Still sewing...

There is a lot happening in our little family, but I am still working through the sewing list to re-stock Moondancemama at Ozebaby... soon!

This morning I've been working on the winner's custom order from the Buyena charity auction, and it is refreshing to be playing with fabric again :)

A few pics of some of the fabric I've been working with this morning - it has a lot of fine detail in the resistance-dyed pattern, v beautiful in real life.

Rainbows Post-Partum pad : hand-dyed purple BambooVelour top with a batik print quilting cotton back, 100%bamboo french terry soakers; snap-in booster of bamboo, hemp, batik print and seaspray PUL on the back... thinking I'll use my new heart engraved snaps (pic above) to finish this :)

Back on deck :)

...after a fantastic week of downtime :) V refreshed!

To quickly update - I have commitments this weekend, so will aim to finish sewing/snapping next week. Then list and preview.

Thanks for all your patience!

Offline for a few days...

I won't be online from Thur-Sun :) So if you need to contact me, I'll be checking messages Mon...

Something extra special :D

There's an extra special suprise in the pipeline here that I haven't shared with you yet... will keep it under wraps a bit longer, but just had to say how excited I am!!! Oh, and it is *sewing* - not family related, rofl.

I've had *so* much fun over the last few weeks, it's been fab to have time to sew and create and submerge myself in fabric again. Love the dyed fabrics, love the new Harmony Art prints, just *love* my Bamboo/Organic Cotton Velour!!

~happy dance~

:D

Easter Monday

Hot Chilli Mamas! I'm doing some funky boosters up for the Ozebaby stocking - a great cheap way to add a waterproofing option to your existing non-waterproofed pads :) They are the same size boosters as those in the Rainbows Flexis, but with a cotton print layer on the top. I really like this chilli print - and I remember when I bought it for my quilting stash... over 5 years ago, so it's kind of nice to be using it!!

Update on the pad sewing - the overlocker is still a problem, but I've overlocked all the PPs and Liners. Am cutting PUL for PP boosters now and hope to have them overlocked (fingers crossed) tomorrow. After that, still need to backthread ends and snap pads and boosters.

Then take pics, write descriptions, and upload for Previewing... we are away Thur-Sun so it won't be happening till next week at the earliest.

Hope everyone had a great Easter break! :)

Rainbows Custom auction on Buyena has started

This auction is to raise funds to help supply/ship cloth pads to charity and aid organisations for women in need. www.donatepads.org There are a series of auctions on Buyena, for a range of cloth pad brands. Please support this cause generously!

www.buyena.com

Here are the details for the Rainbows Custom auction :

*2 pads from the Rainbows mamapads range

*against-the-skin layer from my collection of natural fibre velours, including colourful cotton blends, organic cotton, bamboo/OC, and hemp velour. Hand-dyed fabrics are subject to availability. Silky soft Malden Mills microfleece and microchamois are available for people who prefer synthetic stay-dry tops. And a small amount of hand-dyed hemp-silk is also available for this auction.

*soaker layers of non/organic hemp or bamboo

*backing layers of non/organic hemp or cotton OR non/organic cotton prints from a huge range of quality fabrics (Liners and Flexis only)

*waterproof fabric from a range of 2mil PUL colours, OR superfelted wool interlock.

*plain or engraved resin snaps from a range of colours

On winning this auction please email me to let me know the styles you would like, and we can discuss your fabric choices. Please allow 3 weeks for delivery after finalising your choices. If you have any questions, please email me at moondancemama@hotmail.com

Have a look at my gallery pics on http://www.ozebaby.com.au/store.php?SS=4, read the info here, let your imagination go, and bid up to support other women!

Quick sewing update

The overlocker seems to be back in the land of usefulness, so I hope to get on it tonight.

PP pads are about 1/3 of the way through construction. Liners are 3/4 done.

I've ordered more engraved snaps, including a new heart design, so they should be here in time for snapping :)

Today we had swimming lessons, then the school cross country, and soon it will be school pick-up time. I've got some after-school chores to run around town before we can come home. The vege patch needs watering (bucketing rainwater) and it's washing day for school uniforms so we have enough for the week... and I need to help organise Show & Share for school on Thurs. So a few things to catch up on with the home front :) But we are getting there.

New Organic Prints from Harmony Art

These gorgeous low impact dyed prints (100% organic cotton) are winging their way across the ocean. They are from the Harmony Art collection www.harmonyart.com and appeal to me on several levels - I love the stories of their creation - and so many of my childhood memories are filled with the small things of nature, details of leaf veins and the patterns in bark... tiny treasures that you don't see until you are still for long enough... here are a few of my favourites : L to R - Pink Moon, Let It Grow, Silent Stumps

Rainbows Pads Specs and Fabrics

Specs for Rainbows Pads : there is some variation in measurements due to freestyle overlocking and fabric stretch.

