Saturday 1 March 2008

Hurrah!!!

I'm heading off on a nappy sewing expedition right now, and I can't wait to show off my creations!

I have decided to make March's Mini-Challenge theme "Sewing from Scratch". I will be trying to avoid February's disaster by setting goals each week and reviewing them at the end of the week.

UPDATE:
I'm the one with the goofy grin on the left. Sharon and Dinnae (pictured with Xavier) and I, spent hours sewing up a storm. Well, perhaps a storm in a teacup because we each only made one nappy. Dinnae was teaching us to make our own nappies. Very fun, but I wish I could contract out the elastic part.

Jack, Elliot and Xavier were playing happily while we sewed. Jack is 16 months old, Elliot is 18 months, and Xavier is 9 days older than Elliot. Jack and Xavier are both expecting baby brothers in the next few months.

Dinnae was kind enough to give us each a copy of her own nappy pattern (which X has since grown out of, LOL!) and we had a shot at that.

I used a flannel bedsheet outer and inner layers (recently op shopped with sock monkeys on them!!!), terry towelling hidden layer and 2 layer internal booster. I decided to sew, turn and topstitch rather than tempting fate by using D's overlocker. I also decided to put cross over tabs and laundry tabs on. Uses more velcro, but worth it, imho. Especially since E is such a skinny little thing.

I used hook and look closures (also op-shopped) and some swimwear elastic I bought new about 12 months ago for this exact purpose (but procrastination is my best friend).

I'm going to put in a sewn-in booster, made from some old BBH bamboo boosters. Some of my oldest BBH bamboos have died painful deaths (I got a bad batch of bamboo outers with the first 2 I bought and Davina was kind enough to send me replacements without wanting the old ones back). I will probably sew a flanny layer over the top of it, just to be cute.

Action shots coming tonight after the bum of truth gives it a test-run. I reeeeaaaallly hope it doesn't swim on him.

I'll be trying out my own pattern next. This adventure has given me some sewing confidence.

7 comments:

Cinders xo said...

Well done!!! Looks like you guys had a great day! How fabulous does that nappy look, and recycled materials too!!!!

Tanja said...

Ta! Yeah, I forgot to mention that the terry towelling was left overs from a failed attempt to make a hooded towel when Elliot was in utero, so nothing was bought for this nappy-making expedition.

We had so much fun, and learnt so much.

History of the Crusades said...

WOW! How great is that nappy! And all from stuff that you had around the house!! WOW! WOW!! I'm SO impressed (can you tell?!)

Tanja said...

Ta! :D

Anonymous said...

Hi, just wondering on how someone like myself, who is so impressed with that nappie, wanting to go green, but can't sew for my life. would go around making one??? or a few. <<< I need all the help I can get.
Tar, Chrissie

Tanja said...

Hi Chrissie. Thanks for your kind words. Your best bet would be to have a play on the sewing machine until you are confident with straight and zig-zag stitches. Nothing fancy is needed. Then I'd hop along to Nappycino (www.nappycino.com.au) and join in the fun of all the cloth nappy addicts. There you will find a "sewing room". In that part of NC you will find links to patterns and more advice than you can poke a stick at. Certainly more advice than I could possibly give. Hope to see you there. I'm "Possum" on NC, so say hello. :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks a ton, i'm so excited to start, now to just convince the hubby to get a sewing machine :)
Be happy, Chrissie