cream on ones that seem to need more than the normal wash lanolin.
I just want to say thanks! I love that you have pictures of all your steps. i also LOVE that you sew like me! I hate to find rulers and pin patterns! he he I bought a bunch of wool sweaters at the goodwill on their half off day, I made three really cute longies from them using the sleeves. One of them is really thick. so I'm gonna make a wet bag out of that one. Wish me luck!
Farm-Marm,
I'm glad you like my kind of tutorials, sometimes I do get envious of the ruler and pin people (mainly when I can't get my project to work my way) but then it's too much work to do it the other way and just figure I don't really need it then. :)
Good luck on your sewing, your profile description sounds a lot like me, so hope you find some inspiration!
A better idea (since I tend to use the sleeves to make pants) is to use the body of the sweater. Starting from the waistband, work upwards cutting off the sleeves and cutting in a half circle across the top and back down the other side. If you do it right, you should be able to not cut the sides all the way down, and only cut the top part where you cut the sleeves off, thus, 1 seam. Turn inside out and sew along that curved edge to close your bag. Thread a shoestring through the waistband. Got the idea from: http://fernandfaerie.com/frugaldiapering.html
Thanks Cheryl. I've made longies, but I don't use them very often. I use the bodies more for plain covers. But that would work too!
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