Well. It’s the point of New Baby Prep in which I knit soakers. We cloth diaper our babies, and that means that we need barrier layers. In the old days, our parents used my mom calls “plastic pants” or “rubber pants.” These are bloomery-looking panites made out of plastic that go on over cloth diapers to keep whatever is coming out of the diaper from leaking out and getting all over everything.

Today’s cloth diaperers use a variety of barrier layers in place of these plastic pants. We’ve sought alternatives because the plastic pants don’t breathe, which isn’t good for baby’s skin. They also can be very tight at the elastic, which typically isn’t adjustable. Some materials that work great as barrier layers are:
PUL (polyurethane laminate fabric) which is normal fabric with a thin, breathable layer of poly adhered to it.

Polar Fleece which for some reason is very waterproof while still being breathable and not absorbing any moisture. I like this material because it’s easy to stitch up a bunch of little covers or pants in very little time.

Hankdnit wool classic, pretty, and really just wonderful. Wool can be up to 60% saturated with water and still not leak! When coated with lanolin (by a quick soak in “Lanisoh” dissolved in water) it is virtually waterproof.

Wool fabric commonly used as suiting material, this fabric has all of the properties of handknit wool while remaining relatively lightweight and easy to sew. Best with it contains a little stretch fiber as well. (I have not made any soakers using this fabric.)

Felted wool either handknit and felted or storebought as fabric or thrifted sweaters and then felted. Great because it can just be cut and sewn and tends to be thicker and more waterproof than straight-up handknit wool fabric and thus more waterproof. But also more stiff. Good for overnight use!

I made a bunch of soakers (above) for Mazie, many of which I donated to an organization that provides clean, used cloth diapering supplies to lower-income families. Now, it’s time to get started on New Baby’s stash.

I’m winding up some really soft Damask Rose Malabrigo worsted and plan to get started today at my Dr. appointment. Photos soon!

So, when my friend Kathryn moved to England, she left me a mostly-finished Simple Knitted Bodice that she had started. She thought the color didn’t work for her. I’m a purple fanatic, so of course I was elated to be gifted with the partially finished sweater and yarn.

I finished it just before our trip to Iowa over Christmas.


Mods: Ended the sleeves just after the raglan join, only did one purl ridge for the neckline trim, and extended the body by about 6 or 7 inches. I didn’t adjust the body shaping at all, just blocked it to be more blousy at the belly.

If I was making this from the start for myself, I’d have lowered the lace detail to actually be under the bust…but I think I could block it to be lower if I was really perfectionistic about that. I also assume that it will be under the bust after the baby’s born and my body’s back to normal.

Next year, when I don’t need a maternity sweater, I’ll just re-block it to be slimmer in front. Well, cross your fingers for me that I’ll be able to say that, anyway!

I’m trying not to gain as much weight with this baby, but I’m no Heidi Klum. (Heidi did a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 6 weeks after the birth of her last baby.)

Here I was at about 31 weeks:

Yes, there is something on my shirt…that area tends to collect things. String, food, whatever I bump into.