5-Minute Baby T-Shirts
No-Poo How-To
Six: Trim your threads and you're done!
No-Poo How-To
5-Minute Baby T-Shirts
As a cloth diapering mom, I have experienced the frustration of finding onesies that fit properly over that fluffy bottom. Besides, when I spend money on a cute printed cover or I make a wool cover, the last thing I want to do is cover it up! So, I typically lean towards t-shirts. Now, I have a surplus of onesies that are too small in the rear but fit just fine in the shoulders...then I realized I can recycle those onesies into T-Shirts! Here's how:
Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert seamstress, I am self taught so my methods might not be considered "ideal". I just do what works for me through trial-and-error.
One: Find a Onesie that still fits in the shoulders
.
 |
| My 8 month old daughter typically wears a 12 month Onesie. This is a 6 monther! |
Two: Cut that Onesie at the hip. Be sure to use really sharp fabric scissors to keep it nice and straight.
 |
| I like the t-shirts to be as long as possible, but cut it shorter if you prefer. |
Three: Measure your seam allowance (how far from edge your seam is) and iron down the seam. I like to use a measure to be precise. I just measure as I go, but you can press the seam and pin it, if you like. This will ensure your seam is even all the way around.
 |
| I typically use a 1/2 inch seam allowance. |
Four: Set up your machine. I use the double overlock stitch (two lines with zigzag in between) because I'm lazy like that. Most people will tell you to finish your raw edges first, but I find the overlock stitch does the job just fine without unraveling.
Five: Sew that hem! Be sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of your seam.
 |
| Start at the side seam and work close to the raw edge. This material is a stretchy knit, but the overlock stitch can handle the stretchiness so I don't like to stretch it very much as I go. |
 |
| You can see that I stitched as close to the raw edge as possible. |
 |
| Complete! |
Seven: Have your model try it on.
 |
| Lookin good Olive! |
About 8 months ago, I was presented with the idea of never using shampoo to clean your hair. My first thought was "Eww." Then I read up on the subject and decided to do a little experiment.
Recently, some of my friends were asking about how to start living the "no-poo" lifestyle. So, I thought I'd write up a kind of tutorial for how I made the transition.
A quick lesson on how "no-poo" is better for you.
Most shampoos contain surfectants like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), which strips the natural oils from your hair, giving it that "squeaky clean" feeling we so often desire. Take a look at the ingredients on your shampoo bottle. If there is an ingredient that contains the word "sulfate", it is probably stripping your hair. The downside to this is that our sebaceous glands will start to overcompensate for the lack of oil, and produce an excess of sebum, making your hair greasy. So, you start to shampoo more often, and this just makes things worse! If you are shampooing everyday, your glands will adjust to that level of oil production. Why would the shampoo industry put this stuff in their shampoo if it is so bad for your hair? Well, it's just smart business. Wouldn't you want your consumers to use more of your product?
So if you are thinking "I can't even go a day without shampoo, my hair gets so greasy!", I think your head would be the perfect candidate for a little "no-poo" therapy.
How to clean your hair without Shampoo
All you will need to clean your hair from now on is baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Don't worry, you won't smell like vinegar if you are rinsing properly. With this method, you should only have to clean your hair every 4 days max. Just rinse with water between washes. I can go a whole week (don't worry, I still shower often).
 |
| Yes, that's a 13 lbs of baking soda. |
 |
| Squirt bottle-you'll need 2. |
For the initial wash and deep cleaning (once a month): Dissolve one tablespoon in enough water to create a paste. Apply this to your roots and let it sit for a moment. Then, start massaging your scalp, starting at the crown of your head, working upwards and out. Really focus on the area where your part lies. Lastly, scrub the remaining paste into the back of your skull and sideburn area. All this massaging will clean out the grime and stimulate blood flow. Be sure to scrub gently, as to not break the hair.
For regular washing (only needed every 4 days): Put one tablespoon of baking soda in a squirt bottle (or an empty shampoo bottle!) filled with water. Note: you may need to experiment with different amounts of baking soda for your hair type. Mine can get pretty oily, so I use a bit more.
Anywho, squirt it into your roots, massaging it in as you go. You should really only use up to 1/4 of the mixture. After a good scrub, rinse it out thoroughly. It may feel like its not clean, but it is, you are just used to the "squeaky" feeling of shampoo. You may over wash your hair the first couple times.
The rinse (about every other wash): I use the rinse after every wash, but you may find it to be too much. Pour one part Apple Cider Vinegar into another bottle with 3-4 parts water. Squirt this into the ends of your hair and let it sit for 2 minutes. Rinse it very thoroughly...you're done!
 |
| See? Just as clean as shampooed hair! |
Please keep in mind there is a transition period of about 1 month. To offset this, try adding a bit of Dr. Bronners castille soap. Try the kind with lavender or tea-tree for some extra goodness!
I love not having to buy shampoo ever again. I'm just cheap like that. BUT...If you find this all to be too much of a change for you, try just switching to a sulfate-free, paraben-free, shampoo and conditioning system. They cost a bit more, but your hair will thank you!
 |
| Happy scalp! |
Trouble with "no-poo"?
- "My hair is frizzy!" -use less baking soda or add some honey.
- "My scalp is itchy!" -massage some essential oils into your scalp after cleaning. Try tea-tree, rosemary, or lavender.
- "My hair is greasy!" - you are using too much vinegar. Or use lemon juice instead.
I have a question, I've been doing no poo for about a month now and the first couple of washes everything was fine and my hair looked good, but now I've noticed that one part of my hair is always greasy and feels almost wet. I wanted your opinion on what I cam do to the fix this or what could be causing it. Will it most likely go away when my hair adjusts??
ReplyDeleteFirst, Yay! I'm so glad you are trying No-Poo! Second, what part of your hair is getting so greasy? How much vinegar are you using and are you only putting it on the ends of your hair? If you are using Apple Cider Vinegar, trying switching to White Vinegar and dilute it more. If you are adding anything to your baking soda wash, try omitting it (especially Dr. Bronners, sometimes it makes my hair real greasy too). Also, be sure to rinse out the vinegar rinse immediately! I like to use a wide tooth comb and comb through my hair as I apply the rinse, that way it distributes evenly. More than likely, though, it is an issue that can be solved with just a little more time. Hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteIt's the part of my hair that's about 2 inches away from the roots, the section that sits about ear level. I thought it most likely was the vinegar so I stopped using it. I've just been doing just the baking soda, now. Could it be I'm using too much baking soda or not enough?? I do have rather greasy hair (Hispanic heritage). Or could it be I'm waiting to long in between washes to wash it?? I'm really am liking it, cause I am noticing a difference in how it looks, but now this problem has arose, and I wanna try to fix it and not give up. About how long does it usually take for my hair to adjust to not needing shampoo?
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about it being the vinegar. Some people only need to fo the rinse every now and then. If you were using too much baking soda, your roots would appear ashy and brittle, so thats out. Im guessing its just your adjustment phase reaching its peak. Its different for everyone, but it can take up to 2 months to adjust (esp for naturally oily hair) so dont give up just yet :)
DeleteI think you are right about it being the vinegar. Some people only need to fo the rinse every now and then. If you were using too much baking soda, your roots would appear ashy and brittle, so thats out. Im guessing its just your adjustment phase reaching its peak. Its different for everyone, but it can take up to 2 months to adjust (esp for naturally oily hair) so dont give up just yet :)
DeleteI have a question. I've been doing no poo since Mayish and I'm extremely happy with it. I've recently dyed my hair. I put neon red streaks in my hair and I'm just wondering if the baking soda mixture will take out my hair color??
ReplyDelete