Worlds of Parenthood and Drool Pads

Becoming a parent, becoming a mom, has given me keys to open doors to worlds I only peeked into previously and doors I never knew existed. There is a world of moms who fight fiercely over differing opinions but also band together fiercely for the love of children. There's a world of people who will offer their advice whether you are interested or not and you learn when to smile and nod and when to continue the discussion. There's a world of resourcefulness as you meander through the journey of bringing up a child who literally grows overnight. It's an adventure alright. Everyday there's something to learn and someone to learn from. Keeping our eyes and hearts open with empathy as we explore the worlds of parenthood brings us closer together.

Drool pads for little-miss-drooly-face-working-on-her-eighth-tooth has been our most recent project. It's quick, easy, and functional (necessities for projects these days!). These drool pads fit several different carriers (Ergo, mei tai, and woven wrap). All you need are the following:

• scrap fabric - two rectangles 6" x 9.5"
• 1 wash cloth or other towel-like material or something else absorbent - two rectangles 6" x 9.5" (this dimension was perfect from one washcloth after cutting off the hems and then cutting the washcloth in half).
• matching threads (I used red for the top and white for the bottom)
• Velcro strips

1. Match up one towel rectangle to one fabric rectangle, right-sides facing in. Hem around the edge no more than 1/4" and leave 2 inches for flipping it right side out. Complete twice. Trim edges if needed. 
2. Flip right side out, iron both pads, and top stitch around (make sure you have the right color of thread on top and bottom). 
3. Cut strips of Velcro to the length of the short end. One strip should be on towel side and the other should be on fabric side. Centered to length of short side, sew on Velcro around all sides.

Babywearing Daddy Alert! (photo added April 2014)