Crafty Herbal Knitter

 Wow, this past week flew by for me. I have been busy starting several new knitting projects. I’m also trying to plan what my next dyeing experiment is going to be. I have really been getting into knitting wool diaper soakers for Princess A. A few months back I knitted her two of them and have only recently really started using them. She broke out in a major diaper rash overnight several days ago. It was so bad that I ended up only using the wool soakers with her cloth diapers to see if they would help clear it up since they “breath” better then the diaper covers I normally use. I was very surprised by how much they did help out in clearing up the rash. Actually, I was so impressed that the wool soakers are the only covers I have been using on her now. However, I don’t have that many made so I have been frantically knitting away trying to get some more made for her.

Do an internet search for knitted wool diaper soakers and you will find there are several sites that offer some pretty nice patterns for free. I have personally made soakers from these sites: punk knitters and Curly Purly. Some others that I have not tried out but am wanting to are: tinybirdorganics soaker, tinybirdorganics longies, and doodlepants.

So far, my favorite place for diaper soaker patterns is Little Turtle Knits. These patterns need to be purchased but they are worth it. They are nicely customizable and the pattern is very thorough. Currently on my needles is their pattern for the hybrid rib soaker. I’m also almost done knitting up their pattern for the undersoaker. I just need to finish the leg cuffs on that one. I’m also planning on making their picky pants pattern because I want some warm wool pants that can double as her soaker for the winter. I will try to get some pics of finished soakers up here soon…..

When you finish knitting a wool diaper soaker you should lanolize it first before using it. This helps to make it more water proof. To do this, I add a small dollop of lanolin to a coffee mug of boiling water and stir till it is all melted. Then I whisk in a drop or two of dish soap to suspend the melted lanolin. This I add to a sinkful of warm water. Then I add my diaper soakers and let them “soak” :-) for a half hour or so. This step really does help because I have tried lanolizing the soaker before use and I have tried not lanolizing them at all. Lanolizing them first really makes a difference in how water repellant they are. Also, when they are soaking in the lanolin solution, you could add a few drops of essential oils for scent and for their antibacterial properties. Some oils you could use include lavender and tea tree (great for if you are dealing with yeast infections). These are both effective and safe for use around baby.

Happy Cloth Diapering!

Filed under: Cloth Diapers, Essential Oils, Knitting on October 9th, 2007