Baby Craft :: DIY (No-Knit) Wool Nappy Covers (shorties)

All three of my babies have been in cloth nappies (diapers), however it wasn’t until I had Melli four years ago that I discovered woollen nappy covers – also known as wool soakers.

The advantages of wool covers are many. The natural lanolin in wool acts to neutralise urine so they can just be aired in the sun to dry rather than washed each time baby pees (they do need to be washed when soiled and re-lanolised regularly). The wool tends to wick away moisture and “breathes” in a way plastic covers cannot, meaning less rashes for baby. It was also surprising to discover that wool is just fine in the warmer weather, too. My last two babies have never appeared uncomfortable in wool covers and have experienced far less rashes than Ella (my eldest) did as a baby in plastic covers.


Once I discovered woollen covers I was hooked. They do, however, cost a bit – around $30 - $45 each, depending on the brand – and you will need several of each different size to see you through baby’s nappy days. Setting up a cloth nappy supply including wool covers is well worth investing in, however, and cheaper than disposables in the long run. But, they are also just as easy to make yourself. And, even if you’re not a knitter, which I am not (yet), you can still make wool soakers from recycled wool sweaters.

The tutorial below is for one of several methods I have used to make woollen “soakers” for Maddison:




This sweater has already been used for another pair of baby-pants I made, but there's plenty left over. It is 100% lambs' wool and so soft.

 1. Start with a wool sweater. You can pick them up from the op-shop cheaply enough. I tend to buy ones that have a label on it telling me it is wool, and not acrylic, but sometimes you’ll come across a hand-knitted sweater that you can feel is made from wool. You could always do a burn test when you get home if you’re unsure – and you’ll find wool will felt up in the wash, whereas acrylic will not.

2. Lightly felt your sweater. I do this by simply washing the woollens in hot water and, if you have one, throw them in the dryer. Use detergent. The heat, combined with the friction of the washing and detergent will felt it up. Depending on the knit you may have to do this only once, or a few times. For wool covers I have learned not to felt them up too tightly for starters. The covers will, at some stage, need a hot wash, and over time they will shrink in this way, so I start with a loose felt and sew the covers larger than needed at first. I also find it easier to put on the baby if there is some stretch to the wool.

3. Make a pattern. I have used clothing that I know fits my baby to sketch out a pattern. Use a pair of pants or a nappy cover that already fits, for example. Make sure you add a bit of room for a nappy under there, some room to grow and for the wool to tighten with subsequent washes. Better to be on the large size, than too small.

This is the pattern I made for Maddison who is 12-months-old and a fairly lean, long build. This pattern may work for a larger-build 6-month-old baby. Test out the pattern on some spare fabric first to see if it will fit.

4. Take your felted sweater and fold it. Put the bottom of the pattern on the fold and cut through both layers.

5. It will open up to look like this.

6. Cut a single piece of wool to fit inside the soaker as a 2nd layer. Mine is a bit wobbly shaped because that was what was left over of the sweater... Whatever shape you use, leave at least 3-4cm around the edge of your larger, outside piece. Sew this onto the wrong side (there may not even appear to be a wrong side with your felted wool, and that’s ok).

7. Sewing: I used a stretch stitch setting on my machine that doubles as a kind-of over locking stitch. If you don’t have that, use a zigzag stitch at a longer length – this will act as a stretch stitch. Finish the edges in a tight zigzag to prevent fraying.

8. Fold the whole thing in half, right sides facing, and sew side seams. So it looks like this. (Pictured inside out).

9. Legs. Now use whatever ribbing your sweater has to make two leg pieces. You may use the cuffs off the sweater for this. Or the waistband. I’d already used the cuffs and arms from this sweater, so I cut up the stretchy ribbing from the neck piece instead to create two legs.  You can see how it’s going to come together now.

10. This is the tricky bit. Attach your leg pieces to the leg holes – right sides facing together. Pin in place. I folded mine over as well, but it will depend on what length ribbing you have, and how long you would like the legs to be on your finished soaker. Take it slowly as you sew. Stretch the ribbing as you go to match it up to the leg holes.

12. Ta-da! Turn it inside out and you have your wool shorties. The last thing to do on these is to fold down the waist and add some elastic to fit baby. Don’t make it too tight. You need to be able to stretch these pants over a nappy.

15. Take a wriggly baby and pop on the shorties. Chase her around the house trying to get a decent photo (optional). Decide the light inside on this rainy day is dismal so go out the front to photograph because the back is full of mud. End the photo-session when she starts running onto the road (we live at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac with little passing traffic, so she wasn’t in any danger)!

And that’s how it’s done. Each recycled sweater is different, so you will have to feel your way through each cover. I happen to like that aspect of re-fashioning and recycling garments – it becomes quite a creative exercise.

If you do make one, I’d love to hear about it.

(Also, Rhonda from the Down to Earth blog is about to become a grandmother and is looking for cloth nappy-crafting tips. It was she who got me motivated to blog this tutorial. )



x

Megan