Pocket Diapers

The previous type of cloth diapers I discussed were prefolds and covers. Prefolds have been around for quite a while and may seem old fashioned to many. This week I'm going to discuss one of the main types of modern cloth diapers. Pockets! There are so many great things about pocket diapers and a few draw backs that I'll go over.

First of all, pocket diapers can get pretty darn cute. They come in a variety of prints and colors from all different brands.

You get to choose your own absorbency. If you are using the diaper for nap time (like I do), you can add extra soakers into the diaper pocket.

I have NEVER ever ever had a poop blowout with one. Curious now??

They come in aplix (velcro) or snaps.

There are "one-size" varieties that you can use from birth to potty training. Oh the savings!!! Below is the same brand of diaper on the smallest setting (about 8 lbs) and on the largest setting (about 35 lbs)

The only real downside I can think of with these types are the repelling that happens if you get buildup on the material. It happens every couple of months with mine since we have hard water. All you need to do is strip them in the wash and they are back to new. Stay tuned for my washing routines.

DIY: Reusable Sandwich/Snack Bag

I've been wanting to make a reusable sandwich bag for a long time now. Not only will you save on plastic bags, your lunch will look a whole lot cuter. It took me a while to finally sit down and make one. I was mulling over the course of action to take for the entire week. There are quite a few different ways to make these and to be honest, I just winged this. I am happy with the way it turned out and I learned many lessons along the way. I will share what I learned with you so that you can bypass the learning curve.

I started with a color coordinating PUL fabric and regular fabric. Any woven cotton should be fine. My fabric is a printed duck canvas I found in the scrap bin at Hobby Lobby and the PUL can be found in the Babyville section at your local Jo-Ann Fabrics. You don't really need the PUL if you can't find it or don't want it. The purpose of it is to make your bag waterproof. If you are only planning to use your bag for sandwiches or snacks you shouldn't need it. Things like fruit or veggies, you might want to consider adding it.

To make mine sandwich-sized, I cut 7" by 17.5" rectangles, but you could make any size you want.

The next step is to place your fabrics color/print side together and pin around the edges. This is the first place I encountered a problem. I first tried to sew with PUL side down. Unfortunately, the white side of the PUL is a plastic. It stuck to my sewing machine and bunched. Luckily I caught it before it did any damage to the material. Then I tried it reverse, with the PUL up and the canvas down. Still not quite good. I don't have a walking foot, so I used a rolling foot. It still wasn't super, but it worked a bit better. So, if you are going to use the PUL, i'd recommend using a walking foot, or just skip the PUL altogether.

Sew about a quarter inch or less around the entire perimeter leaving about a 2-3 inch gap on one of the long sides. This is where you will be turning your fabric right side out again. When you are done, flip right side out and push the corners out gently with a pencil or chopstick or something shaped like that.

This is the next point where I made a mistake. I forgot to sew on the velcro. This made the very last step of my bag extremely difficult. But put it on NOW! Sew a strip of the loop side to the bottom of the print side, leaving about 1/4" from the edge. Flip your bag and sew a strip of the hook side to the opposite bottom on the PUL side, leaving 1/4" as well. 

Now fold PUL sides together to make your bag shape, leaving the flap where the velcro is. Fold in the bit you left unsewn and top stitch down the sides of the bag.

Now you have a sandwich bag! Just add a sandwich!

To clean your bag, simply toss it in the washing machine with any load. Turn it inside out and connect the velcro. I would recommend letting it air dry but you can also put it in the dryer on low.

Homemade Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza? We certainly do here! We love it so much we were getting delivery almost every other week. Not only is it expensive, it's really greasy. We decided to ditch the delivery tradition and start a new one. The dough isn't hard to make at all. It's even easier if you have a mixer with a dough hook. This recipe makes two 14 inch pizza crusts.


Pizza Dough:

4 cups of bread flour  (I like King Arthur unbleached)
1 tsp sugar
1 envelope instant dry yeast
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 Tbsp olive oil plus extra to grease bowl

Put the flour (I initially only added 3 and added the rest slowly after the water to ensure correct consistency), sugar, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. (you can proof the yeast first if you need.) Mix the ingredients. Slowly add the water, and then the olive oil, while mixing. Continue mixing until dough comes together into a ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it is a smooth, firm ball.

Use a little olive oil to grease the inside of a large bowl. Place the dough in the bowl and turn once. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let sit for about an hour or until dough has doubled in size.

Punch down dough and divide into two. Knead on lightly floured surface and place in separate bowls and cover. Let the dough rest for around 10 minutes.

Now comes the fun part.


Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Take your dough and flatten it onto your cooking surface, pizza pan, pizza stone, whathaveyou. (you can sprinkle bottom with corn meal if you like) Add sauce, cheese, and toppings however you like. Bake for 18 minutes and enjoy!

Ours has tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and turkey pepperoni. It was delicious!

Prefolds and Diaper Covers

The first type of cloth diaper I'd like to discuss in depth would be the prefold. I consider it to be not only the most economical, but also the most fool-proof diapering method. They can be made to fit around your baby with pins, a snappy, or boingos (I'll get to all those later) or tri folded and laid inside a cover. They don't repel liquid so you will rarely, if ever, have to worry about them leaking. I've never had a prefold leak. They also become more absorbent the older they get.

Washing prefolds is less of a hassle than other types with synthetic fibers since you don't have to worry as much about buildup and repelling. You should still use a cloth diaper safe detergent and no fabric softeners or dryer sheets since the fabric will be next to your baby's skin for long periods of time.

Prefolds and covers, in my opinion, provide the most bang for your buck. Prefolds cost anywhere from one dollar to about 3 per, depending on size, for cotton. If you go for a hemp option, they are a bit more pricey at 7 dollars a piece. Covers can range from 10 - 20 dollars or so. The prefold itself is what gets changed during a routine diaper change. A cover can last usually around 2 days, as long as no solid waste gets on it.

This is really the beginning of my cloth diaper series so links to more information will be added as I go along so feel free to keep checking back to your favorite diapers for future updates.

 Diaper rite size medium prefold in a newspaper fold and secured with bongos.

 Flip one size diaper cover in mirror.

Flip one size diaper cover in sassy with Osocozy better fit prefold in size infant.