Upping the Ante for the Flats Handwashing Challenge

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BEFORE

After writing about preparing for the flats challenge and once again realizing that this wasn't a challenge I had a crazy idea. When I ran it by my husband and got the comment "I don't think it's that crazy" a little of the thrill left me, but the slight lack of insanity is probably a good thing.

The Flats Challenge is to bring awareness to how affordable cloth diapering can be for lower income families. From experience even the $5 spent on Target flour sack towels can mean you're late on the electric bill, and $20 for a dozen brand name flats might as well be $200 some weeks.

So.

AFTER

I decided to up the ante and challenge myself to only use things that I could get for free or less than $5. That meant my scissors and I went on a search around the house. We came up with a receiving blanket (no scissors neccesary), a queen size flannel fitted bed sheet, a 100% cotton sateen twin size fitted bed sheet, 1 vintage wash 100% cotton t-shirt, 2 heavy weight 100% cotton t-shirts, and a 100% cotton terry towel. I cut them all into squares, the t-shirts cut down small, so I left one of the heavyweight cotton as the full shirt and will use it without cutting it down. I'm not sewing them in any way as lower income families are not very likely to have access to a sewing machine. I'm very interested to see how all the raw edges do... An unexpected upside, the screen printing on the t-shirts can be centered on a little bottom to make an adorable fashion statement!

Who knew a Thai-Thai shirt could be so cute!

As far as closing and covers. I'm very hesitant to give up my snappi, but I will try. So I plan to use good old fashion diaper pins, we have a ton laying around the house, or they can be bought at the dollar store or Walmart for <$1. Cover wise -- I'm going to give myself an allowance and use my Econobums, but I'm limiting myself to use only 3. Vinyl pants can be found at Babies R Us and occasionally Walmart, but they can be hard to hunt down. Anything suggestions of something else that is <$5 or can be found around the house and used as a cover are more than welcome! (My dad suggested a garbage bag and duct tape, but I don't know that I really want to go there outside of an emergency...)