Monday, April 16, 2012
Sierra has decided that she wants to do Saxon Math next year instead of Horizons. I'm completely fine with that. Not only does it save me money (I can borrow everything for Saxon from Option/APEX), but it seems to have less busy work, fewer lessons, and more explanations. Besides, I was planning on making the switch to Saxon some time in the near future anyway. Horizons only covers K-6.
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Happy 10th Sierra!
My oldest is now a decade. Boy does time fly!
The girls helped decorate the cupcakes. Blake put on the leaves.
Happy Birthday Sierra!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
How to make a Pocket Diaper, BG style
I'm in the process of making my own cloth diaper patterns from retail diapers that I like, both for myself and for my mom who likes to sew things for her grandkids. So, I thought, since I need to write up the instructions for my mom anyway, I'd put them here for anyone who is curious. I hope it makes sense.
Make Your Pattern (or get one from someone else)
With a lot of tracing, stretching, and measuring, you can make a pattern for any diaper you are determined to copy. Here's the one I made for this diaper.
Then cut out the pieces.
Now to make your pocket, where the absorbent soaker will be stuffer inside the diaper.
Match up the line on the suedecloth inner layer and the pocket liner, right sides facing each other. Sew 1/4 inch above, below and to the side of the line, creating a long, 1/2 inch wide rectangle.
Cut through both layers along the line, cutting at angles inside the corners of the rectangle.
Flip the pocket liner to the wrong side of the suedecloth inner layer through the slit, secure with pins, and sew down to secure at 1/8 inch and 3/8 inch from the hole.
To make the pocket cover, hem one of the long sides 1/4 inch, then again at 3/8 inch.
Baste pocket cover over pocket hole in the suedecloth inner layer, both pieces facing up.
Finish the inner layer by sewing on the inner tabs and inner front strip, matching front sides together along edges. (Oops, I forgot to sew on the pocket cover before doing this and had to unpick).
Secure the seams by folding them open and topstitching the seam flat at 1/8 inch over seam allowance.
Now for the Outer layer.
Baste PUL linning to outer PUL layer, both facing wrong side.
Sew outer PUL tabs to Outer PUL layer, right sides facing. Fold open and top stitch down at 1/8 inch.
To place snaps on the diaper front, poke a hole through the 2 layers of PUL fabric with an awl.
Push the cap peice through the hole, lay the stud or socket piece on top, and clamp together with the pliers. If the snap has a hard time snapping together, use the pliers agin and be sure to pinch the snap all the way down.
Time to sew the inner and outer layers together. Pin them, right sides facing each other, and sew together at seam allowance, reinforcing your stitching at tab corners
Flip the diaper right side out through pocket hole. Press seams flat. Sew 3/8 inch from edge where the elastic will go to create an elastic casing. Top stitch all other seams, starting 1 inch away from elastic casing, at 1/8 inch to secure.
For elastic, turn the diaper inside out again, attach a safety pin to the end of 1/4 inch elastic, secure other end to seam allowance just outside of the casing, and work it through the casing. Pull elastic to desired length, and attach to the seam allowance just outside of casing on the opposite end from before.
Turn right side out again, and place snaps on the tabs.
Make Your Pattern (or get one from someone else)
With a lot of tracing, stretching, and measuring, you can make a pattern for any diaper you are determined to copy. Here's the one I made for this diaper.
Interior layer, pocket liner, and pocket cover all made of suedecloth (a polyester fabric similar to velvet used to wick away the moisture from the baby's bottom)
Exterior layer, tabs, and inner front strip PUL (polyurethane laminated cloth used for a waterproof layer)
PUL lining, (to stabilize the snaps on the PUL outer layer)
Then cut out the pieces.
Suedecloth inner layer, pocket lining and pocket cover.
Outer PUL, tabs, and inner front strip
PUL lining
Now to make your pocket, where the absorbent soaker will be stuffer inside the diaper.
Match up the line on the suedecloth inner layer and the pocket liner, right sides facing each other. Sew 1/4 inch above, below and to the side of the line, creating a long, 1/2 inch wide rectangle.
Cut through both layers along the line, cutting at angles inside the corners of the rectangle.
Flip the pocket liner to the wrong side of the suedecloth inner layer through the slit, secure with pins, and sew down to secure at 1/8 inch and 3/8 inch from the hole.
To make the pocket cover, hem one of the long sides 1/4 inch, then again at 3/8 inch.
Baste pocket cover over pocket hole in the suedecloth inner layer, both pieces facing up.
Finish the inner layer by sewing on the inner tabs and inner front strip, matching front sides together along edges. (Oops, I forgot to sew on the pocket cover before doing this and had to unpick).
Secure the seams by folding them open and topstitching the seam flat at 1/8 inch over seam allowance.
Now for the Outer layer.
Baste PUL linning to outer PUL layer, both facing wrong side.
Sew outer PUL tabs to Outer PUL layer, right sides facing. Fold open and top stitch down at 1/8 inch.
To place snaps on the diaper front, poke a hole through the 2 layers of PUL fabric with an awl.
Push the cap peice through the hole, lay the stud or socket piece on top, and clamp together with the pliers. If the snap has a hard time snapping together, use the pliers agin and be sure to pinch the snap all the way down.
Time to sew the inner and outer layers together. Pin them, right sides facing each other, and sew together at seam allowance, reinforcing your stitching at tab corners
Flip the diaper right side out through pocket hole. Press seams flat. Sew 3/8 inch from edge where the elastic will go to create an elastic casing. Top stitch all other seams, starting 1 inch away from elastic casing, at 1/8 inch to secure.
For elastic, turn the diaper inside out again, attach a safety pin to the end of 1/4 inch elastic, secure other end to seam allowance just outside of the casing, and work it through the casing. Pull elastic to desired length, and attach to the seam allowance just outside of casing on the opposite end from before.
Turn right side out again, and place snaps on the tabs.
Congradulations! You're done.
It's all coming together!
I've been working hard on my basement these last couple of weeks, and it has shown vast improvement. The two bedrooms are completely wall boarded, and now the Rec Room and hallway have a ceiling! Just two more walls full of doors, and I'll be done with the wallboard! Hooray!
I'll be stopping for about a month though as I start grading papers again, but hopefully in the few weeks prior to D day, I'll be able to tape, texture and paint. Sierra and Bailey could actually have their own rooms before their baby sister makes her appearance. Wish me luck!
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