Snap Laundry Tabs

Sometimes necessity is literally the mother of invention.
In this case I've been madly sewing newborn diapers and as such I have been using lots of hook and loop tape. (Also known as Velcro) but the downside is that the loop piece is always shorter than I need and I run out two or three diapers in just before I get to the laundry tabs.

I also have an abundance of snaps since even with a snap down rise my newborn diapers just don't use nearly as many snaps as a batch of OS diapers.

So behold the snap laundry tab.

Basically sew your Velcro wing tabs as usual. Then fold over as if you were closing them to Velcro laundry tabs.

Using your awl force it through both parts of the wing. Do this just above and below the center of the Velcro piece.

Next attach your snaps. I recommend putting the larger male snap half on the area next to the Velcro, and the female shorter piece on the section further in the diaper. This way the smoother part is against your baby's skin.

Wha la snap laundry tabs!

Top Stitching a Diaper and Sewing Elastics

In the cloth diaper sewing group I'm in on facebook, we were asked how we all do our elastics. I seem to be in the minority who sews elastics in when they do top stitching. She asked if I could take pictures and I decided to make a little tutorial on how I did it.
It would be easier to show you in a video but we seem to have lost the charger to the digital camera I use for that. And since I don't have a way to mount my cell phone to my head hopefully this will do.

First note my diaper is turned right side out and waiting on elastics. This is a pocket so will have back elastic and leg elastic on both sides.

 

mark your elastics per your pattern. I use a washable crayon. 

 

Pin your back elastic on the marks. I leave about 1/4 inch extra beyond the pins.  This is it without any other pins all bunched up.

 

Stretched out.  Now with the diaper stretched use your fingers to move the elastic up against your seam allowance. And place a pin directly underneath. repeat across till the pin hold the elastic in place. Check to make sure you aren't pinning the elastic by accident.

 

I lifted the pocket opening to try to show you how this looks inside. It's hard to see but the elastic is not pinned to the diaper but is held in place by the pins if that makes sense. 

 

All pinned in place.

 

Repeat the pinning at the elastic caking marks for the leg. 

 

I use my knees and hold one wing with them, then use one hand to stretch the diaper out and the other to place my pins. you're doing the same thing where you push the elastic into the seam allowance, and pin just below it. 

 

Here's the leg all pinned and ready to sew. 

 

You can sort of see that the pins are not right against the edge. You'll be sewing in the area of fabric on your pins. 

 

One leg done. 

 

Repeat on other side and you are ready to sew. 

 

Ok so I start at the back elastic tacking mark and sew down, reverse, then back down tacking it in place. 

 

Pivot and sew across the pinned area. I'm bad and sew over my pins, but you can definitely remove them as you sew just make sure to pull your fabric taught so the elastic stays where it is pinned and to sew slowly.
Sew across the area of fabric my finger is pointing to.

 

Showing the stitching so you can see where I'm talking about sewing. 

 

Go back up the next tack mark, forward, then back again, turn and pivot the diaper and carry on top stitching ...

 

around the wings and to your leg elastic.  

 

Turn your diaper again and tack your elastic down. I sew in reverse once then back forward. 

 

Pivot back and sew along your pin area again. 

 

I was trying to get a good photo of my needle plate so you could see where I'm sewing. I think that's the 6/8th mark. 

 

Diaper slightly stretched so you can see the finished leg. I forgot to take a photo of the other end of the leg elastic. But it's the same process. So you just pivot and tack the elastic down then continue top stitching around the front of the diaper. 

 

Other side has been reached. So I tack the elastic down, reverse, and forward, then follow the same process of sewing on the pinned area. around the 6/8th mark.

 

Reached the last elastic marking. tack down, reverse,

 

and go forward, then continue top stitching... 

 

Till you reach your starting point with the elastic tack mark on the back of the diaper.  Finish your threads how you like and clip them, now all that's left is your snaps or velcro on the wings and you are set.

Hope that makes sense!

Gender Predicting Wives tales...

As many know we're expecting our next little one in January. Today we find out the gender.
So I thought it would be fun to post a list of all the wives tales that apply to my pregnancy and which gender they claim to predict and let people vote to see what they think we are having.
We'll do a big reveal on facebook later. :)

stealing your beauty: boy
clumsy or graceful: boy
Baby gender dreams: boy
sleeping position: boy
Mother's intuition: girl
cravings: girl
temperature of feet: girl
heart rate: girl
face shape: boy
acne: Girl
Heartburn: girl
belly position: Undetermined
hubby's weight: boy
morning sickness: girl
mood: Boy
baby weight: girl

So total that's one more "girl" prediction than "boy". Since i'm not exactly sure of my conception Chinese gender predictions go both ways making one extra vote for each gender.

So what do you think? Boy or girl? ;)

My beleifs and who I am.

For those who are recently reading my Blog(or are new facebook friends)You should be warned now.
I know what I beleive and have strong opinions. Before I get to that though I want to let you know what I believe and why.

First I am christian. This is important as it shapes a lot of my beliefs. I beleive that we were created and the earth and all the animals by God.
As such I beleive that god made us perfect, then after the fall of man in genesis we became sinful. As such We are a sinful people.
I do not place one sin above another. As God says they are all equal. Due to this I have strong views on things deemed "sinful" by the Bible.
This includes but isn't limited to: Stealing, adultry, murder, lying, and homosexuality to name a few.
I also beleive that it is possible to care about a person and disagree with something in their lifestyle or personal decisions they've made. How many of us have family we love but that has done something we disagree with? Weather it's something as simple as who they date, where they choose to live, how they raise their kids, or as big as living a homosexual lifestyle it doesn't mean we can't love that family member.
As a Christian I'm instructed to love ALL humans. And as such it's the same thing for me.

I also believe women where created to birth babies naturally. And that we were also created to be able to feed them naturally with the breasts we were born with.
There is only a very tiny percentage of women who CAN'T nurse. Of course we all know many who "weren't able to" and sadly many of them were "booby trapped" either through their environment, a well meaning pediatrician/family member, lack of emotional or physical support,  or many other things.
I don't judge these women. It was not their fault. They did what they could. I don't judge those who use formula either. Because I am also a firm believer that women and families should have the right to choose how to raise their children, and that starts with where they give birth, how they give birth, who they choose to see(if at all) for their families care, and how they feed thier children.
This also extends into their right to choose to vaccinate or not, and homeschool, or unschool, or whatever.
As a parent I think those choices and everything in between belong to the parents and should stay that way.
However I am also pro life, and pro adoption. I beleive that it is NOT our right to choose to terminate life. to me it is murder. As such I will post pro life posts to my page.
While I am all for women's right to choose many things, What about baby's right to life? Anywho I won't argue the details of this here that's another post for another day.

You will see boobs on my facebook page, becasue I beleive in normalizing breastfeeding.
You will see posts about homosexuality on my page, as well as natural childbirth, vaccinations(I'm personally anti vaccinations but that's just me),  carseat safety facts, potty training info, baby led weaning, babywearing, CIO, Anti CIO, Positive discipline, Natural consequences, and so much more.

I have lots of links and research to back up my beliefs. I have scripture to back up my spiritual beliefs. If you don't agree that's fine with me. But my page is for my thoughts. As yours is for yours. Civil disagreements are fine, discussion is encouraged, but outright rudeness won't be tolerated. And I will delete comments as I see fit.

This goes for my blog too. ;)