News from Luna Wolf

And now for something completely different! Waterproof pouches, and tube pads

2011-10-31T12:50:00.000Z

Luna Wolf has an exciting new addition to the shop - waterproof pad pouches!

These beauties are handmade by the lovely Sarah from AngelPadz, and come in large and small sizes. The large size holds approximately 4 medium pads, and is perfect for storing your pads when out and about. It would also be a very attractive make-up or toiletry bag! The small size holds a single liner or medium pad, and fits discreetly into a handbag or pocket. It's great for carrying a spare pad around.

Both sizes are made from quilter's cotton and lined with PUL. The large pouches fasten with zips, and the small ones with snaps. They are available in the new Waterproof Pouches category, and I expect to be ordering many more of them in future!

On a different subject entirely, I have a friend who runs a charity for poorly children. This weekend she received a request for some cloth "tube pads", and is looking for volunteers to sew some. Kids with tubes and buttons often experience leakage, which irritates their skin and makes them sore. They then end up having to wear medical dressings that are uncomfortable, not to mention boring!

Cloth tube pads are very quick and easy to make, and are a great way of using up scraps of fabric. You can find instructions here. I used three layers of flannel for the first few, and one layer of flannel plus one layer of bamboo fleece for the rest.

If you find yourself with an hour to spare, why not whip a few up and send them over to Vikki at Post Pals?

Disposables, Reusables and Guilt

2011-08-02T11:37:00.006+01:00

I frequent a number of cloth pad communities (yes, there are communities dedicated to cloth pads!), and every so often, somebody will talk about the guilt they felt (or feel) about using disposable pads.

This makes me sad.

There are lots of reasons to switch to cloth pads - including a desire to minimise your impact on the environment - but guilt should not be one of them. Finding cloth more comfortable than disposables, or being attracted by pretty fabrics are equally legitimate reasons. How you deal with your period should always be your choice, and nobody should feel guilt-tripped into using (or not using) a certain product.

Women already have enough guilt inflicted on them by the unrealistic standards touted by the media. We do not need guilt about our choice of menstrual products added to this load. The right choice of menstrual protection is whatever works best for you, be it disposable or reusable. If anyone tries to tell you otherwise, remind them that your body is nobody's business but yours.

July Giveaway: Winner!

2011-07-21T17:44:00.005+01:00

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway!

Without further ado, the winner is... eatswithfork! Congratulations! Your email address suggests that your name is Kacie, so well done Kacie, I hope you enjoy your Earthy Batik pad and booster.

Commiserations to those of you who missed out - maybe the next giveaway will be your turn to win.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Summer Giveaway

2011-07-19T17:18:00.006+01:00

Yesterday my Facebook page hit 100 "likes", which means it's giveaway time! Thanks so much to everyone who's "liked" the page (I have to put that in quotation marks otherwise it's terrible grammar!) - I love reading your comments and chatting with you.

So, who'd like to win a free pad? The winner of this giveaway will get to choose one of these two pads, and will also receive a handy PUL booster (on the left):

Centre: Book Addict pantiliner, 7.5" long, 2.5" wide when fastened. Backed with light pink microfleece. Suitable for light flow, spotting, or as backup for a menstrual cup or tampon.

Right: Earthy Batik pad, 9" long, 2.6" wide when fastened. Backed with cream fleece. Suitable for medium flow.

To enter, simply comment on this blog post and tell me which pad you would like to win. At 5pm GMT on Thursday 21st July, I will use the random number generator to pick the winning comment. Don't forget to leave an email address so that I can contact you!

Please leave one comment only - multiple entries will be disqualified. As always, international entries are welcome. Good luck, and have fun!

Fabric Binge

2011-07-10T18:35:00.012+01:00

A few months back I did some temping for a local newspaper, and I promised my Facebook followers that as soon as the money came through, I'd have a fabric binge. Well, after four months of waiting the cash finally showed up in my bank account... and I headed over to Castle Court Quilter so fast that my feet barely touched the ground.

My fabric haul, in a neat pile of loveliness. Almost too pretty to cut up. Almost.

Swallows on blue and sage, and a corresponding blue, white and sage print. These are all from the Floragaphix range that has been so popular.

Bright florals are always a joy to work with. And they make very cheery pads!

Birds and books.

More batiks, as requested. The batik range is small, but I liked this earthy design and the vibrant red floral.

The ever popular "Gypsy" print, this time in bright red. Should look fabulous with black fleece and snaps.

A couple of old favourites that I'd run out of.

Finally, how organised is this?

A print for this year's holiday pads. Hey, I said HOLIDAY, I didn't even mention the C word! This will sit in my cabinet until November, and until then we will speak of it no more.

Speaking of Facebook, I'm 7 "likes" away from 100. It's very exciting! To show how much your support means to me, I will hold another giveaway as soon as I reach triple figures. If you haven't already liked my Facebook page, please do - the sooner I reach my target, the sooner you get a chance to win a free pad! (That's a menstrual pad, not an iPad. Sorry, you can't play Angry Birds on it.)

Closing my custom order service

2011-04-30T16:01:00.005+01:00

During the almost four years that Luna Wolf has been going, I've made many changes. I think it's really important for businesses to evolve and adapt as circumstances change. It keeps things fresh, and ensures that you don't become stuck in a way of doing something that doesn't work anymore.

I've been having a bit of a re-think, and have come to a decision: I will no longer be taking on custom orders.

