Sew-Your-Own
Another hearthcraft style newsletter here — yes, l am aware that has been a few recently, and previously l would have worried about this.
I shared a note a couple of weeks ago about how this kind of concern prevented me from writing and sharing more last year, and that l have developed a renewed commitment to giving algorithms the middle finger, to publishing whenever the tiny amounts of time around mothering actually allow, to doing away with the aesthetically pleasing accoutrements, and just writing what and when l bloody well please.
The reality is that at the moment, sewing (and baking, incidentally) is in the realm of doable for me, so that’s what l have to offer and share with you.
These are a simple project you can make yourself, or like l have done this time around, gift them as part of a baby shower or postpartum gift.
I first made these breast pads when my daughter was a baby. Despite buying quite a few different brands of reusable breast pads and washing them religiously, l cut one open one day to discover that it had mould on the inside. Cue, melt down.
I did have one pair of wool and silk ones that l loved, but they needed to be hand washed and as anyone who has ever had a baby knows, anything that needs to be hand washed in those early days is laughable. Bordering on insanity. I did not need an additional thing added to my list.
Determined to find a solution, l decided to sew some from a wool blanket and a flannelette sheet l had because l knew l could put them in a delicates bag and chuck them on a wool machine wash. Perfect. And they were! I made a whole stack and they will serve me well the second time around too.
Wool provides a number of benefits.
It is moisture wicking and anti microbial, which are both a boon in a spot that is constantly warm, often soaked in leaking milk; a great climate for microbes to grow. The second is that wool is temperature regulating. I found the cotton/bamboo blend ones quite hot and sweaty. And the third benefit is that wool dried quickly. I had a winter baby and anything that could dry in a day was welcomed.
Wool Breast Pads
Materials
Old wool blanket
Old flanelette sheet or pjyamas — make sure it is 100% cotton and not a blend
10cm diameter-ish cookie cutter, jar, or glass
Needle and embroidery thread, sewing machine OR an over locker
Sewing scissors
Instructions
Using a heat erasable pen, trace around the cutter/jar/glass onto both the wool and the flanelette. Cut out
Pair one wool circle and one flanelette circle together, with the flanelette print facing up.
Join together by either:
Hand stitching the edge using blanket stitch.
Overlocking the edge. My preferred method.
Small zig zag stitch around the outside using a regular sewing machine. You might want to trim the edge after this.
And that’s it!
A lovely way to repurpose natural materials, create a reusable item, and gift something that will actually be useful.
Happy sewing,
Rachel x