BOISE CLOTH DIAPERS A Reference Website for the Treasure Valley in Idaho
KNITTING AND CROCHETING
Knitting or crocheting wool soakers is a lot of fun! Here are some references to help
you get started.
Buying Wool Yarn
Most fabric and craft stores sell lots of fluffy, trendy, acrylic yarns. You can sometimes find wool
yarn, but it is usually blended with cotton. You can use wool that is blended with acrylic or other man-made fibers,
but the higher the wool content, the less often you will have to wash your covers. I have heard that as much as 20% wool will
make a good diaper cover, but I always aim for 100% (or close) just to be safe. For a large selection of good quality 100%
wool yarn, go to a specialty yarn store.
Online Sources
Some online sources sell quality wool yarn for a fraction of the cost!
KnitPicks.com: Beautiful yarn at great prices! You will find 100% wool as
well as blends with silk, alpaca, and cashmere; all are great choices for diaper covers!
Scrounging Wool Yarn
You will find that good quality wool yarn is expensive. If you want to find wool yarn for a fraction of the cost,
try scrounging! Look for old sweaters or afghans that are made from soft wool, unravel the item, roll up the yarn into balls,
and start knitting. You may want to wash the wool before you make something new. For more information about recycling wool yarn,
read this excellent article.
When looking at thrift stores, don't forget to check the craft section. Sometimes you will get lucky and find unused wool
skeins. I'll
never forget the time I found a huge bag full of 100% wool yarn at Deseret Industries, it cost me $3.00!
If you find yarn that looks promising, but you are unsure of the contents, try the
burn test. This should
help you determine if the fiber is animal, vegetable, man-made, or a blend.
Knitting & Crocheting Patterns
The Great Wool Soaker Parade: This is a great reference
for every kind of knitting, crocheting, and sewing pattern available for wool soakers.
Free Patterns Curly Purly Soaker: Knitting pattern for a beautiful wool soaker.
The pattern is free, but paypal donations are accepted. Fern & Faerie: Patterns for knitting wool soakers.
Includes instructions for knitting flat or in the round. Ms. Crafty Galore: A wool soaker pattern
to knit in the round. Tiny Birds Organics Longies: Knitting
pattern for medium-size wool longies. Tiny Birds Organics Soaker: Knitting pattern for
large-size wool soaker. (Lots of pictures and instructions here.) Ruffly Soaker Wooly Britches: This is
a crochet pattern for a wool soaker. It is one of the posts on Mothering.com, so you have to be a member to see
it. (Joining is free and easy.) Born to Love Wool Soakers: Four patterns for wool soakers;
two for crocheting and two for knitting. Yahoo! Wool Soaker Group: Various Knitting and crocheting
patterns are available here. You have to be a member of the group to see the patterns (available in the "Files" folder).
It is free to join the group, just click on "Join This Group!"
Patterns for Purchase Little Turtle Knits: Lots of knitting patterns
here for soakers, longies, a wool wrap, and a cute skirt.
Fern & Faerie: Knitting patterns for soakers, longies, wraps, and footed tights or longies. The patterns are available
through snail mail or instant download (same price).
Holy Sheep Yarns: Holy Sheep "Everything" Pattern for knitted soakers, shorts, and longies.
Every pattern includes instructions for three different gauges. Wooly
Wonder: Lots of different knitting patterns here!