While I enjoy the challenge of coming up with a creation that is just right for an individual, it has become out of control lately. Custom orders often involve many hours of designing and prototype-making, which I do not charge for. This eats into the time I would normally spend stocking the shop. Less time spent on the shop means less choice, and more people wanting custom orders because they can't find what they want. It's a self-perpetuating cycle.

Custom orders also come with a certain amount of time pressure and stress. I usually do them on weekends, to minimise the lost time on the shop. Now that my partner has started working away during the week, the weekend is the only time I get to see her. I've realised that I'm no longer prepared to give up the precious time we have together, for the sake of working a seven day week. Life's too short!

Of course I am grateful and honoured that people want custom orders from me - in a way, the service has become a victim of its own success. But for my own sanity, I need to step back and make my workload more manageable. If I don't, I will burn out. I know you'll understand, and I thank you for it.

I've also made another change, which is small but will hopefully make a big difference. I've changed the channel stitching on all pantiliners to a single wavy line. My signature pointed shape on that small a scale is very difficult to get right, and - you know me - if it isn't perfectly symmetrical, it drives me to despair. The wavy channel stitching seems much more appropriate to the scale of the pantiliners. I've been using it on my own liners for a few months now, and I love how quirky and comfortable it is. More importantly, less time spent unpicking/re-sewing equals more time making pads! Hopefully this will stop me from running out of pantiliners so quickly, and will mean more choice in that section - which is good news all round!

Earth Day Giveaway: Winner!

2011-04-26T16:36:00.008+01:00

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the Earth Day giveaway. I really enjoyed reading all your comments - it was nice to learn a little bit about you, and you've given me lots of new green ideas to try.

The winner of the giveaway is... Cori!

And this is the pad she chose:

Congratulations Cori, and best of luck with your move!

One of the things my partner and I like to do to help reduce our impact on the environment is to use Freecycle. Items that we no longer use and are unsuitable for charity shop donations all get listed on Freecycle - chances are, they're just what someone else has been looking for. We've met some wonderful people through Freecycle, and helped out some good causes. It works the other way, too - when we needed some old blankets to protect our furniture while moving house, we posted on Freecycle and got several kind offers. My sit-kneel desk chair was also a Freecycle find!

Hope everyone had a happy Earth Day and a happy Easter!

Earth Day Giveaway

2011-04-18T11:21:00.003+01:00

This Friday (April 22nd) is Earth Day - a day of awareness and appreciation for our beautiful planet. That seems like a great excuse to have a cloth pad giveaway!

January's "pick a pad" draw went down so well that I have decided to do the same again. The winner of the giveaway will get to pick any pad from my store.

To enter, simply comment on this blog post and tell me about one thing you do to help take care of our planet (other than use cloth pads, obviously!). At 5pm GMT on Friday 22nd April, I will use the random number generator to pick the winning comment. Don't forget to leave an email address so that I can contact you!

Please leave one comment only - multiple entries will be disqualified. For your comment to be eligible, remember to tell me about one thing you do to help take care of our planet. I'm always looking for new ways to be more eco friendly, so I'm hoping you'll give me lots of ideas! As always, international entries are welcome. Good luck, and have fun!

Embarrassing Bodies - A Missed Opportunity

2011-03-27T15:48:00.006+01:00

Much to my partner's despair/disgust, one of my guilty pleasures in life is watching Embarrassing Bodies. I'm quite fascinated with how our bodies work, and love the no-nonsense attitude of doctors Christian, Dawn and Pixie.

Having spent approximately the last seven years advocating reusable menstrual products, imagine my excitement when the preview for this week's episode advertised a segment about periods, and showed a woman holding up a menstrual cup. Hurray! At long last, so-called "alternative" products are appearing in mainstream media!

Well. I saw the programme on 4od yesterday, and what a wasted opportunity. Yes, the segment was informative, but the menstrual cups were introduced as if they were some kind of strange medical device solely for measuring menstrual flow. There was no mention of them actually being effective menstrual protection. What a shame for viewers who are allergic to disposable products, and could have been introduced to a healthier alternative.

I was 22 when I discovered reusables. Disposables had caused me pain and irritation since day one, and I was thrilled to learn there were other options. If I'd missed that one thread on an online forum, I might still be struggling with disposables today, and Luna Wolf might not exist. When the Embarrassing Bodies camera panned across a selection of different menstrual wear, why were there no cloth pads or cups to be seen? Why are reusable menstrual products never suggested to women who come into the clinic with vulval pain?

It shouldn't be a matter of stumbling upon the information when looking for something else. Girls have a right to know about their options as soon as they start menstruating. You can bet that if I'd been introduced to reusables when we had the "period talk" at school, I'd have ended the misery of disposables much younger. The Embarrassing Bodies segment was a great opportunity to educate women on the many different options we have for menstrual protection, and it was a disappointment to see it wasted.

ShelterBox Total

2011-03-23T19:21:00.004Z

I had a slow week between 12th - 21st March, and only sold 7 pads. Still, that's £7 to ShelterBox, plus an extra £3 I threw in to make it up to £10 (approx $15). It all helps.

In other news, you may have noticed that my stock is a bit thin on the ground at the moment. I've spent the last couple of weeks temping for a local newspaper, which was a lot of fun. Ever the optimist, my plan was to temp in the day and sew in the evening. What actually happened was that I would come home from temping in a haze of tiredness, package orders, and pass out on the sofa all evening.

Anyhow, I figured that now I'm done with temping I can finally catch up on the store, but my body apparently has other plans and is succumbing to another cold. Gah. I tend to stay out of my sewing room when I have a cold in case I infect my fabric, so it'll be at least a few more days until I can re-stock the store. However... when I do start sewing again, I have some lovely new fabrics that I am very excited about! I hope you'll love them as much as I do.

Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami

2011-03-12T17:29:00.002Z

Like most people I am shocked and saddened by the disaster in Japan, and would like to do something to help. From Saturday 12th March to Monday 21st March, I will be donating £1 to ShelterBox for every pad sold, £3 for every tutorial, and £4 for every Femmecup. At the end of this time period I will post the donation receipt here to show how much was raised.

So, why not treat yourself to something nice and help victims of the earthquake/tsunami at the same time? Every little helps!

Clearance Sale at CPSEU

2011-01-26T11:39:00.003Z

Cloth Pad Shop Europe is closing at the end of January, therefore my shop there will be disappearing. I'm having a clearance sale to move the last of the stock - everything in my CPS shop is now 15% off, with free shipping anywhere in the world. At the time of posting I have four regular pads and a couple of liners left, most topped with fun flannel prints.

Click here to take a look!

(Don't worry, my main site is not going anywhere.)

Blue Monday Giveaway: Winner!

2011-01-21T21:35:00.005Z

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the giveaway! It was a lot of fun reading the comments. When I've done these things in the past I've just used a list of names, but it's so much nicer to learn a little bit about each person behind the name.

Anyway, without further ado, the winner of the giveaway is... Cristen! Congratulations!

Cristen chose this pad as her prize:

Missed out this time? I will almost certainly be holding more "pick your own pad" giveaways in the future, so keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter for details.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Blue Monday Giveaway

2011-01-17T17:22:00.006Z

It's Blue Monday today, the most depressing day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. I think this means it's time for a giveaway! What better way to counter the January blues than to win a gorgeous free pad?

I posted on the Luna Wolf Facebook page to see which size pad you'd most like to win, and you came up with everything from an XS liner to a post partum pad. In fact, I don't think any two answers were the same! So, I've decided to run this lottery a little differently. The winner will get to choose ANY in-stock pad from either of my stores. You can't say fairer than that!

To enter the giveaway, simply comment on this blog entry and tell me something about your day. It can be anything you like - that cute thing your dog did this morning, the socks you're wearing, what you had for lunch... I'm not picky. ;) At 5pm GMT on Friday 21st January, I will use the random number generator to pick the winning comment. Don't forget to leave an email address so that I can contact you!

Please leave one comment only - multiple entries will be disqualified. For your comment to be eligible, remember to tell me something about your day. As always, international entries are welcome. Have fun!

Happy New Year (atchoo!)

2011-01-04T13:59:00.003Z

I hope everybody had a great Christmas and New Year, and that your 2011 is far better than your 2010 was - even if your 2010 was awesome!

I had great plans to be super productive this week and sew up a ton of new pads, but my plans have been scuppered by catching a New Year's cold. Did you know that the bubonic plague arrived in England via a delivery of cloth? Yeah. I am staying away from my fabric until I'm better, because nobody wants their cloth pads infected with cold germs.

There are still a few Christmas pads left in the shop, which I have reduced by a further 10% (now 30% off). If you've never tried a Luna Wolf pad before, this is a great chance to do so at a low cost. The last remaining pads Christmas pads will be deleted from the store next week, so grab them while you can!

Thank you to all my customers for your support in 2010 - you are all amazing. Much love to you!

Christmas Pads!

2010-11-26T16:40:00.005Z

Given that it is snowing softly outside, this seems like the perfect time to announce a new arrival to the store - Christmas pads!

I have to admit that I previously never understood the point of holiday pads, until a couple of years ago when I received one in a trade. That year Aunt Flo arrived on Christmas day (having arrived on my birthday the previous month), and I was very glad to have a shiny new festive pad to wear. It helped take the sting out of being crampy at Christmas, and has since become one of my favourite year-round pads.

So far the Christmas pads are available in pantiliner, 8.5 inch, 9 inch, and 10.25 inch sizes. 11.75 inch Christmas pads are in progress, and I have a menstrual cup pouch waiting to be sewn up.

Speaking of Christmas, after four years of living together, my partner and I have just bought our very first Christmas tree! I can't wait to decorate it. I don't think I will be adorning it with mini pads, though... ;)

Wider Patterns Now Available

2010-07-06T18:53:00.005+01:00

I recently made wider versions of my pantiliner and 8.5 inch pad patterns, for a customer who wanted to make her own but needed more width than the current versions offer. The wider versions close at 2.75" - 3", depending on where you place the snaps.

Anyway, if you've purchased my pattern/tutorial set, and would like to receive the wider versions of those two patterns, I'll be happy to send them to you in PDF format at no charge. Just drop me an email at pads@lunawolf.co.uk, and don't forget to tell me whether you want the patterns to be European A4 or US letter size.

Happy sewing!

Fabric Addiction

2010-06-17T17:41:00.004+01:00

I love that I have a job that enables me to feed my fabric addiction. Buying fabric counts as work, and is therefore justified. I don't even mind that it isn't for me, as long as I get to play with it.

Now that I've moved to Shropshire, I'm about two miles away from the most wonderful quilting shop I've ever visited. Tucked away above a dentist's surgery in a small rural village, you'd never know it was there. Discovering it is like finding hidden treasure. Two rooms are dedicaded to floor-to-ceiling shelving packed with bolts of gorgeous designer quilting fabric. These are adjacent to an enormous studio with state of the art quilting and cutting equipment, where they host workshops and events. You can even hire the studio for personal use, if sewing at home is difficult.

