NickNaks

Wet Pail - FAIL!

2009-07-06T18:53:00.000-07:00

I have a new customer, T, who is due in a few weeks with her sixth baby. I met T at her home months ago when I accompanied my friend Kyla on a diaper consultation. Most of the consults that we go to are to meet with first time moms who are brand new to cloth diapering. T was completely different. She has CD'd for 12 years now and had lots of tips to share. Running a diaper pin across your scalp to lubricate it for a smooth and safe pin job, a wet pail with the leftover lemon pieces from lemonade added in to cut odors and ammonia. She shared her tried and true secrets, we shared the new wonders of pocket diapers, wet bags and wonderful wool (not new, but still cool). It was a great meeting. (All consults are awesome, but it was nice to learn something new myself too!)

I talked to T on Saturday about the wool wraps that she had bought from me. She had read all of the info but still had some questions about airing them out after use and things like that. She also mentioned that since she started using the wetbag that she bought instead of a wetpail, her toddler's diapers stink. Never in 12 years has she had stink. I went through her wash routine and found that she isn't doing a pre-rinse. She has never needed it b/c of the wet pail. I suggested that she try that and if it doesn't work, go back to what she knows does.

Then I got to thinking....maybe I should try the wetpail and see how it works. On Saturday I started a wetpail. I rinsed the dirty diapers with the sprayer into the toilet as usual. Then I used the sprayer to top off the water, making sure that the diapers were covered. I even threw in a couple of lemon wedges for good measure. I usually go for two days between washes and then the pail is full. I managed to have two days without any smell from the diaper pail. Huh, maybe there is something to this.

Today the pail was full, it was time to wash the diapers. Our bathroom and all of our home really is on the main floor. The laundry room is downstairs. I lift the pail, thud! Back it goes to the floor. Holy crap that is heavy! This is a 24L pail. 24L of water weighs about 24kg, which is 52lbs! I managed to struggle the pail down to the laundry room. Thankfully it has a lid. Now comes the lift into the washing machine. I heave the pail up and dump it over the open machine. With a dry pail, the diapers come out nice and slow, one by one, so that I can kind of shake them out and disperse them around the basin evenly. No such luck with the wet pail Woosh they go! All in one big lump on top of the agitator. Blech, now I have to move them by hand into the basin. Once the diapers are in, I notice something yellow. What is that? I don't have any yellow diapers. Ah crap, the lemons! One piece is sitting on the top, easy to retrieve. Of course, the other one is buried under two days of dirty diapers. Oh the joys of digging through soggy dirty diapers looking for a lemon. Finally! Diapers are in, machine is on. I notice that a bit of water dripped on the outside of the bucket, so I grab a rag to wipe it off. I tip the pail to the side to wipe it down and manage to dump the leftover diaper-soak water all over my foot. Awesome.

So, does it work you ask?
Yes. I can smell the difference. It was pouring today and I had to use the dryer. There was no smell, it was wonderful. the wetpail obviously works wonders.....

BUT

T, I need help! I am a wet pail FAILure. I give you so much credit for doing this. I know that you have the same downstairs laundry as me. Maybe I just need to hire your older children to come over and help me out.

For any locals that happen to read this...
If you would like a free in-home diaper consultation, please email Kyla via her website www.TwoPotatoTots.ca

Come enter the fun!

2009-07-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Come on over to dotCA!
I have a Free for Shipping Lottery listed this week for a pair of wool shorties and a HC$ Auction for a pair of bigger kid acrylic shorties.
Not sure what HC$ is? Hyena Cart has chat forums and every time that you post you earn HC$ Wow! Vendors can then offer up items for HC$ if they wish. It's play money and so much fun to be able to buy something without dipping into the bank account.
HC Forums

FFS Lotto

HC$ Auction

July 1st Fun!

2009-07-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Canada Day yesterday. James is away with grandma and Derek is away working of course, so it was just Nick and I. On Tuesday I whipped up a pair of board shorts for Nick to wear. He was very proud of his red and white gear and had a great time running around waving his Canada flag!

I'm not very good at this blogging thing.

