Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

Nicki’s Diapers Cotton Muslin Flats Review + Giveaway

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There’s a new product at Nicki’s Diapers and it’s simple, versatile and affordable – cotton muslin flats!

Nicki’s brand flats are made of a gauzy cotton muslin weave which is both lightweight and soft. Prices and sizes are as follows:

  • Small flats measure 28″x30″ and are $3.00 individually or $15.95 for six.
  • Large flats measure 31″x35″ and are $3.50 individually or $17.95 for six.

The small is bigger when padfolded than a Nicki’s standard cotton flat.

Performance: Estimating the absorbency of these muslin flats, I would say they are in between a flour sack towel and a standard 100% cotton flat (which has a denser weave). Size large padfolded with a hemp insert held Mary Kate (average wetter, age 18 months) all night.

The advantage you have with muslin is that it’s lighter, and allows for potentially more airflow. It would also be theoretically even easier to clean than a more dense cotton flat. For some families, I think it just comes down to aesthetics. You might really fall in love with the old-fashioned, springy, light-as-air look and feel of muslin.

The bright white is so fresh and pretty; they look like a dream blowing in the breeze on your clothesline. 🙂

And what’s really impressed me is the feel of these flats. They are very soft, even a little squishy, and don’t feel flimsy at all. And because they feel so wonderful, I’ve found they are an amazingly cheap alternative to pricey muslin blankets. You can get a 6-pack of the larges for close to the price of one Aden + Anais swaddle! Click here to shop at Nicki’s.

Care: Wash 2-3 times before using to remove natural oils and increase the absorbency. You do not have to dry them between wash cycles. They will shrink up to 15% in size after prepping, and this is normal. The look and feel will change as well, from a flat and smooth diaper right out of the package to a soft, quilty consistency.

I pull mine right out of the dryer and there are no wrinkles. They fold up beautifully.

Fit: Unless you are pinning the size small on a newborn or tiny infant, I think it works best padfolded. Size large is perfect for trying different folds. Either one can be tucked inside a pocket diaper in lieu of a synthetic microfiber pad. Size small when padfolded roughly corresponds to most diapers and covers on their small to medium settings; the same goes for large.

Muslin is easy to fasten (with Boingo’s or Snappi’s) or pin. The Origami Fold, shown here on Mary Kate, is one of my favorites because it’s narrow through the middle and gives you longer wings to work with on a bigger baby/toddler.

Other uses for Nicki’s cotton muslin flats:

  • Burp cloths
  • Spills
  • Lovey blanket
  • Baby shower gift – I think any new mother would adore these whether using cloth diapers or not!
  • Emergency nursing cover
  • Insert for pocket diapers
  • Booster for older babies and toddlers

Be sure to visit Nicki’s huge Fall Closeout Sale, with up to 50% off cloth diapers and accessories!

 

Where to Buy Nicki’s Cotton Muslin Flats:

Nicki’s Diapers – Sold exclusively at Nicki’s Diapers
with Free Shipping Over $10

Remember that for every Nicki’s brand flat or prefold
you buy, 1 is given to a child in need!

Giveaway: CLOSED My readers in the US and Canada can enter to win a 6-pack of Nicki’s Cotton Muslin Flats, in either size small or large! Use the entry form below to get started. Good luck!

*New* Imagine Stretchy Bamboo Flat Diapers

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This post contains affiliate links.

Imagine Baby is constantly innovating, and the happy result of that is a brand new product for 2018 – stretchy bamboo flat diapers! You can find them right now at Nicki’s with free shipping.

These new stretchy flats are made with the same 100% bamboo viscose as the Imagine 2.0 bamboo AIO diaper. One side is smooth and the other is a fine bamboo loop terry. They are available right now in one size, which is roughly 27 inches square.

Here are some of the questions I had about the Imagine stretchy flats that we purchased, and what I learned after testing:

Do they shrink? Before washing, the Imagine flats were about 27 inches square, with one side being slightly longer. After washing and drying once, there was almost no shrinkage (maybe an 1/8 of a inch or so).

Do they work with diaper fasteners? I tested with Boingo’s and Snappi’s, and both grip just fine, but they can create tiny little snags if you’re not super careful. I want to keep mine looking as nice as possible for a long time, so I’ve been mostly padfolding.