After we got settled in, of course one of the first things we did was visit this place. This is what I came away with:

*swoon*

Some of these beautiful new prints have already been made up into pads, and I have more cut out, so look out for them in the shop! I seem to be all about the blossoms and birds at the moment; it must be summer.

In other news, the shop got pretty well cleared out earlier this month, so my partner stepped in to help me re-stock. We've discovered that we make quite a formidable team! She's taken most of the cutting off my hands, leaving me free to concentrate on the sewing. I hadn't realised how much time the fabric cutting eats up - a lot, it turns out. With her help I've reached a record 40 products in the shop, several of them having more than one in stock. More choice for you, and less stress for me!

We don't know how long she'll be able to help me before she gets too busy again, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts. I like having a minion.

Sister Hope is no longer accepting pads

2010-06-14T17:48:00.005+01:00

Just a quick FYI: Sister Hope is no longer accepting pad donations. Instead, they have partnered up with Afri-Pads, a female run initiative in Uganda, to distribute menstrual kits to school girls. For every bag purchased from Sister Hope, a menstrual kit will be given to a girl in need. The reusable cloth pads in the kits are sewn by local women who are employed by Afri-Pads, providing much needed income for local female artisans.

I wish Sister Hope much success with their new direction. You can check out their beautiful bags here.

"Sponsor A Pad" will still be available from Luna Wolf, but pads will now be sent to Project Thrive for their Days for Girls programme.

Also, I have a potential venue for a charity pad making party! I'm hoping to organise this for either late summer or early autumn. Anyone who's interested can come along and help sew pads (or just cut fabric if you don't sew!) for women in need. It's still very much in the early planning stage, so expect to hear more about it as things progress. The only definite so far is that there must be cupcakes.

Luna Wolf HQ

2010-05-26T11:12:00.009+01:00

I thought I'd post some photos of my new sewing room, so you can see where your Luna Wolf goodies are made. If you click on the pictures, you'll be able to roll your cursor over them and read my fascinating (ahem) annotations. Enjoy!

Sewing table, sewing machine, snap press and iron:

Desk, computer, finished pads, files:

Fabric storage, finished pads, packaging materials, tunes:

I should have taken pictures earlier in the day so you could see the view from the window. It's like being in a treehouse.

In other news, a fellow pad maker is starting an online free magazine for women, featuring articles on menstrual related topics and other women's issues. The focus is on empowering women, discussing alternative menstrual products, sharing help and advice, and more. It's called Vermilion Magazine, and the first issue will be available for download on June 1st.

As Vermilion Mag is just starting out, it needs your help to keep it going! Can you contribute a positive article on menstruation, a photo of your cloth pad stash and/or favourite pad, or menstrual related art or poetry? Even a favourite recipe? If so, please contact Vermilion Mag here. The editor would be delighted to hear from you.

New home, and donation pads on the way!

2010-05-10T12:22:00.006+01:00

Greetings from our new home - a beautiful village near Oswestry in Shropshire! My sewing room/office was one of the first things I set up, and it's a pleasure to work in. A huge double window gives me great lighting for sewing, and shows off a view of towering oak trees. It's a lovely setting for being creative.

The move itself did not go smoothly; in fact it was a bit of a disaster. The movers told us they could move us in one load, and we foolishly believed them. When they realised they couldn't, they left half of our furniture behind, just sitting outside in the rain. Including the bed! My poor partner had to make a 2 hour drive in the early hours of the morning to rescue everything, while I spent the first night in our new home curled up with the dog.

A lot of our stuff is damaged/broken, but nothing that impedes Luna Wolf. Fortunately I had taken precautions and sent my sewing machine, overlocker, snap press, and artwork over with my parents.

I'm delighted to say that while I was engaged in this fiasco, almost all of my donation pads and pad sets sold. This is fantastic! I've been really touched by people's generosity, and I know the pads will make a huge difference to women living in poverty. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who purchased donation pads/sets. The pads are on their way to Sister Hope, who will distribute them in Uganda later this month.

Vicarious Sewing

2010-04-27T20:08:00.007+01:00

Packing for Saturday's move has gone way beyond the fun stage, and is now at the awkward, difficult and inconvenient stage. You know, the stage where you can't walk two feet without tripping over a box, and where you keep needing things that are already packed - usually in a box at the very bottom of a towering pile.

I've held off packing my sewing machine and fabric as long as possible, but today I decided it was time to box them up. Good grief, I have a lot of fabric! I guess when it's all folded away in cupboards I don't really notice how much of it there is, but I've filled several large boxes, and still have to find room for several metres of flannel and microfleece, and two 25m rolls of PUL and bamboo fleece! I had a similar revelation with my yarn stash - how did half of my local yarn store end up in the spare bedroom?!

I feel completely lost without my sewing equipment, and am itching to get back to making pads. In the meantime, I'm enjoying crafting vicariously through other people. It's been great to hear about your pad making projects, such as this one by Sarah in California:

Sarah made this fabulous pad using the 9" pattern in my pattern and tutorial set. Having always had a soft spot for owls, I love her choice of fabric! This is actually a pantiliner weight - one of the best things about making your own pads is that you can customise them to get exactly the size and absorbency you want.

The pattern and tutorial set is currently 15% off, along with everything else in store, until Friday 29th. Happy sewing!

Earth Day Giveaway!

2010-04-22T19:51:00.005+01:00

It's Earth Day today! In honour of this, a very generous customer is raising awareness of reusable alternatives by running a giveaway on her blog. The winner, who will be randomly selected on Sunday, will receive three Luna Wolf pads - one pantiliner, one medium (9") pad, and one large (10.25") pad. This would be a lovely starter set if you're new to cloth!

