Use Flannel Receiving Blankets to Make Cloth Baby Wipes

Cloth diapering is becoming a trendy practice for many parents. It is a great way to go green and you're also saving a ton of money. Many parents stop there with the cloth. Don't forget about another important factor of the equation, the wipes.

Disposable baby wipes take hundreds of years to decompose. We always hear about the diapers in the landfills, but no one ever mentions the wipes' impact on the Earth. Buying pre-made fabric wipes however can be quite an expense. If you have enough talent to sew a straight line, then making your own cloth baby wipes will be very easy for you to take on.

Chances are you got swamped with those flannel receiving blankets at your baby shower. In my case we got many with new ones and had old ones from our other children. These are perfect to make cloth wipes out of. The material is very soft. They usually comes in nice colors and patterns. I found that patterns were the best for wipes, because they hide any staining much better.

Cut your flannel into 8 x 8 inch squares. Some people make them an inch smaller on each side. I am a fan of using larger wipes. You will use less wipes per diaper change, and they really do cover more area.

You have two choices as far as how you choose to sew the wipes. If you sew them by hand, use pinking shears to trim the edges. This will prevent any fraying. Take two flannel squares, place them backsides together and sew them together.

If you can use a machine to sew them, you will end up with stronger edges. When I made wipes for my daughter I did them an with an extra step so that they would last longer.

First I laid two squares with pattern sides facing each other. I then pinned them together to avoid any sliding around during sewing. Next, I machine sewed with a zig zag stitch about a quarter of an inch in from the edge. This goes all the way around until there is about an inch left open. At this point reverse the fabric by pulling the inside out.

You should end up with the pattern back on the outside after you reverse it. It will look like a tiny pillow. Now go to the section that is left still open, and sew that closed. Continue to sew with the zig zag stitch all the way around the edges until you overlap slightly where you began.

This method includes an extra sewing step, but it is well worth it. I have never had one of my cloth wipes unravel. The extra round of stitching adds a decorative effect as well.

Have fun with your thread colors on the surface stitching. On my purple gingham wipes, I used a lime green stitching. On the pink wipes I used lavender stitching. Get creative and you'll have boutique looking baby wipes. Make at about 24 to make sure you have enough to always have them on hand.

Every time you change a messy diaper, you'll have something pleasant to work with. You'll also know that you're helping the environment and saving a lot of money at the same time.