2009-07-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

I am a bad blogger! I'm just not into the habit of doing this yet.
Did you know that NickNaks is on Facebook and Twitter? I know! How cool am I? :)
I am using the FB page to post photos, stocking news, info for lotteries and also discount codes. I'm not a dedicated Tweeter yet and my posts there are a mix of personal and business stuff, but that is my life. Join up and stay up to date.
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/NickNaks/56073922572?ref=ts
Twitter http://twitter.com/selinajean

Wool FAQ's

2009-04-03T23:54:00.000-07:00

How often do I wash my wool covers?

- Provided that they are not soiled with solid matter, wool diaper covers can be washed every 2-4 weeks, depending on the amount of usage. If they start to smell even when dry, it is time to wash them,

Do I lanolize every time that I wash?

- If you use a wool wash that is enriched with lanolin just washing your covers will help to keep the lanolin levels boosted. Some people like to add extra lanolin to every wash but I do not as I find that it makes the covers sticky and they tend to hold dirt easier. I prefer to wash the covers in wool wash and then spray with a lanolin wooly spray on the inside of the cover in the wetzone only.

What is felting?

- Felting refers to the wool fibres being shocked and fusing together. This can occur due to extreme, fast temperature changes such as washing in hot water. It can also be caused by agitation or excessive rubbing. You may find that the crotch of your woolies felt up a bit as your little one sits and plays, causing more wear on this area. Felting is sometimes desired to thicken a cover, shrink it, and make it more leakproof. However most of the time felting is something that is not desired as it leaves you with a too small cover that has little stretch to it.

Do colours bleed?

- Dyed wool can bleed when wet and during washing. Some scented wool washes can make the bleeding worse. If your wool is bleeding, you can set the dye using vinegar and hot water. Place about half a cup of vinegar in a microwave safe dish. Add enough room temperature water to fully cover your wool item. Add your wool and gently squeeze to saturate with the water. Microwave for about 2 minutes, until hot but not quite boiling. Remove the dish and let sit for 2 minutes. Do not stir or agitate! Microwave again as before, let sit again. Repeat again. Then allow to cool fully before removing from the water. Rinse gently and wash as normal.

Can I wash more than one piece of wool at a time?

- Yes. I try to wash like colours together just in case something bleeds and to avoid contrasting colours of wool fluff being stuck on the covers. I find that I can wash about 4 wraps or soakers in our kitchen sink. For longies, I usually only do 2 per sink.

What do I use to wash my wool?

- I prefer a premade wool wash such as Eucalan, Ewe Need It or Blue House Soaps. However, it is possible to make your own using a gentle cleanser like baby shampoo and lanolin such as Lansinoh. I have a post here on how to wash your wool and how to make wool wash.

Is there anything else that I need to care for my woolies?

- I use a sweater shaver to get rid of fuzzies and pills. It keeps the woolies looking new. I bought mine at Zellers for about CDN$10.

Recent projects

2009-02-09T20:25:00.000-08:00

Just a few more pictures of some recent projects. Enjoy!

L.O.V.E Longies for a Valentine's Day themed stocking on Mom's Boardwalk.
The main part of the pant is made from a 100% wool cable knit sweater. The cuff and applique are 100% wool as well in a purplish-red.

This newborn wrap was for a free lottery that I offered in January. It is mostly decorative, with ribbons as the closures instead of aplix. Perfect for Valentine photos.

Another newborn wrap with aplix closures. I love the colours on this one. It just feels like spring!

I am teaching myself how to crochet. I still haven't figured out how to read a crochet pattern with all of the abbreviations and secret codes! I made these longies for Nick, just figuring it out as I went. They are cute but I definitely need some more practice. Maybe some day I will be able to add crocheting to my list of skills.

dotCA All Canadian Congo on Hyena Cart!

2009-02-09T20:16:00.000-08:00

I am very excited to be part of dotCA, the new congo on Hyena Cart which features all Canadian vendors!

dotCA will launch with its grand opening stocking on March 1st, 2009. I am working on some soakers and wraps for the grand opening, and if I manage to drink enough coffee before the end of the month I may have a skirty or two available too!

Other vendors on the congo will include Tree Hugger, Thornbush Pens, Baby Go, Seun Designs, Smartypants Knits, BB Butts Diapers, Bijou Baby Gear, Paty's Loveys, EweWearEms and Real Paper.

The congo is being built as we speak. Make sure to check in for our grand opening on March 1st! http://hyenacart.com/dotCA/

Some new pictures and my price list.