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post before 6pm BST Sunday, 25th April. Good luck, and special thanks to Cayt for organising it!

Surprise 15% off sale until 30th April!

2010-04-21T11:45:00.004+01:00

Luna Wolf is moving! As of the first week in May, Bonnie and I will based in a quaint little village near Oswestry in Shropshire. We'll be close to my family and friends, and surrounded by lots of green space - which will undoubtedly delight Freya, our greyhound:

How does this affect you? Well, not much, really. Luna Wolf goes wherever I go, so there won't be any changes in the site, the pads, or the ordering process. There may be short delays in dispatching orders, and it will probably take a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of sewing. Oh, and I'll be just up the road from my favourite quilting shop ever - gorgeous prints here I come!

However, the real reason for this update is that I'd like to clear out as much stock as possible before we move, so I'm holding a surprise 15% off sale until 30th April! Everything in store is reduced for the next ten days, including fabric, patterns, PUL boosters, charity pads, and the Femmecup! This is a great chance to stock up on discounted pads, but you'll need to get in quickly - my sewing time is limited at the moment (packing, argh!), so once they're gone, they're gone.

Enjoy! I'm off to put more things in boxes...

Sister Hope: Empowering Women in Developing Countries

2010-04-16T12:56:00.009+01:00

In "developed" countries, we tend to take our access to menstrual products for granted. Whether we use cloth pads, disposable pads, tampons, a cup, or any of the other many options available, the menstrual protection of our choice is just a trip to the shops or mouse click away.

But what about developing countries? According to nonprofit organisation Sister Hope: "Not only are most young girls and women unable to afford proper sanitary napkins, many do not even have access to such products. As a result, young women are using unhealthy materials such as tree bark and leaves, as well as rolled up pieces of newspaper to manage their period. This lack of protection leads many girls and women to miss up to five days of school and work each month, with many forced to quit their jobs or drop out of school entirely. Even more, the use of these unhealthy materials leads to infections and even cervical cancer."

Within the last couple of years, this largely ignored issue has received some attention. There have been drives by major disposable pad companies to send shipments of their products to women in need. However, leaving women dependent on regular foreign aid for their menstrual needs is hardly a permanent solution.

Sister Hope is a nonprofit organisation based in the USA that is dedicated to creating sustainable change. They provide hygeine kits to young girls and women living in poverty, consisting of reusable menstrual pads, underwear, soap, wetbags, and other hygeine products. As well as having less environmental impact, providing reusable pads instead of disposables means that a woman's stash will last for years. She will always have soft, comfortable, absorbent pads to hand, and will be able to handle her period safely and with dignity.

Here at Luna Wolf, I have been busy working on a foldable all-in-one design to offer in donation sets for Sister Hope.

The foldable design has several advantages:

All parts of the pad can be reached, making it easier to clean thoroughly by hand;

The fold-out design dries fast, so that after washing, each pad will be ready to use again quickly;

If only lightly soiled, the pad can be re-folded so that a clean part of the fabric is against the skin;

Cotton flannel fabric is natural, quick drying and cool against the skin, ideal for warmer climates.

PUL backing is 100% waterproof, providing complete protection against leaks and helping the pad to last longer.

These donation sets are available at Cloth Pad Shop Europe. The cost only covers the materials and some of the shipping fees - I do not make a profit from them. I realise money is tight for most people at the moment, myself included. However, if you do have a little spare cash, please consider helping out women in need by buying a donation set. It really does make a huge difference. Alternatively, why not make some pads yourself?

Sister Hope's next shipment of pads is headed to Mbale, Uganda. Next in line are Cameroon and Haiti. Their goal is 500 pads by May 15th; at the time of posting, they still need 190. Let's help them reach their goal!

A few Tidbits

2010-04-15T14:22:00.007+01:00

In celebration of the beautiful sunshine we've been having here, I've been filling the store with spring-like prints. Flowers, blossoms, birds, and cheerful colours all feature heavily, thanks in part to Amy Butler's gorgeous "Daisychain" and discontinued "Charm" collections.

I also have some new stock up at Cloth Pad Shop Europe, including a whopping great night/post-partum pad topped with luscious cotton sherpa. At 14" long, this pad is for when you need to bring in the big guns:

Finally, if you've purchased my patterns/tutorial set but aren't sure which kind of fastening to use, I've written an article about the pros and cons of various types of pad closures. I hope you find it useful!

Valentine's Day Lottery!

2010-02-09T15:10:00.005Z

It's lottery time again at Luna Wolf - this time in honour of St Valentine's day! Whether you love or loathe February 14th, what better way to celebrate than bagging some shiny new underwear in the mail? (Yes, cloth pads totally count as underwear!)

The lucky winner of the draw will receive this beautiful 9" pad with additional PUL booster:

The pad can be used alone for light/medium flow days, or teamed up with the booster for moderate flow days. It's like having two pads in one!

To enter, please click here and follow the instructions. International entries welcome as always. Good luck!

Edit: Congratulations to winner Becky. I hope you enjoy your new pad and booster!

Birthday Lottery Winner

2009-11-25T00:32:00.002Z

Congratulations to Atarah, the winner of the birthday lottery. I hope you enjoy your new pad and booster! :)

Birthday Lottery!

2009-11-20T20:05:00.004Z

It's my birthday on Tuesday, and in honour of this I'm holding a free lottery over at Cloth Pad Shop Europe. The winner will be drawn at 8pm British time on 24th November, and will receive this beautiful 9 inch light/medium pad. I will even throw in a PUL booster!

