Nap Time Craft Time: Easy DIY Cloth Wipes/Unpaper Towels

Welcome to Nap Time Craft Time! Shhh, don't wake the kiddos!  These posts feature a craft that is so easy you can complete this project during nap time! This project can also most likely be completed with items you already have at home! Simple, cute, and free?! I know, awesome right! 

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Those of you who have kiddos know that you can go through baby wipes and paper towels very quickly, like use a whole roll in a day quickly.  All of those baby wipes and paper towel purchases can really add up and you end up throwing them away! Have you ever thought about that? You buy these products just to throw them away!  There is a better way people!  

My friend Vivid (make sure to check out her blog here) introduced me to the idea of cloth wipes.  At first I did not like the idea of using a cloth wipe to wipe Everett,  it just seemed weird to me; but then I got to thinking that I already use cloth diapers and a few years ago I would have though that was odd too! Basically, I keep the wipe warmer about half way full of water with some coconut oil in it and I just dip and wring out the wipes in it when I change Everett's diapers.  Confession: I only use cloth wipes on E when he pees and save the baby wipes for the poo (when he doesn't go on the potty.) 

Vivid also told me about using unpaper towels in the kitchen and around the house rather than regular paper towels.  You can use them for EVERYTHING  that you already use regular paper towels with and then you throw them in the wash.  Get this- Vivid and her family have gone one whole year without using paper towel! Amazing for the environment and your wallet. 

There are more professional versions of cloth wipes (like these, these, and these) and unpaper towels (like these which are actually made by my friend Sabrina, check out her store here) that you can purchase or if you have a few items at home you can make your own. 

Here's what you'll need: 

• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Receiving blanket(s), flannel, or any absorbent material 
• Scissors

Here's what you'll do: 

• First you will need to decide what size you want to make. I made my cloth wipes and unpaper towels the same size however you can really make these as big or small as you want them.  I wanted mine to fit into my old wipes container so I made them 8"x8"
• Cut out as many wipes as you want! I cut mine 16"x8" and then folded them in half so that they would be "two ply" thick.  You could also cut two 8"x8" pieces and then attach them together. 
• Helpful tip: If you want yours to be a standard paper towel size, use a paper towel and trace around it.

• Next, fold over your fabric (or place the two pieces together) with the right sides facing OUT

• Now use a zig zag stitch (or serge) along the entire perimeter of the fabric, including the fold.  It is important to stitch over the fold because it will help the cloth wipes/unpaper towels to keep their shape. 
• That is it folks, you are ready to use them! 

I have my unpaper towels folded so that they will "pop up" out of the wipe container and I have it sitting right next to the sink. Check out a tutorial for how to fold your cloth wipes/unpaper towels here. 

 

So that's it! What do you think? Easy huh?