Applying the Science of Cloth Diapering....in a new way!

Wow! It is going to take me all week to tell you about what has been going on around our house this past week!! We've gotten a lot done; unfortunately, that didn't really include dishes, laundry, etc... Recently, a friend of mine (who lives out of town) broke her foot, and she has been having trouble getting out and about because her toes get cold and she can't risk getting her cast wet! So....this weekend I took all I had learned from the cloth diapering industry and made her some "cast covers!" From what I have been able to tell, the only things available are little sock footies (which do not insulate well from the cold) and some plastic bag looking things that can be submerged a few times before wearing out. (There was also one that looked kind of like rubber gloves, but it didn't last very long either.) The ones I made are pink (She loves pink), washable, and adorable (in my opinion)!

The footies

First up we have the double lined fleece footies! As we know from cloth diapering, fleece is warm and repels moisture to an extent!! I made two of them so they don't have to be washed every day! I just cut out four semi-circles, sewed them together, turned them inside out so the seam was on the inside with two piece on each side, and sewed a casing for the elastic. I knotted the elastic very loosely and left it hanging out so that it could be adjusted since I didn't actually have her here to try them on!

See the water pooling on the cloth after being treated with waterproof spray?

Next up we have the waterproof cover. I had wanted to use PUL fabric like is used by many of the cloth diapering companies, but you have to mail order it. Instead, I bought cotton knit fabric, shrunk it in the wash and dryer, and had my husband spray it with Silicone Water-Guard. (The can didn't say whether or not it was safe during pregnancy.) He did on application on each side, hung it up to dry outside for the afternoon, and it worked great!!!! I poured water on top of the fabric and watched it roll around on top of the fabric as my hand moved! The fabric did not even get damp and still felt like regular cotton knit fabric! I think the fabric can still be put in the washer and dryer, but I haven't tested it.

The waterproof cover...adorable fabric if I do say so myself.....way better than the mauve that was also available!!!

I cut out a very loose "Christmas stocking" because I wanted to make sure it fit over the entire cast. I then "sewed" it together using Sewing In a Tube. It is basically fabric glue. It works really well, survives both washing and drying, and allowed me to avoid poking tiny needle holes in the fabric! After turning it right side out, I applied the soft side of velcro, again using Sewing In a Tube. There is a detachable piece of the rough side of velcro so the closure can be adjusted to as tight as necessary. This should keep water completely away from the cast no matter what the weather! However, as a back-up we have....

The wool stocking...formerly a dance legging!

The wool stocking! As we know from the cloth diapering industry, wool is also good about repelling moisture and can be quite warm. This outer layer will serve to reinforce both of the previous two layers. For this layer, I took an old dance legging, cut off one end, and sewed it closed. It will also help to hold everything together in the event that the waterproof cover is a little loose.

Not only are the covers pink and adorable, but they are also machine washable, light weight, breathable, adjustable, and flexible (meaning you don't have to wear all three layers at once).....all things I have come to love about the cloth diapering industry! I just hope they work as well as the cloth diapers do!