Carissa was kind enough to give me a few tips on knitting soakers and recommended I start with this pattern:
Yarn: Nature Spun Worsted Weight
Color: Eucalyptus
Needles: US 3, 5 & 7 16" Circulars, US 3 DPNs
Size: Newborn
Color: Eucalyptus
Needles: US 3, 5 & 7 16" Circulars, US 3 DPNs
Size: Newborn
What I like about this soaker is the way a series of ribbing extends well into the body. This should insure a snug fit that won't shift around and will look neat under clothing. And if the the rise is too high, just fold down the top like you would the ribbed brim of a hat. This soaker may end up being my favorite, especially if it functions as well as I think it will, but I wanted to try out some other patterns too.
Yarn: Nature Spun Worsted WeightColor: Eucalyptus and Silver Sage
Needles: US 3 & 6 16" Circulars and US 6 DPNs
Size: Newborn
I think this design is better suited for wearing outside of clothing, like a pair of shorts. What attracted me to this pattern is the garter stitch seat. The idea is to provide a thicker fabric in the area where it is needed most. I think it's super cute! It's wider than the previous soaker and the one below, but the leg openings are more to the front, so I think the extra width will end up being in the back. This is probably a good thing since cloth diapers tend to be bulky there.
Yarn: Lion WoolColor: Midnight Blue
Needles: US 5 & 7 16" Circulars and Size G Crochet Hook
Size: Newborn
I love the unique design features of this one: the ribbed crotch and the leg gussets. However, I might lengthen the rise next time and add a few more short rows. A big plus with this pattern is that it is written for two weights of yarn: worsted and dk. So just about any yarn you have in your stash will work. The crochet hook is needed to single crochet an edge around the leg opening. I'm not a crocheter, but I didn't find this hard to do.
I'll be knitting more soakers in the future but for today, this is the end.
Those look great! I've been meaning to try out the LTK Ribby soaker, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. You are such a sweet friend!
ReplyDeleteThe soakers are cute. I like the one with the high rise waist. Do these go over the diaper itself or over plastic pant that are over the diaper? Can you tell it's been a while?
ReplyDeleteAll too cute! Nice job!
ReplyDeleteAdorable!! I was in the cloth diapering ravelry group for a while so I could learn about soakers (actually I think the group is called Soakers and Longies or something like that). Anyway, one critically important bit of info was about adding Lanolin to the surface by spray or rubbing lanolin cream on the inside of the soaker so it is actually waterproof! That was a big Lightbulb Moment for me when I had wondered for YEARS how this concept worked!
ReplyDeleteLOVE LOVE LOVE your handspun pillow. Must make one of those with my handspun!
SO envious of your Bluebonnets - looks like a great year for them! XOXOXOX
The soakers are darling. Let us know how they work out for your friend.
ReplyDeleteThe Curly Purly is my favorite. I used cloth diapers with my first but that was back in the day when I had no idea how to knit or how wool behaves. I'll be on the lookout for someone who uses cloth so I can try these patterns out.
ReplyDeleteAdorable post. So Nicely put together.
ReplyDeleteIm going to have to knit a soaker. SOOOOOO, which is the easiest to knit???
Those turned out great! I don't know what I'm more jealous of... your knitting or your green grass! ;o)
ReplyDeleteThey are great! I'm sure they will be very ueseful for a cloth-diapered baby!
ReplyDeleteYour washing line is enough to make a middle aged mum go all broody! What lovely soakers:)
ReplyDeleteLove the pics of the wild flowers too. Looks so much more spring like than wet and windy Wales, UK!
Those look adorable! I wish I'd known how to knit when my babies were in cloth diapers - I ended up buying soakers for them!
ReplyDeleteThe added lanolin is a plus, but you can tell the mom how to do it and let her add it if she likes. I added it to mine by melting a spoonful of lanolin in very hot water, then immersing the soaker in it. After it dried it was perfect. And every time I had to wash the soakers (which wasn't very often) I re-lanolined them.
I LOVE that pattern! You did awesome!
ReplyDeleteAutumn Beck
http://allaboutclothdiapers.com
Your soakers are so cute and I like the way you displayed them hanging on the line.
ReplyDeleteGirl, these are so cute! Very sweet, and nice gifts.
ReplyDeleteThose are so cute; they almost make me want to have a baby!
ReplyDeleteYour friend will be SO blessed. :-)
Adorable! I bet you can't wait to see a baby in those.
ReplyDeleteThe bluebonnets took my breath away. I am longing for spring.
Those soakers are just adorable! I have never heard of soakers before. Sounds interesting. I'll have to check them out. With babies on the way this summer this may be a nice gift.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely selection of soakers. I wish I knew how to knit when my babies were little (though, come to think of it, there probably wouldn't have been much time to knit -- or rather, they would have outgrown it faster than I could knit it -- ha!). Nice job on yours!
ReplyDeleteExcellent! I've been wondering about some good soaker patterns. Perhaps I'll get a chance to whip a couple of these up.
ReplyDeleteThe few wool soakers I had back in the day were never that adorable. Mine were a very boring, blah grey. I'm loving yours much more!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely and thoughtful gift! It's about time here for Nana to start knitting soakers :)
ReplyDeleteWow! lovely work. I have a friend trying cloth diapering this summer, so I wanted to make her a couple soakers to test it out. Thanks for reviewing three patterns!
ReplyDeleteDo you know where I can find the second soaker you made (Bootie Extreme Soaker) The link doesn't work and I'm desperate to find one that looks like it's easy enough for me but also looks cute. Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteMy best advice is to try contacting the designer, Jessica Meredith. I believe she removed the pattern from her website to make some changes to it, but I don't think she ever published it again. Here is a link to her blog: http://sheknitsanddyes.blogspot.com or you can send her a message through Ravelry (free to join): http://www.ravelry.com/people/goknitanddye. ~Tracy
DeleteI'm looking for the The Curly Purly Soaker pattern. It's no where to be found. Anyone have it? Thanks - Future 1st time Aunt
ReplyDelete