Home Made Cloth Wipes "Pattern"

      Since I've been in the mode of preparing for the baby, I thought I'd share some things that I do for my babies arrival. I've been one to use cloth diapers for all of my babies, and one of the things that grosses me out is to have to pick out disposable wipes from the cloth diapers. So while my first two were in cloth I came up with a simple wipe "pattern". Really its just a series of folds of a one yard piece of flannel material, which is then zig zagged around the edges to prevent fraying. If anything I promote frugality, but whats more is I love combining it with simplicity. I've seen some wipe styles with flannel on one side and toweling on the other, or varying methods, but this is even simpler. I hadn't planned on the fact that my children liked the wipes so well, that during and after they were potty trained they refused to give up their flannel wipes. Not liking the thin and stick to your bottom toilet paper, my children refused to use it.

      Now I know that this might sound odd to many people, but as I also sew my own ladies monthly items, it occurred to me that the cloth might just be the ticket. Finding myself out of toilet paper and desperate, I had to use the children's wipes one day. Wow. Call me weird, gross crazy or whatever, but I found out why the children preferred them over the toilet paper- the flannel was SO MUCH softer and easier on a person than that store-bought stuff! I was hooked. So I bought my own yard of material and have been using cloth wipes for myself ever since (about 3 years going now). Throw them in the wash with the diapers and add a touch of bleach to each load and they are good as new. My husband- a stickler on bathroom propriety was forced to use them one day. And although he doesn't make it a constant habit, told me that they were so much easier on him than the toilet paper for certain "issues". So for good measure I picked up some more flannel and made him his own for emergency situations.

      So whether you choose cloth for yourself, your whole family, or just your baby you can save a lot of money (I about gagged the last time I went to buy my husband a large package of tp at Walmart and saw the price tag!), not to mention if you are a greenie, your impact on that whole issue. For the 1 yard of material ( anywhere from $1 to $3.50 a yard) I have designer wipes that last me about a year. So for our family that means for the price of one package of tp from Walmart I can have softer, prettier, better quality, more durable butt wipe than anyone I know for a whole year! The kids also love getting to pick out their own print every year.

      Hopefully these pictures are pretty straightforward and easy to understand.

 Some things to remember:

• Edges do not have to be perfectly straight (no one brings a t-square to the bathroom).
• Be careful not to cut too many layers at the same time as it forms a wrinkle on the inside of the fold which makes for jagged edges.
• If you do get a jagged edge just even it up. We aren't looking for perfection, just uniform size and shape.
• Backstitch the beginning and ending zigzag or run over the start of the zigzag as a way to secure the ends and keep them from coming out.
• You may wash material before starting, but I usually don't. 

 

 

      Zigzagging around the edges are all that's left to do. If you have a child that is capable of using a sewing machine on their own, this is a good repetitious project they can help with. If you have any questions feel free to ask. If you'd like to see a clip of what the zigzagging looks like check out my new video where I use the zigzagging foot on my treadle strait-stitch Singer. If you want zip to the last few seconds to see the finished stack of zigzagged wipes.

      

 

      Hope this helps you get some wipes ready for baby or stashed away for when wipes are no longer available or affordable. Hey, who knows it may even save your own rear some day! ;-)

--Jamie