DIY: Pajama / Lounge Pants

 I have owned a functional sewing machine for over a year now, but I'm still very much a novice in the sewing world. Granted, this has a lot to do with having a very energetic toddler and not much free time, but it's also due to a lack of confidence in my abilities and not really knowing where to start. I have successfully repaired elastic on my gDiaper liners, repurposed some bed linens into an apron, and some other simple projects, but sewing my own clothes (or clothing for others) was too intimidating. But sewing my own clothes has always been my dream, so recently I managed to muster up the courage to dip my toe in with a very newbie-friendly project - pajama pants. I figured something with an elastic waistband worn in the privacy of your own home is a good place to start. Hubby needed a new pair, so I was able to justify the purchase of some flannel and matching thread to make him some comfy pants for his birthday. I must confess that his birthday was actually in March, and he ended up getting the promise of some pants for his birthday. But he didn't really need them until this fall anyway, so hubby waited patiently until I was ready to tackle the project.

Internet research led me to this Instructables tutorial, which I studied for quite awhile until I became convinced I could do it. I was a little freaked out about making my own pattern instead of buying one, but the tutorial explained it in detail and provided really helpful photos. It turned out to be pretty simple and straightforward. I took the author's advice and used wrapping paper to make the pattern. It was perfect for the job, and best of all, it didn't cost me anything since I had leftover Christmas wrapping paper in the basement. Tracing the waist was a little tricky, as you have to stretch the elastic completely out and trace that length, then connect it to the leg (which is traced without the elastic stretched out). I wasn't sure I'd done it right, but the pants actually fit perfectly when they were all done!

As for the sewing, everything was also fairly easy and beginner-friendly. The photos were awesome here too. I felt the hardest part was sewing the two legs together, as my only experience with this was making a pair of shorts in my middle school home ec class, and I have no memory of assembling those. It took some time for me to figure out exactly how to tuck one leg into the other, but now that I've done it, this will be a breeze in the future. Since I had a bunch of leftover fold-over elastic from diaper repairs, I decided to use that to minimize costs. Figuring out exactly how to sew the elastic together and insert it into the waistband was time-consuming, but again, this is a skill I will retain for future projects and it'll get easier with time.

I'm so glad I decided to do this project! The pants turned out great, hubby loves them, and I learned some very useful sewing 101 skills that I will be able to apply to future projects. I am already planning some pants for my son as well as Christmas gifts for the family. Check out my finished product - modeled by husband, with special appearance by my son, Jackson - below.

He's a good sport.

I was ecstatic that the plaid print is actually straight.

Perfect for work-at-home parents!

Happy sewing!

Cloth Baby Wipes

With all the innovations of cloth diapers, why are we still using disposable wipes?! I found a great tutorial at My Happy Crazy Life and decided to give it a try. I got a few different prints of soft flannel (which is on sale at Jo-Ann's right now!). You can cut them to any size you like and you can do just one layer or two. It is up to you and what will work. I decided to do 2 layers.


If you do 2 layers, I highly recommend either putting pins in the middle or doing a crossed basting stitch to keep the layers from sliding while sewing. Next I took it to the serger and sewed around the edges. I wanted my corners rounded and sergers apparently only like straight lines, so I will just keep practicing. (and I also realized it's okay if it isn't perfect, it's just going to wipe up poop, anyway) If you are working on a regular sewing machine, the zig-zag stitch will work just as well. Here's my final product.

These make great shower gifts or to keep for your own children. The previous link above with the original pattern also has a recipe to make your own wipe solution, or you can just use water.

DIY: Wool Dryer Balls

Dryer balls are such a simple, inexpensive solution for softening laundry and controlling static, it's a wonder more people don't know about them. They're a great alternative to softeners for those with sensitive skin or allergies. As a bonus, they also significantly cut drying time, which is especially exciting to those of you using coin-operated laundry machines. To cloth-diapering families, wool dryer balls are a godsend in a world of products that aren't "CD-safe." As I mentioned previously on this blog, most laundry detergents on the market aren't good for diapers, and fabric softeners/dryer sheets are also a no-no. Even using these products on other loads of laundry can cause diaper issues due to softener build-up in the machines.

Of course, line-drying is always a good option, or you could dry with no softeners at all. But it is always nice for the laundry to come back soft and fluffy (without the waxy stuff), and if you're like me, your kid is wearing his very last clean diaper while the others are being laundered, so time is of the essence. (This is when you will pat yourself on the back for cutting that drying time!)

You can purchase wool dryer balls online from a variety of sources, or you can follow this super easy tutorial over at goodmama. There are multiple methods for making wool dryer balls; Acacia and I experimented with hand-felting some over my kitchen sink, and they came out pretty nice if I do say so myself. But you will want at least six dryer balls in your collection, and I knew that my carpal tunnel syndrome would prevent me from making as many as I needed by hand. Because hand-felting is rather tedious and labor-intensive, I'd recommend the wool yarn method unless you are experienced in working with wool.

Making felted balls is actually a great skill to have -- they not only make nice gifts as dryer balls, they can entertain pets and young children for hours! Personally, I was amazed (and grateful) at how long and the creative ways in which my 2-year-old played with them while I was sick in bed one week. He was so enamored with them that I'm thinking of making another set just for him.

Happy crafting!