How stretchy are they? Although the fabric does not have any spandex in it, there is some natural stretch since it is one thin layer of bamboo. Pull one way and you get a little stretch; pull another and you get a lot more (i.e. two-way stretch).

What size baby will they fit best? Most stretchy bamboo flats are available in different sizes. A typical infant size might be 24″ square, while for a toddler you would buy 28″ square. Imagine stretchy bamboo flats are available right now in one size – 27×27 (approximately) – which is a kind of middle ground. When padfolded, they are 14×5 inches, putting them in the medium to large size range. So they will work best for older infants and toddlers.

If you prefer to fold and pin your flats, the fold might be slightly off on one side since these diapers are not perfectly square. When I did Happy Anteater for Mary Kate, the wing on the left was slightly longer, but it doesn’t matter after the diaper is all pinned up and tucked under a cover.

You can fold the Imagine stretchy flats to a smaller size, but they get really bulky. Here’s a regular pad fold next to my original “Mini Pad Fold.” I would be so grateful if Imagine would make a small or newborn size stretchy flat available! Wouldn’t they be lovely pinned on a little newborn??

My Mini Pad Fold tutorial for flat diapers works great for newborns and very small infants.

Do they hold their shape? Yes! The edges stay pretty flat, too, but not as flat as a high-end luxury diaper.

Do they stain easily? Not as much as a cotton flat, so that’s good.

Are they better than regular flats? In order of absorbency, I would say first comes the 100% cotton flat. Then a bamboo/cotton flat. And then these. Imagine stretchy flats have a huge edge in absorbency compared to a plain cotton flat diaper.

Additionally, the two-way stretch gives you a better and more comfortable fit when pinning or fastening around your baby. The fabric is also much softer than cotton, or bamboo/cotton blend.

Are they a good value? As far as “stretchy flats” go, absolutely! Granted, stretchy flat diapers are a sort of cloth diapering paradox in that flats are traditionally a low-cost option, but the stretchy bamboo WAHM versions are definitely not cheap. An old school cotton flat might be just one or two dollars; luxury flat diapers may cost $10 each. However, Imagine Baby Products has bridged the gap by creating a stretchy flat diaper with some of the “luxury” features, yet with a median price tag of $6.65 each.

How do they compare to other stretchy flats? I’ve tried the “Sweet Iris type” flats before and Nicki’s share some of the same characteristics: they are one stretchy layer, they are serged at the edges, they have a smooth side and a terry side, and so on. Some additional features you might find in a “luxury” flat would be more high-end thread, the addition of organic cotton for more softness, the addition of spandex which gives 4-way stretch, corners that lie flatter, and that they are tagless.

Suggested improvements? As mentioned above, I would like for Imagine to make these tagless! If Imagine added any more luxury features (mentioned above) then the price would go up, which would sort of defeat the purpose of what they are trying to accomplish with this middle-range flat. I’d also love to see a small/newborn size in the future.

Any other thoughts? Imagine stretchy bamboo flats can also double as a soft and silky little blanket, burp cloth, or a nursing cover.

Buy a 3-pack of Imagine Stretchy Bamboo Flats at Nicki’s
for $19.95, plus FREE shipping!

New for June 2018 – stretchy COLORED flat diapers!

Bambino Mio Diaper Cover + Flats Review & Giveaway

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This post contains affiliate links.

Bambino Mio is a household name in the UK, but the brand is also gaining popularity in the US and Canada. When I found out that you can buy them at Kelly’s Closet, Nicki’s Diapers, Walmart.com and Amazon, we picked up some Bambino Mio products to try on Mary Kate and Ingrid.

Muslin MioSquares by Bambino Mio are made of 100% cotton and come in packs of three for about $11. Although not marketed as diapers, my first thought when I spotted them was to use them as flats. Bambino Mio does sell standard cotton prefolds as well.

MioSoft diaper covers are available in size 1 and 2, with velcro closure. There are no rise snaps at all on the front.

Size 1 fits 19 pounds (9 kg) or less
Size 2 fits 19 pounds or more

Bambino Mio covers have front and back elastics, fold-back laundry tabs and a wide flap at the inside front. This a cover you can use again if not soiled (just use a baby wipe to freshen up the inside). The PUL material is very soft and has a little bit of a sheen to it. There are double gussets at the leg openings.

