Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

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Heloise
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Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 12:11 pm

Re: Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

Post by Heloise »

gaylejackson2 wrote:Have you ever made cloth menstrual pads?
I have and loved them. Never went back to using disposable pads again.
gaylejackson2 wrote:Regarding the cloth menstrual pads, I know there are patterns for these, but again I had remembered a post from several years ago where someone (or more) had made her own. I wondered what kinds of fabric was used, how many layers, also if you'd made separate ones for light days & heavy days, etc.
I used a few old baby cloth diapers I had leftover from when my kids were little. I made both daytime and nighttime pads, the nighttime pads were considerably more bulky than the daytime pads. If I recall correctly, I remember using 8 layers of flannelette to form each pad, and I made the pads larger than normal. I didn't hourglass them or anything, just made them a standard rectangle shape, and I made snap-up waterproof liners for them using a couple of old pairs of baby rubber pants.
gaylejackson2 wrote:I don't really have any ideas about making my own, other than my undergarments are not typical, so "wings" won't work with my clothes.
I would search the web and find a pattern or style you like, then turn one pad out to try. They don't have to be fancy, just absorbent and comfortable, and if I were making pads today, I'd use waterproof nylon instead of plastic or vinyl for the durability factor.[/quote]
gaylejackson2
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Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:13 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

Post by gaylejackson2 »

Heloise wrote:
gaylejackson2 wrote:Have you ever made cloth menstrual pads?
I have and loved them. Never went back to using disposable pads again.
gaylejackson2 wrote:Regarding the cloth menstrual pads, I know there are patterns for these, but again I had remembered a post from several years ago where someone (or more) had made her own. I wondered what kinds of fabric was used, how many layers, also if you'd made separate ones for light days & heavy days, etc.
I used a few old baby cloth diapers I had leftover from when my kids were little. I made both daytime and nighttime pads, the nighttime pads were considerably more bulky than the daytime pads. If I recall correctly, I remember using 8 layers of flannelette to form each pad, and I made the pads larger than normal. I didn't hourglass them or anything, just made them a standard rectangle shape, and I made snap-up waterproof liners for them using a couple of old pairs of baby rubber pants.
gaylejackson2 wrote:I don't really have any ideas about making my own, other than my undergarments are not typical, so "wings" won't work with my clothes.
I would search the web and find a pattern or style you like, then turn one pad out to try. They don't have to be fancy, just absorbent and comfortable, and if I were making pads today, I'd use waterproof nylon instead of plastic or vinyl for the durability factor.
[/quote]

Thanks for your ideas, Heloise.
Heloise
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Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 12:11 pm

Re: Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

Post by Heloise »

Gayle. I just looked at one of the old daytime pads I made and I used 10 layers of flannelette to fabricate.
frugalmom
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Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:52 pm

Re: Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

Post by frugalmom »

[quote="gaylejackson2"]Okay I warned you all in today's (Nov 26, 2016) daily check-in that I was going to ask about 2 things that I think I recall having been discussed in the past. So without further beating around the bush, here goes.

Have you ever made 1) your own dryer balls, wool or not? 2) cloth menstrual pads? (yeah not a ? for the men on here, sorry guys if you startled at reading this.)

1)- Regarding the dryer balls, several years ago back when FL still lived at About, I seem to recall someone (or more than one) saying how she'd made a wool cloth ball shape then stuffed with quilt batting or pieces of cut up holey socks (with 7 of us, there's always holey socks to be found). i was wondering how that worked out for you, and what, if anything, you'd do differently?

So I was thinking that I'd crochet or knit, likely crochet as knitting still isn't quite my forte though I love it, a 100% wool yarn ball, then fill it with cut up holey socks. OR I'd make sock pieces into a ball, wind 100% wool yarn around it, then perhaps cover that with a crocheted wool cover -- as I've been reading about people making dryer balls out of wool yarn wound up in balls, but that some of the yarn was coming unwound despite its felted state.

2) Regarding the cloth menstrual pads, I know there are patterns for these, but again I had remembered a post from several years ago where someone (or more) had made her own. I wondered what kinds of fabric was used, how many layers, also if you'd made separate ones for light days & heavy days, etc.

I don't really have any ideas about making my own, other than my undergarments are not typical, so "wings" won't work with my clothes. Also, I've been thinking/wondering some time now about if the chemicals in the commercial pads are making my periods heavier... or perhaps its my own imagination.

I have never used dryer balls! What is that for? I don't use anything-just dry and sometimes like if flannel pajama pants have static I just shake it out and I think it must discharge the static cling bc it is ok after. Rest of my clothes dry fine. I think I read somewhere in my pursuit of frugality that people use tennis balls in the dryer-Idk if that was for the same concept but I think I read that before!

Pads! I am so happy I am finally not needing them anymore(well it has been like 2 months so far!)-yippeee! BUT the downside is even though I look young still at 50- I look 35 yo most people tell me-BUT now with a decrease in estrogen, I may start to look old quickly now among other problems and risks.
gaylejackson2
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Joined: Tue Sep 08, 2015 1:13 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

Post by gaylejackson2 »

EllenMarie wrote:I have never used dryer balls! What is that for? I don't use anything-just dry and sometimes like if flannel pajama pants have static I just shake it out and I think it must discharge the static cling bc it is ok after. Rest of my clothes dry fine. I think I read somewhere in my pursuit of frugality that people use tennis balls in the dryer-Idk if that was for the same concept but I think I read that before!

Pads! I am so happy I am finally not needing them anymore(well it has been like 2 months so far!)-yippeee! BUT the downside is even though I look young still at 50- I look 35 yo most people tell me-BUT now with a decrease in estrogen, I may start to look old quickly now among other problems and risks.
There are 2 types of dryer balls that I know of, the knobby ones, and ones made from wool. The wool ones are there to absorb moisture and fluff clothes, and the knobby ones also fluff clothes but are supposed to decrease static. I use some of each together.

Yay for you, EM, not needing pads anymore. I'll be 42 next week, and I seem to still need them awhile longer. ;) I might actually look forward to menopause so that hot flashes will keep me warm. :lol:
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MackerelCat
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Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: Have you ever made... (2 more questions)

Post by MackerelCat »

Gayle, regarding using cloth pads with your not-typical undergarments, you might consider this:

You are probably too young to remember this, but back before disposable pads had adhesive backing, women had to wear a little elastic sanitary belt that rode low on the hips and had a fastener back and front to hold the pads in place. My mom was old-fashioned and I had pads with a belt until I was old enough to go buy my own monthly supplies, which would have been about 1979!

Since you are a good seamstress, you could easily make a belt and modify cloth pads so that they have the little soft cloth tail on each end that attaches to the fasteners on the belt. Or make the pads longer and put snaps or buttons on the tails so that they fasten over the elastic belt.

Walmart still sells the sanitary belts, but it's criminal to charge that much for some elastic and a couple of fasteners: https://www.walmart.com/ip/DMI-549-9520 ... 3=&veh=sem
Mackie
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