Longies, and soakers, and skirties, Oh My!

 

I grew up with my mom using cloth diapers. So it was only natural that I decided to use cloth with my own little ones. There have been a few times that getting to throw away that nasty, stinky diaper sounded awfully appealing, but overall I have loved using cloth and really don’t think it’s much harder than disposables. I have always used pre-folds (some definitions)and covers, but this last year I was introduced to wool. At first, I was too overwhelmed to try. I also don’t know how to knit or crochet and they can be very expensive to buy. But then I found out that you could make covers from recycled sweaters. So I made my first cover and I’ve been hooked every since. I’m still amazed that a knit pair of pants could be so leak-proof! And they look so cute, too. So here are some basic instructions on the care of wool. At first it sounded kind of intimidating to me, all these terms I was unfamiliar with. But in reality, it is extremely easy to care for.  

Wool Wash and Lanolizing Instructions

Lanolizing:

                When you get a new pair of longies or other wool cover, before you can use it as a diaper cover, you will need to lanolize it. All you will need is some lanolin. You can use liquid lanolin (the easiest to use) or solid lanolin. I’ve read that solid lanolin is more effective, but I have only used liquid and it’s been fine for me. You can even use Lansinoh. I found my liquid Lanolin at a local supplement store. You can even find it at some groceries that have large health food sections. You will probably only need to lanolize it every other time you wash or even less frequently. If you find your covers are wicking, it’s time to re-lanolize.

1)      Fill a small jar with very hot water. Add a pea size amount of solid or about ¼ tsp or so of liquid lanolin. If you find your covers are wicking, you can try using more. If they seem sticky, you used too much (or didn’t dissolve it properly).  Add a drop or two of wool wash or baby wash and shake to mix.

2)      Add to a sink or basin full of tepid water and mix thoroughly

3)      Add your covers and immerse in the water completely.

4)      Let it soak for at least 15 minutes.

5)      Gently remove excess water by gently rolling a towel.

6)      Let dry completely.

7)      All done! That wasn’t so hard, was it!

Washing:

                Wool doesn’t have to be washed very often, only once a month or so…or even longer depending on how many covers you have in rotation. Of course, if they get soiled or just plain stink, it’s time for a wash. You can use special wool wash (Eucalan is good) or you can just use a little baby soap. I would stick with something plain, without added lotions and such.

1)      Fill your sink with lukewarm water. Add about a tsp per quart of wool wash or baby soap. Better too little than too much. You need to be able to rinse it out afterwards. Of course, you also want them to be clean! If using bar wool soap, rub the bar under the water as you fill the sink or basin.

2)       Gently swish the cover under the water. It’s especially important to be careful with your wool if it isn’t already felted. If you use too warm of water and too much friction, you will felt it.

3)       Rinse in more tepid water until free of suds. 

4)      If you need to lanolize it, proceed to that step now

5)      Otherwise, gently squeeze out the excess water. I find the best way to do this is after I press out the major portion, to lay it on a towel and roll it up in the towel. This removes a lot of the water without being too rough on the wool.

6)      Lay it out to dry. This is the hardest part..waiting patiently for your favorite cover to dry. They do take a while, especially in the winter.

Mandy’s Delicious Spaghetti Sauce

We’ll start it off with something simple that everyone likes- spaghetti. Of course everyone has a recipe for spaghetti sauce (even if it starts with R and rhymes with “tagu”), but this one is the best. Seriously though, I have a strange compulsion to try out spaghetti sauce recipes and I have yet to find one that is as yummy as this one. It is a sweet sauce, so you might want to reduce the sugar if that isn’t your cup of tea. Unfortunately, I love all things sugar. It comes from my dear friend Amanda, who just gave birth a couple months ago to an adorable baby girl. Being that we have 3 boys, girls are a bit of a novelty here.  Anyway, here is the recipe. Just don’t do what I did once and accidentally substitute salt for the sugar when you’re making a triple batch! Yuck!

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 lb. ground beef

3 small cans tomato sauce (8 oz. each)

1 can tomato paste

enough water to make it as thin or thick as you like

4 tsp dried basil (of course, use fresh if you have it)

4 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp fresh ground pepper

2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper

salt to taste

3 bay leaves

1 tsp garlic powder (I use freash garlic, instead)

1 1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. rosemary (I don’t like the pine needly feel of rosemary so I usually grind it up in my coffee grinder)

Brown ground beef and onion. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for an hour or so. You can cook it longer or shorter or use you slow cooker. Like most spaghetti sauces, it’s pretty forgiving. Serve on top of spaghetti noodles with lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and hot, buttery garlic bread on the side.

Got to start somewhere….

Welcome! As a busy SAHM of 3 boys, 5, 2, and 10 months, my blogging time is few and far between to say the least. So I make no promises on how often I will be here! Right now, my 10 month old is sitting on my lap helping me type. This day started out late….my good intention is to get up with my husband (henceforth known  as DH) at 3:30! I know! Crazy! It’s nice though, because we get to have him home in the afternoon. Anyway, good intentions or not, I actually rose at 7. By the time muffins were made (should chocolate chips muffins even be called muffins?!) and eaten, kid’s dressed and baby nursed, it was time for school. This is our first official year of homeschooling. As a homeschool kid myself, I guess I should know what I’m doing, but it’s kind of intimidating to start the journey on the teaching side of things. Thankfully, my mom is just a phone call away (probably wishes she wasn’t some time!). It’s actually going quite well…..it’s very cool to see J. actually reading! Okay….maybe it’s just, “the bug said, “I can sing.”, but it’s still exciting. Ummm….I don’t really know how to punctuate that last sentence! Guess I’ll be working on grammar right alongside my kids.

To officially introduce myself, my name is Kristin. My three boys, I’ve mentioned above. J is 5, JJ is 2 (I know!…just trying to confuse everyone!), and Happy Baby is 10 months. My sweet husband works in computers. Thankfully, he is not a computer fiend. He is actually probably quite behind the times. He does keep my computer updated and running smoothly. In fact, he works on mine before he works on his. Isn’t he a sweetheart! 

I really started sewing when I was pregnant with my first child. I made him a quilt, which I’ve since done for each of our boys. My sewing was still very scarce back then. In fact, I hate to admit it, but I really didn’t like sewing at all! I know…gasp! I think I made two many attempts at clothes for me that ended up fitting my 12 year old sister instead. I’m not sure what really changed my mind about sewing. I think it might have been when I made a Soft Structured Carrier for the first time. 

It just looked so impressive (to me anyway). And I made it myself. No pattern. And no complete directions. So now here I am. With fabric threatening to take over our bedroom and a mini-sewing business up and running. My hope and plan is to be posting basic tutorials here for those of us who would like to learn some sewing skills or maybe just find out a new and easier way of doing things we already know. Stuff like, putting in zippers and snaps, hemming, and pleats. Nothing fancy or too earth shattering. Just the basics that when mastered, can make you capable of undertaking any sewing project you want. So stay tuned. I’m new to this blogging thing, but I hope to have one up soon, and hopefully a new one each week.

Fridays, however, will be devoted to another love….food! So check in each Friday for a recipe or two.

God bless and I’ll talk to you soon.

Kristin