Bambino Mio actually makes two different kinds of MioSquares; these are the larger 27 inch versions that come in packs of three. Each one is a different print (the assortment I purchased is called Bumble). 100% cotton muslin is soft, lightweight, cool and breathable. MioSquares have a more open weave than our bamboo flat diapers. Besides working great as flats, they also function as burp cloths, blankets, nursing covers, etc.

They are smooth before washing:

And then get “quilty” and soft after prepping. The edges are hemmed and stitched.

Laid flat, they shrink from 27 inches square to 24 inches square. Padfolded, they are about 12 inches long and 4.5 inches wide, and fill the size 1 cover perfectly.

The absorbency of these flats is pretty good – better than a flour sack towel but not as thirsty as a bamboo flat. I can double them up in the size 2 cover with no problem. Having a whole stash of these might not be practical, but 3 pretty flats for $11 is something you might be able to splurge on. They also make an ideal shower gift because they are beautiful and have so many uses.

MioSoft covers have very strong velcro and stretchy wings, making it very easy to get a good fit – and fast. The laundry tabs are strong and have always stayed fastened in the wash for us. They are roomy enough to work with most any diaper, plus inserts, including prefolds and fitteds. I like to use the Size 2 MioSoft cover with 2 of the muslin MioSquares padfolded inside for my toddler Ingrid’s nap.

Thanks to the double gussets around the legs and the stretchy hook and loop wings, I get a nice, snug fit fit on 3-month-old Mary Kate with the Size 1 cover. Because she’s small, the rise is high, which may or may not bother you aesthetically (many mothers like a more low-rise look). There’s plenty of room for her to grow in this cover, both in the rise and the waist. NOTE: It was too big to fit her at birth; she was 9 pounds.

The Size 2 cover fits Ingrid, my 2-year-old toddler, very nicely right now. She’s small for her age.

The hook and loop is very strong and stays fastened in the wash.

The only issue I’ve had with the covers is that the front of the waistband, where the elastic is, sometimes will curl inward after the diaper has been on for a while. When that happens, the velcro rubs up against the girls’ tummies.

The other potential problem is with sizing, since there are no rise snaps. The size 1 cover is way too big for a newborn and Ingrid only just now fits into it at 3 months. And even so, the rise is still pretty high.

Speaking of flats, did you know that the 7th annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge just started? Sign-up here, if you haven’t already. Share your thoughts, experiences and encouragement on social media using the #flatschallenge hashtag. My hats off to Kim Rosas for creating this important event, and for Jenny who is now carrying the torch forward. For 6 years, the flats challenge has helped families to see that switching to cloth diapers is well within reach, even in difficult situations.

Where to Buy: Bambino Mio covers start at $9.16 each and can be purchased directly from their website, at Kelly’s Closet or from Walmart.com with free shipping over $35. When they aren’t in stock at Walmart, you can also check Amazon.
Giveaway:  I am giving away a 3-pack of muslin MioSquares, just like the one reviewed, plus a MioSoft diaper cover of your choice (size and color, from available stock at Walmart). This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. Good luck!

3 Things I Learned After Hand-Washing Cloth Diapers

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flatschallenge7

The Flats and Handwashing Challenge ends tonight and the big question is – what did I learn?

Basically, these three things:

  • How to hand wash diapers – Or anything else, for that matter. It’s a good skill to have and it just goes to show that cleaning doesn’t require a degree in rocket science. It takes time, common sense and a little bit of trial and error. Our wash routine took about 45 minutes total plus 5+ hours for drying on the line. I have to admit it would be difficult to do this 45 minute chore every other day, with everything else I have going right now in my life (seven children, housework, homeschooling, the blog, etc.), but I know that it CAN be done. It’s just a matter of setting aside time.
  • What it’s like to use flats exclusively – It took some getting used to, not reaching for my bamboo prefolds or fitteds at night, or grabbing a pre-stuffed pocket diaper for a quick change. All-in-One diapers with velcro closure are my oldest daughter’s top choice when she’s helping me out, so it was an adjustment for her, too. It’s not that we don’t use flats; we have – for years. But only as part of a bigger rotation. It’s easy to get spoiled with all the different styles of diapers out there. I had to learn to think differently in various situations because we had to make the flats work ALL the time, whether that was naps, car trips or night time. Not all all flats are created equal when it comes to absorbency, so we had to make adjustments there, too.
  • How cloth diapering is different when you’re on a tight budget – Your style choices are much more limited, and you have to cut corners and make sacrifices. When we first started diapering 7 years ago I would have loved to have some AIO diapers for convenience but simply could not afford them. Being on a limited budget means you might have to scrounge around and make your own doublers, accept whatever prints/colors are available in the covers you can afford, and maybe even forego conveniences like pail liners and wet bags, diaper sprayers, and flushable liners.