As always, international entries are welcome. Please click here to enter.

Good luck!

Patterns, tutorial and snap setting service now available!

2009-11-11T15:52:00.007Z

It's been a long time coming, but the patterns and tutorial are up at last! You can find them in the DIY section, along with my new snap-setting service. (I originally wanted to call it a "snapping service", but thought people might get the wrong end of the stick.)

Strangely, it was a flare-up of the dratted disease that inspired me to finish it. I can't make pads from my bed, but I can type and use Photoshop! The patterns and tutorial took a lot longer than expected, but I'm really happy with the end result. I can't wait to see the pads people come up with! (Yes, that is a not-so-subtle hint to send me photos.)

Fortunately I'm starting to feel better again, so I'm easing myself back into pad making and hoping the store will look less bare soon. Or at least bare for the right reasons. :)

New Fabrics!

2009-09-13T16:29:00.007+01:00

I have a hard time finding beautiful modern prints here in the UK, and often have to order my designer cottons from the USA. So, imagine my delight at stumbling upon Gone to Earth, a UK based supplier of stunning designer fabrics!

Some of these prints are already made up into pads in the shop, and yesterday I colour-matched thread so that I can make more this week. Yay! New prints make me feel so inspired!

I also found a beautiful floral print at my local quilt shop, which puts me in mind of dresses from the 1940s. It's more modern and graphic than the 1940s prints, but definitely has that vibe. If only I could justify buying enough of it to make a dress! Still, it's an absolute joy to work with, and makes beautiful pads.

Finally... I still have a small amount of fabric left from when I had my Reclaimed Fabric section. I've added a couple of pads made from upcycled fabric to my Cloth Pad Shop store, as part of the "ecology" theme. They are topped with the most gorgeous deep purple velour, and because they are upcycled, they are cheaper than my usual stock (remember, at CPS the price is in Euros!). I have more upcycled liners cut out and ready to sew, so keep an eye out!

New Prices, New Cores

2009-08-26T20:50:00.005+01:00

Wow, it's been a long time. Sorry about that. The last few weeks have been super busy - I've been dealing with family visits, sick pets, broken down cars, and prolonged bureacratic nonsense that I can't make head nor tail of. Why does everything always happen at once?!

Anyhow... the reason for today's update is that I am making a few minor changes at Luna Wolf. I wanted to let you know in advance, since it seems rude to just throw it out there without any notice.

The first change is pricing. You're probably thinking that there's only one way this can go, and I'm afraid you'd be right - I am indeed going to be raising my prices. I've kept them at this level for as long as I possibly could, but it's time for a revision. The prices of my supplies have continued to go up, and I'm at the point where I can no longer afford to keep this business unless I make some changes.

My new prices will come into effect on 7th September 2009. It was originally planned for 1st September, but since I posted this later then I intended, I'm giving you an extra week to make the most of the old prices. My new price list will be as follows:

Pantiliner: £3.75
8.5 inch pad: £4.85
9 inch pad: £5.45
Incontinence pad: £5.45
10.25 inch pad: £5.99
11.75 inch pad: £7.10
"Monster" night pad: £8.75
Menstrual cup bag: £2.75

Make-up remover pads, fabrics by the metre, Femmecups, and Femmecup starter sets will stay the same for now.

I do empathise with people who are on a tight budget, and I'm hoping that the price raise will enable me to start running free lotteries again, and hold sales once in a while. I also update my Squidoo lens regularly with ideas for creating a stash without breaking the bank.

The second change at Luna Wolf is that I am going to be reformulating some of my pad cores slightly. The core is the absorbent "soaker" part that is hidden inside. I use a mixture of medium and heavyweight bamboo fleece to create the absorbency I want for each pad, measured in GSM (grams per square metre). The higher the GSM, the more absorbent the pad. Anyway, I've decided to increase the GSM in some of my cores to make them even more absorbent. Since bamboo fleece is very thin and flexible for its extraordinary level of absorbency, it's unlikely that you will feel much difference in the thickness of the pads. You'll just find that the cores can hold even more fluid!

As always, if I use a heavier or lighter core, I will note it in the listing. But for my standard cores, here are the new GSM figures if you're interested. (I am not including the quilter's cotton or flannelette in these figures, even though these have some absorbency of their own.)

Pantiliner: 280gsm (no change)
8.5 inch pad: was 560gsm, now 605 gsm
9 inch pad: was 605 gsm, now 640 gsm
10.25 inch pad: 840 gsm (no change)
11.75 inch pad: was 840 gsm, now 880 gsm
"Monster" night pad: 880 gsm (no change)

I think that's all my news for now. A huge thanks to everybody who continues to support Luna Wolf, and I'll try not to be such a stranger to Blogspot anymore.

New Fabric!

2009-07-03T19:25:00.011+01:00

I had an appointment in town. As you've probably figured out by now, I find it impossible to go into town without visiting the quilting shop. And then I find it impossible to visit the quilting shop and come out empty handed.

The second is a Tina Givens print called "Sweet Poppies", which makes very jazzy looking pads. The quilting shop has several more prints from that collection, so I'm sure I'll be picking up more in due course!

However, I have saved the best for last. Worcester has a fabulous vintage clothing shop just across from where my appointment was. A few months ago, it is where I found this dress:

(Yes, that is me in a wig. I went to a 60s themed party. It was a hoot!)

