Osborn Fiber Studio

Soakers! The one thing that I really wanted to make Naomi before she was born, and one thing of many that I really didn’t get around to before she was born. Time to invoke my favorite parenting phrase: “Oh well!”

I was also a little intimidated. Would they really work? Having seen just how wet Naomi can get, is one layer of wool, however lanolized, really going to protect anything from getting damp?

Emily gave me the push I needed when she gave her an adorable dress & soaker outfit – soaker pre-lanolized. When I saw how well it worked, I had to take the plunge. So during my June term class, I cranked out a few. The first, with a free pattern, turned out kinda meh, but Emily put me onto Vanilla, which I highly recommend. It’s a fairly cheap pattern with pretty good directions in like 6 sizes and 2 weights (DK and worsted).

Lanolizing wasn’t as annoying as I thought it would be. I avoid handwashing like the plague, so it had grown in my mind into an arduous task. It took like 5 minutes; I should have gotten over this a long time ago. This is the video I used, though there are many. I used Lansinoh for the lanolin. While I was at it, I re-lanolized the soaker Emily made, and a pair of shorties Erin had passed on to us.

Just because I had to, I put ruffles on the pink soaker. I followed how Emily had added them to the blue soaker, then I found a bell ruffle pattern I’d used on my own design, and figured out how to turn it upside down. I underestimated how huge they would be! They were so ridiculous I had to leave them that way.

When Mom saw them, she said I should make her a hat with ruffles on it like that, and it could be a helmet! So much fabric! Naomi thought this was hilarious.

I haven’t been using them much because it’s been so hot, and because we have been borrowing Bummi covers from a friend. But soakers have one major advantage as far as Naomi’s concerned. When in the Bummis, if she tries to grab her feet, the cover shoves into her tummy, so she can’t reach. But in a soaker, she can play with her feet at any and all times, and practice sitting up more comfortably. Big plus!

Now to knit a few in the next size for winter…