If you did the challenge, let me know what you learned. Or maybe you’re thinking ahead to next year and your first try?

annesignature

 

Flour Sack Towels vs Flat Diapers

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fst2

Since we’re using only flat diapers this week, I thought a post which compared the absorbency of “flour sack towels” (or FST, as they are often abbreviated) against other flat diapers would be helpful.

First of all, here’s a simple absorbency scale I made based on our experiences over the years of using many types of flat diapers. Do you agree with the rankings?

flatdiapers

Flour sack towels aren’t really diapers, of course. But they are a simple and cheap way to get started with cloth because you can find they at nearly any big box store and they cost a dollar or less apiece. How absorbent are they, though? Compared to other flats, I would say that FST score pretty low, unless they are doubled up. Ingrid can barely go 1 hour before she saturates 1 flour sack towel. Two FTS’s together will work for maybe 4-5 hours max; overnight it’s too bulky/clumsy to use 3. Everyone I’ve talked to who actually uses FST’s overnight has to add some sort of double or insert to the towels.

I’ve found that 2 FST’s folded together equal the absorbency of ONE of our bamboo flats, so I prefer to just use the bamboo flat. Why not use one diaper instead of two? It’s trimmer, not that much more expensive, and one less diaper to launder. 😀

I also like that when you buy actual flat diapers from a shop, you get service and a warranty to back up your purchase.

In terms of softness, bamboo flats have an edge over FST’s and plain cotton flats.

You might be wondering, if other flat diapers are softer and more absorbent, why would someone choose to use flour sack towels? I think there are many answers to this question. Some thrifty mothers take a lot of pride in being able to say they didn’t spend more than a dollar for their baby’s diapers. If using something they already have, or were given, then it means you’re diapering for nearly free (because of needing covers).

And some people just prefer the fabric with its thin, semi-sheer look and feel. You could argue that since it’s so lightweight, it’s even easier to clean and dry than regular flats.

There’s also a little bit of old-fashioned romance when it comes to flour sack towels. After all, they were the invention of creative housewives in the early 1900’s who discovered that empty cotton flour bags could be cut up and turned into household items like clothing, linens and yes, diapers.

However, keep in mind that modern “flour sack towels” aren’t much like the originals (this has been confirmed for me by several women who actually made and used real flour sacks). Real FTS’s were made of sturdy, tightly woven cotton because it had to keep the flour (or grain) inside fresh and protected from vermin. The flour sack towels you pick up at Wal-Mart and Target are much thinner, and semi-transparent. These photos compare a modern FST with 100% cotton birdseye fabric:

fst3

Here are how the prices of flat diapers stack up:

    • Flour sack towels are $1 or less each
    • Cotton flats are $2 each
    • Bamboo/cotton flats are $3 and up each
    • Luxury bamboo terry flats are $8 and up each
    • Hemp flats are $9 and up each

I understand that for someone on an extremely limited budget, or who already has towels or receiving blankets in the house, purchasing “real” flats may not be the best option. Or, for reasons mentioned above, you may just love FST’s despite the drawbacks.

Flour sack towels can also work as doublers, since they are thinner than other flats when folded up, or for tiny newborns who don’t need a lot of absorbency. You can also stuff them inside pocket diapers, but again, I want to stress that they just aren’t as thirsty compared to other options.

For overnight use, I’ve had great results with 2 bamboo/cotton flats folded together. This holds Ingrid (who’s 22 months) all night long.

There are a lot of different flat diaper folds; I was able to keep it simple this week and pad fold Ingrid’s diapers because she’s very “regular” at 22 months.

What about diaper fasteners? Experiences may vary, but for us a Snappi or Boingo works best on cotton flats and bamboo flats. They will grip our FST’s, flannel blankets and hemp fabrics, but just not quite as well.

Do you use flour sack towels as diapers? How do you have to use two at a time or double them up for enough absorbency?