Anyway, in one corner of the shop there is a suitcase filled with vintage fabric. That is where I found this little gem:

Is this not the best piece of fabric you have ever seen?! Daffodils! Birds! Welsh national costume turned sexy! I grew up on the Welsh border, so I may be slightly biased... but I think this is the highlight of my fabric collection. Everything about it makes me grin.

Now I just have to decide what to do with it. I don't think I'll be making it into pads, because I'd only be able to get one girl on each, and the beauty of the fabric (in my opinion) is having the girls in lines. There's not enough to make a skirt, unfortunately. I'm leaning towards a cutesy apron, which is the closest thing. Any other ideas?

New Product - PUL Boosters

2009-07-03T18:07:00.005+01:00

I've added a brand new product to the store - PUL boosters. These can be placed underneath any Luna Wolf pad (and lots of other brands too!) to add an extra layer of absorbency and a waterproof barrier. Do you have lots of pantiliners but not enough medium flow pads? Now you can make the most of your existing stash without having to buy new pads!

Enjoy!

Packaging Changes

2009-06-27T18:50:00.007+01:00

A while back, I did a packaging poll in the Cloth Pads community as well as a mini poll here. I'd been thinking for a while about revamping my packaging, and wanted to get people's views before I did anything.

I've always wrapped pads in tissue paper and put in a brown paper envelope with a mini business card (tied with ribbon to turn it into a handy bookmark... or at least that's the idea), care instructions if it's a first order, and a packing slip. Occasionally I'll include a Femmecup leaflet, since I am contractually obliged to promote them. While the result looks pretty, it bothers me that a) the pads aren't protected from moisture, and b) the tissue paper is likely to get discarded. The last thing I want to do is burden people with things to throw away.

So, what do people want from their pad packaging? Are extra touches nice or a nuisance? Everybody had differing views. Here are some of the interesting things I learned:

Most people preferred minimal packaging, and wanted their pads straight in the envelope.
A resealable bag was rated slightly higher than tissue paper.
Most people would save tissue paper to reuse later, a slightly lower number of people would throw it away, and a few would recycle it.
Almost everybody who participated would reuse a resealable bag.
A sticker on a resealable bag would not be a hindrance to most people. A couple of people mentioned that a sticker with a reference to cloth pads would stop them from re-using it.
Most people would not like to receive care instructions on paper if they were available online. One person came up with the idea of putting the care instructions on the packing slip so that no extra paper would be used, which received a very positive response.

If you'd like to see the actual results from the survey (in graph form), please click here.

After a lot of thought, I have decided to replace the tissue paper with a resealable bag. While I like the idea of putting the pads straight in the envelope, this leaves them vulnerable to loss or damage if the envelope tears. Since the resealable bag was the second most popular option, it seems like a reasonable compromise. It's more protective than tissue paper, and is more likely to be re-used.

I'll still include my little card (unless instructed otherwise), but the care instructions will no longer be a separate sheet. I will be printing these on the bottom of the packing slip. They'll be easy to cut off and separate from the other details, which could be useful if the items are a gift.

I will still keep tissue paper on hand, and would like to find a CubeCart mod that would enable me to offer free gift wrapping.

Until then, please do make use of CubeCart's comments facility if you have special packaging requests. During the checkout process there is an opportunity to write a comment, which I receive with the order. If you'd like me to include or omit any packaging, I'll be happy to oblige!

I shall go to the ball!

2009-06-22T17:41:00.009+01:00

Not pad related, but I wanted to record my latest sewing project for posterity. My first ever dress!

Please click to enlarge, if you are inclined.

I had been searching and searching for a decent summer dress, and had tried on just about every dress on the high street. NOTHING fit. My top and bottom halves are two different sizes, so anything that fits my top half won't go over my hips, and anything that fits my hips gapes at the bust. After a day of trekking around town trying on dresses, I suddenly thought: this is stupid. I know how to sew. I will stop this madness and make my own!

The pattern is New Look 6773, and the fabric is flat cotton. I custom made it to my measurements, so it actually fits my bust AND hips! Amazing! The lining is red, the same as the front band and straps. It was supposed to have boning, but I really couldn't be bothered with that, so I left it out. The halterneck holds it up just fine.

It started out about 8 inches longer, but I shortened it quite radically. Only after I'd cut off the excess and spent three hours handsewing a blind hem did I realise that I actually preferred it longer. Oh well. I will just have to make another!

June Lottery Winner

2009-06-18T15:39:00.004+01:00

Belated congratulations to silvermuse, the winner of the June lottery liner. I hope you enjoy it!

My Verdict on the Co-operative Own Brand Stain Remover Powder

2009-06-08T17:12:00.007+01:00

Pad cleaning time again! This cycle I replaced my usual Vanish Oxi Action with the Co-operative's own brand to see how the two compare.

I'd say the Co-op's version is about 90% as effective as the Vanish. When the pads came out of the washing machine I was left with one barely visible stain, which disappeared after the pad dried.

The Co-op's version doesn't smell as strong as the Vanish, which is nice for people with chemical sensitivies. (I actually rather like the sherberty smell of the Vanish, though, so I missed it a bit.) It gets odour out nicely, and left my pads smelling clean and fresh.

Although the Vanish seems to have a little extra "oomph", the Co-op's version is plenty good enough for my purposes. It works well, it's about half the price, and better still it's BUAV approved.

I'll definitely be using this from now on, in conjunction with Ecover stain remover for spot-treatment.

June Lottery

2009-06-04T22:04:00.004+01:00

I recently did a custom order for a really awesome lady, who generously donated some of her own fabric for my June lottery liner. The lottery is over at my Cloth Pad Shop store, and the lucky winner will receive this beautiful liner FREE, inclusive of shipping. International entries welcome!