2008-11-18T14:12:00.000-08:00

Just some more recent photos to browse through. I also wanted to supply my price list for those that have been looking for it. Prices do not include shipping if that is required.
Prices are general base prices. I reserve the right to increase prices in full or on individual items at any time if I feel that the garment value is higher.

Longies/Shorties/Capris $14
Soaker $16
Wrap $16
Skirty $20
Appliqued design, add minimum $2. Price will be decided based on applique.

Items can be purchased at
www.hyenacart.com/NickNaks or
www.hyenacart.com/dotCA

Baseball appliqued wool wrap

Striped Lambswool wrap

Newborn Lambswool longies

Nick in his Canada EH! Wrap. It's pretty big, but still cute!

Soaker with dinosaur applique

Yummy New Wool Wash!

2008-09-05T20:13:00.000-07:00

I ordered wool wash from Ewe Need It on Hyena Cart a few weeks ago and have been loving it. I ordered a wool wash bar and lanolin spray in the Butt Naked scent which is fruity but light. I also bought 30 WAHM sample bars to send out with purchases and they are so yummy. There are so many different scents in there. Everything from Hot Apple Pie to White Tea and Ginger. My 6yo son loves the Fruit Loops one. The CS from ENI was amazing. Katie is going through so much with her family. She has a daughter with severe special needs, twin babies and her husband is undergoing cancer treatments. Despite all of this, she is really on her game. She provides lightning fast email responses and mailed out product the following day. (A weekend at that.) I highly recommend her if you are looking for wool care products.

http://hyenacart.com/EweNeedIt/index.php

How to measure your child for wool covers.

2008-04-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

You will need the following measurements: Waist, Rise, Inseam. For a soaker you will also want the thigh measurement.

For wool measurements you need to have your child's diaper on when measuring. If you will be using the wool item at night, ensure that you measure over the bulky night-time diaper or the wool will be too tight.

Waist: Measure around the waist at the level where you want the top of the wool garment to sit. Measuring tape should be snug but not tight.

Rise: This is the distance from the top of the waistband in the front, through the legs, to the top of the waistband in the back. Put the start of the measuring tape at the top of baby's diaper...near belly button area. Bring the tape down the front of the diaper, through the legs and back up over the bum of the diaper. Finish your measurement at the top of the diaper on baby's back.

Inseam: From the gusset area of the diaper (right between the legs) measure down the inside of the leg to where you want the bottom of the hem to fall.

Thigh: Measure around the thigh at the point where the soaker cuff would sit. Again, the tape needs to be snug but not tight.

Gallery - March 2008

2008-03-30T21:23:00.000-07:00

Pictures of items that I have made in the past.

Wool Care-Easier than you think!

2008-03-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

One of the main downsides to wool is all of the care, right? The constant handwashing...what a pain!
I actually find my wool easier to care for than my PUL or vinyl covers as I only have to wash them once every 2 weeks. I wash my wool in rotations so that I never have all of it being washed at once. This would lead to all of it drying at once and then I would be out of covers! Not good.

I have used wool wash and have also made my own solution from lanolin and baby wash. Both work well, but of course I prefer the wool wash because it is easier. Lately I have been using Northern Essence wool wash in Pink Sugar scent, which is really yummy. I have also used Eucalan for the last couple of days and it is nice too.

For the wool wash, all you have to do is fill your kitchen sink with tepid water and then add a tablespoon or two of wool wash. Swish it around until the water looks cloudy. Then add your wool. Gently squeeze the wool to help it absorb the wash and then lay it out flat in the sink (not balled up). I usually wash 2-3 pieces at a time and I stick to washing the same shades together to avoid any dyes transferring or fluffy wool pieces getting stuck on another item that will really show and become a pain for me. Once the wool is in place, leave it for 30 minutes. Just walk away and do something else that you need to get done. Come back in about half an hour (don't worry if it's longer...I've forgot about wool overnight before!) with a thick towel. Lay the towel on the floor. Gently squeeze out your wool items and lay them on the towel. Roll the towel up, enclosing the wool in the roll. Gently squeeze the towel as you are rolling it. Unroll the towel and lay your wool out flat to dry. You can box, or shape, it at this point and smooth out any wrinkles. Leave to dry. Drying times depend on the wool. Thinner items like cashmere could dry in 24 hours. Heavier wools could take 48-72 hours. This is why I rotate my washing!