Rainbows Post-Partum
pad + waterproof booster
heavy flow
32-3cm long, wing width 15.5cm, snapped crotch width 6-7cm
Velour top, hemp or bamboo internal soakers, hemp/cotton backing. Snap-on Booster of hemp or bamboo with PUL backing – this feature is unique to Rainbows designs.

Rainbows Maxi Quick Dry
AIO with waterproof strip
moderate flow
26-7cm long, wing width 15.5cm, snapped crotch width 6-7cm
Velour top, hemp back and fold-out soaker wings over wetzone, PUL strip on back of wetzone soaker – these soaker wings are unique to Rainbows designs.

Rainbows Flexi
pad + waterproof booster
moderate-light flow
26-7cm long, wing width 15.5cm, snapped crotch width 6-7cm
Velour top, hemp/bamboo internal soaker, hemp/cotton back. Hemp/cotton/bamboo and PUL backed Lay-in booster.

Rainbows Slim
AIO pad with waterproof strip
moderate-light flow
26-7cm long, wing width 15.5cm, snapped crotch width 6-7cm
Velour top, hemp/bamboo internal soaker, hemp/cotton back, PUL strip sewn to back.

Rainbows Liner
pad, no waterproofing
very light flow
21-22cm long, wing width 15.5cm, snapped crotch width 6-7cm
Velour top, bamboo/hemp internal layer, cotton print back

Rainbows Booster
booster only
24-25cm long, 6cm wide
PUL-backed hemp/cotton/bamboo Lay-in booster for extra absorbency and protection on non-waterproofed pads.

These designs are the same lengths and wing-widths as the originals, created in 2004/05.

Rainbows pads *are* a slim-cut, so if you prefer a wider-cut pad, or need a pad with a wide back/front section, I can recommend other brands that may suit your needs.



Fabrics :

I use stretch fabrics, or woven fabrics cut in a special way, to maintain the wing-stretch of the design - this gives the slim custom fit which is a feature of Rainbows mamapads.

Depending on which style you have purchased, the fabric combination will be from the following :
Cotton velour blend – 80-85% cotton, 20-15% polyester
Cotton velour white & natural - 100% cotton, 13oz/y
Organic velour - 100% organic cotton, 10.8oz/y
Bamboo velour – 70% bamboo, 30% organic cotton
Hemp velour - 48% hemp, 39% organic cotton, 13% poly
Velvet/velveteen – 100% cotton
Hemp fleece/terry – 45% cotton, 55% hemp
Hemp/OC fleece/terry - 45% organic cotton, 55% hemp
Bamboo Fleece (lightweight) & French Terry – 100% bamboo
Organic jersey - 100% organic cotton
Hemp jersey – 45% cotton, 55% hemp
Burley Knit Terry - 85% cotton, 15% polyester
Organic Heavy Wgt terry - 100% organic cotton, 19oz/y
Bamboo/cotton terry – 70% bamboo, 30% cotton
Organic Sherpa - 100% organic cotton, 16.25oz/y
Organic flannel - 100% organic cotton, 8oz/y
Corduroy – 100% cotton
Drill - 100% cotton
Flannellette – 100% cotton
Woven cotton prints - 100% cotton
Organic sateen & knit prints- 100% organic cotton dyed with low impact dyes
Hemp print - 60% hemp, 40% cotton
Hemp silk print - 60% hemp, 40% silk
Hemp silk Charmeuse - 60% silk, 40% hemp
Malden Mills microfleece & microchamois – 100% polyester
PUL – 100% polyester knit with 2mil polyurethane laminate
Wool interlock - 97% wool, 3% lycra

All knit fabrics and wool is hot washed and dried before cutting, to prevent shrinkage and colour run in the finished product.

Sunday night

The overlocker is still not on track, so I cut out the rest of the bamboo inners for the PPs and had some time cooking and hanging out with the kidlets. We had verjuice-roasted chook for dinner - yum!

There are actually a lot of pieces to go into Rainbows PPs - 5 different template shapes for the pad and 2 for the booster. All handcut, and re-trimmed before overlocking. And 11 separate steps in the construction process after that.

There was another step with all the pads - embroidering a symbol to show the front of the pad - but I've decided to drop this out from now on; it's time-consuming and often difficult to finish well. So I guess the best way to work it out will be to remember that the stud (stickyout part of the snap) is on the LHS... the front of Rainbows pads are slightly longer than the backs so it can be difficult to tell at a glance.

It's a school and kindy day tomorrow, so hopefully I can get the overlocker running smoothly with some quiet time.