- How do I know what size to order?
- How does fleece hold up?
- What's the difference between wool and fleece covers?
- How do I wash my wool?
- Where did all of your custom item listings go? Can I order a custom item?
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*PLEASE measure to ensure a proper fit* The soaker pattern I use is different than other patterns, and tends to run smaller compared to others, especially in fleece. My longies pattern is bigger in the hips than my soaker pattern, so you may need a different size depending on how the soaker fits.
Fleece is not as stretchy as wool (especially in the rise), but still has quite a bit of stretch. I try to list ranges for sizes. The rise listing is the measurements of the ITEM, not what rise it will fit.
I have a hard time giving age ranges for my items, as every baby is different and the diapers you use may be more/less bulky than others. I have some 5 months old who wear a Large, and some 2 year olds who wear a Medium. Please go by measurement rather than what you "think" they would wear. If they wear Medium diapers and Medium sweat pants, they may still need a Large soaker.
HOW TO MEASURE FOR A DIAPER SOAKER:
(For a photo tutorial, see my HERE)
Measure OVER the diaper(s) you'll be covering for Hip and Rise measurements. If you don't have a flexible tape measure, use a piece of string and the measure the results.
WAIST - measure around the waist, above where the diaper sits.
HIPS- Measure around the diaper, just below the waist. If your hips measurement is larger than the largest waist measurement, you won't be able to pull the soaker over the hips.
RISE - Measure from top of diaper, through the crotch, and up the back side to the top of the diaper on the back. You want your rise measurement to be LONGER than the actual rise of the diaper to ensure it is covered - as the soaker's rise is measured when flat, not with the bulk of the diaper inside it. Usually 2" more is sufficient.
THIGH - Measure around the thickest part of the thigh below the hip crease, on the skin.
NEW TO WOOL AND/OR FLEECE?
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Wool and fleece will both "compression wick" when the diaper is saturated and the child is sitting/laying. This means that you may feel dampness to the touch through their clothing even (depending on the amount of wetness). This is something you get used to (if you're new to breathable covers), and usually you won't have a "puddle" type wetness. The thickness of the wool and denseness of the fibers will also have an effect on the "waterproof" qualities of your cover. Some are more appropriate for for daytime use and others will work through the night.
Also, with either wool or fleece, the more frequently you change the diaper and the more absorbent the diaper, the less you'll have compression wicking.
Neither fleece or wool can contain a true "leak", for example over underwear or thin training pants. In this case, there is too much volume at once and it can't soak it up. For longies - since they do not fit as snug as a soaker, they are ONLY as effective as the cloth diaper underneath. If the diaper is not snug or absorbent enough, the longies will not prevent leaks down the legs.
I find I can use a single layer thickness fleece during the day very effectively and it reduces bulk a little bit. The doubler layer in the fleece does provide a little more thickness for the wetness to wick through, although with fleece, the fabric does not actually absorb any wetness.
You can read more about wool vs. fleece on my blog post here: http://winkydinks.blogspot.com/2009/09/wool-or-fleece-which-soaker-to-choose.html
LANOLIZING WOOL
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I send out washing instructions with my items, however if you've never lanolized wool before, there are some great online tutorials. (Usually your wool wash will also come with instructions.) Additional lanolizing is sometimes needed in addition to your regular wash routine, especially for night time use.
Tutorials (copy and paste into your browser):
http://www.diaperpin.com/clothdiapers/article_howtolanolizewool.asp
http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/lanolize.htm
FAQ's
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"I ordered several covers in the same size, but they fit a little differently"
-The type of fleece may make a difference, as well as some colors seem to be more stretchy than others. Even different bolts of the same color have been different. Also, since they are handmade, there may be slight seam variances, even though I try to make them as consistent as possible.
"What is the difference between anti-pill and blizzard fleece?"
-Anti-pill has a finish on one side that helps prevent pilling. Blizzard fleece does not. Some people are drawn to the words "anti-pill" because it suggests it will not pill. From using these soakers in my personal diapering routine, I can say that they both wear the same in the end, and wind up being pilly (anything would after 100 washes!)-though blizzard does pill up faster. So I choose to offer both, mostly because I can get colors in blizzard that I can't in anti-pill.
"How do I use my wool wash bar sample?"
- I keep a bar and liquid wool wash for different purposes. The wool wash bar is great for soils and stains. Dampen the wool, and gently rub the bar into the stain before your normal wash routine.
You can also make a lather with the bar in a sink full of warm water, then let your wool soak for 15 minutes or so. Usually no rinsing is necessary. Gently press out water, roll in a towel, and then reshape and lay flat to dry.
You can also read more about wool wash options here:
http://winkydinks.blogspot.com/2009/11/wool-wash-options.html
"Will my cover shrink?"
- All wool is pre-felted by doing 2 hot wash/dry cycles. This means it has already been shrunken quite a bit. Some fibers will continue to felt (shrink) if not properly washed.
- Fleece covers are made from 100% polyester and will not shrink whether air or machine dried on hot. However, airing them to dry will help to reduce pills. Generally, most people just toss them in with their diaper laundry.
-I send washing instructions with all of my items.
Here are some links to past reviews of my products:
