Cloth Pads!

This particular post is going to get messy...if you're sickened by blood...don't read it.

So, in recent months I've decided to go 'Green'...or more accurately a natural red. ;)

After having my youngest daughter I discovered disposable menstrual pads didn't agree with my body.  I decided to go with cloth pads and make my own. I've only used them for two cycles, but Love them with a capital 'L'. They don't crinkle up, they don't stick to me, they don't make me sweaty, they're absorbent, soft and best of all, they're environmentally friendly.

I used standard cotton flannel for the outer layers and white diapering flannel for the core, or absorbent part.

And a pretty patterned flannel for the outers. I used a mostly brown flannel to hide any stains left behind on the fabric.

So far its all trial and error, the outers fell apart after 2 washes, I didn't have a large enough seam in them. Now I just use the white inners. They're pretty absorbent, I've got a heavy flow and have had serious leakage with the pads once, but that again, was my fault for not sewing properly. I sewed up the center of the pad, which creates a wicking effect and drew the blood to the center, and of course its thinner where there is a seam, so the pads leaked.

Each absorbent core is three layers of the white diapering flannel, I hand stitched a hem around the outside because I don't have a serger (also known as an overlocking sewing machine),  which is pretty important because its a finishing stitch and keeps the fabric from unraveling. Take a look at the edge of a washcloth, that weird stitch is a serge stitch.

I plan on making more pads after I get more fabric. I guess this is all for this blog, I'll have to update, or post another after making more pads...