So, yes the drying process takes a while...but you really don't have to do much to launder your wool.

Edited June 16th....the past few times that I have washed wool I have actually skipped the towel step. I just take all of the soaking wet wool (in a bucket or large bowl) down to the washing machine. Then I put on the spin cycle until the water is out. This is so much more effective. I have been drying the wool outside on the deck and with summer heat, it has been drying in about 3 hours. (Longer for the aristocrats, but they are insanely thick!)

Making your own wool wash
You will need lanolin (lansinoh brand works just fine...yes the stuff for breastfeeding and nipple pain) and a mild cleanser like baby shampoo.
Put a small amount of lanolin in a baby food jar or small mason jar. (Small amount=about the size of 2 peas.) Add water into the jar. Stick in the microwave until hot. Be careful taking the jar out of the microwave as it will be very hot. Stir the water around to dissolve the lanolin fully. Add about a half teaspoon of baby shampoo and stir. Your water should look cloudy. Add to a sink of tepid water and swirl water around. You want the water to look cloudy and you don't want to see big clumps of lanolin or big oil patches in the water. If the water looks really oily you may need a little more shampoo to help break it up.
Now wash just as if you were using woolwash.

Eeek! The diaper leaked nasties onto the wool!
If your little one leaks out of the diaper and gets a mess on the wool, make sure to treat it as soon as the diaper change is over. Rinse the mess off with cool water as best you can. Then use a mild soap or wool wash bar (I've used liquid baby shampoo in a pinch) and wash that stain. Use enough pressure to get the soiled bits out, but remember that you do need to be gentle with wool. Wash as usual.
If you end up with a stain, don't fret too much...you can always sun it out later.

Types of Wool Covers

2008-03-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of specific terminology in the cloth diapering world and it can be very overwhelming if you have no idea what anything means. It makes it hard to know what you are looking for.

Here are some of the common types of wool covers and their names. These are all covers that I have made from wool sweaters.

Soakers
These are a pull on type cover that generally just have a small leg cuff. They fit fairly snug over the diaper and have extra layers in the wet-zone...where your baby needs extra absorbancy. Usually used under clothing or under pajamas at night.

Longies
These are wool pants that serve double duty as diaper cover and clothing! They can be fitted like leggings, wide leg like yoga pants or flared...and anything in between. These are generally cut from the sleeves of the sweater, but can be cut from the body too.

Capris
The same thing as Longies, just a shorter inseam.

Shorties
Cute little wool shorts that are also a diaper cover.

Skirties
These are usually a soaker with a skirt built in over top. Functions as a diaper cover and clothing in one.
This one is actually fleece, not wool but it gives an idea of the design.

Wraps
This is a cover that would fasten over top of the diaper using either velcro, snaps, pins or a snappi (pin replacement device). Very trim fitting.

Welcome to NickNaks!

2008-03-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

Why Wool? and What I Am Doing!

I started using cloth diapers on our son Nicholas when he was two months old. I tried a variety of diaper types and found that my favourites tended to be fitted diapers. Unfortunately, these need a cover and I did not like the idea of putting plastic like pants or wraps over these nice breathable cotton diapers. It seemed to defeat the purpose.

So, I started looking at wool covers. I did not know at first that wool was a very good option for a diaper cover. Who would have thought? I learned that wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in moisture before feeling damp! I also learned that it has natural cleansing and antibacterial properties which means that you only need to wash it every two weeks or so, unless it is actually soiled. I also learned that it is soft, not scratchy like wool work socks! I started looking around for wool covers and then learned that they can be very expensive! As a lot of these covers are hand knit by WAHMs (Work At Home Moms) they take a lot of time and care to create. But I can still not afford $70 for one pair of wool pants, no matter who it is supporting!

Then I heard about recycled. or repurposed wool covers. Basically, this is the process of taking an old wool sweater and turning it into pants, shorts, and soakers. I can sew, so I thought this was a great option for us. I fumbled through my first couple of pairs of longies (pants) for Nicholas before I really got the hang of it.

Recently I have started to make covers for the purpose of selling them to other Moms and Dads that can't afford hand-knit wool either and don't have the skill or the time to make their own. I am keeping my prices low so that I can really help in making cloth diapering easy and attainable to a larger number of people.