Pad Care, Soaking, and Odour

2009-06-03T17:12:00.014+01:00

I've had a few queries about pad care, particularly since the weather's warmed up. Warmer weather and soak pots don't mix very well, often resulting in musty smelling pads... and let's be frank, nobody wants to wear a pad that smells like an armpit.

Fortunately, you don't have to. Over the last few months I've perfected a new pad care routine which involves minimal soaking and leaves my pads looking and smelling beautiful, so I thought I'd share it.

My Pad Care Method

When I take off a pad, I fold it in on itself, and snap. Like this:

I then put it unrinsed into a waterproof zippered bag. Yes, unrinsed. I was sceptical at first; I was afraid unrinsed pads would stink, but they don't. Obviously, if you put your face into the bag and inhale deeply you'll be able to smell your pads, but you wouldn't do that anyway, would you? I keep my waterproof bag in our (small) bathroom, and neither my partner or I can smell my pads at all. (Believe me, if my pads stank, my partner would have something to say about it.)

My waterproof bag is nothing fancy; it's a large toiletries bag that I picked up for about 50p at a charity shop.

When I'm ready to clean my pads, I do it in three easy steps.

Step 1: Open the pads up, drop them into the soaking container, and fill with cold water. I do this in the morning about an hour before my shower - you'll find out why in a minute. After an hour, I tip out the water.

Step 2: Time to rinse. You could fill your soak pot again, swish around a bit and tip the water out... or, you could do what I do: dump your pads into the shower enclosure or bathtub, and take a shower with them. The combination of the shower water and me trampling about on them gets them pretty good and clean.

At this point, you could wash and dry as normal, spot-treating any stains if you are so inclined. Ecover stain remover is great, I highly recommend it. I am very finicky about stains, though, so I like to add one more step to ensure my pads are pristine.

Step 3: Dump the pads back in the soaking container, and this time add warm water and a scoop of Vanish Oxi Action, or similar oxygen based laundry cleaner. Oxy Clean is widely used in the USA, and seems to be approximately the same thing. Make sure whichever version you get is colour safe! The Vanish comes in a bright pink container and looks like this:

The Co-Op has their own brand which I will try in a couple of days and let you know how it compares.

Swoosh around a bit to dissolve the crystals, and leave for another hour or so. When you come back to it, you will be amazed at how beautiful your pads look (and smell!) Now you can wash and dry as normal. I wash at 30 degrees with no problems. I like to air dry outside (when the weather permits), but that's a matter of personal preference.

I have been doing this for about a year now, and my pads always come out looking and smelling perfect. Rinsing every pad and then soaking for the duration of my cycle has never worked for me - I always had odour problems, and it was a whole lot of effort. It works great for some women, and power to them, but it doesn't suit everybody. I've found my method to be an easy and effective alternative.

If the idea of storing unrinsed pads squicks you out and you'd rather stick to soaking, here are some tips for keeping your pads and soak water smelling fresh:

Add a couple of tablespoons of bicarbonate of soda to your soak water. Bicarb absorbs odour.
Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil or other essential oil to your soak water. Make sure you wash your pads thoroughly afterwards, as tea tree can be irritating to some women.
Change your soak water often, at least once a day.
Before washing, give your pads a final soak in Oxi Action or similar.
Add a quarter to half a cup of white vinegar to your wash (if you machine wash)
Dry pads outside if possible.

Do you have any tricks for keeping your soak water smelling fresh? Or a pad care method that works really well for you? If so, please leave a comment and tell me about it - I'd love to know!

Lottery Winner!

2009-05-24T01:18:00.003+01:00

The lottery over at Cloth Pad Shop closed tonight, and the winner of the batik liner is... hollyberry! Congratulations Holly, I hope you enjoy your new liner.

For those who missed out this time, don't worry. This was so much fun, I'm going to make it a regular event!

Snap Woes are over!

2009-05-20T22:56:00.004+01:00

The new snaps and dies arrived... and... they work perfectly! I definitely prefer the new ones, they look and feel really sturdy and secure, plus they are easier to apply. I hope you'll love them as much as I do. I got two different sizes - small ones for liners and 8.5 inch pads, and larger ones for 9 inches and above. I'm not quite sure what to do with the old snaps and dies - keep them for backup perhaps?

I also splurged on some new fabric. House of Fraser in Worcester has started stocking Amy Butler, Kaffe Fassett and Heather Bailey prints (be still my heart), and my favourite little quilting shop had a half price sale, so I couldn't not buy anything. Right? Right?

Midwest Modern by Amy Butler. Yum.

Garden Maze - so cheerful and summery!

Go see the rest here. :)

Cloth Pads on a Budget

2009-05-17T21:12:00.005+01:00

So, you’ve decided to ditch the disposables and switch to cloth. You’re ready to create your stash, and you’re looking forward to the savings it will bring you. There’s just one problem: cloth pads require an initial investment, and you’re on a tight budget. How on earth are you going to afford it?

Don’t be too disheartened. With a little initiative, it’s possible to create a perfectly good stash with very little money. Here is how.

You don’t have to buy it all at once

It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many people feel as though they have to buy their entire stash in one go. In my opinion (even as a seller!), this is a mistake. Until you’ve tried a few cloth pads, you’ll have no idea what style/size you like. If you buy your entire stash in one go, you may end up having spent a whole lot of money on a pad style that doesn’t suit you. Why not make the transition gradually? You could buy a pad a month so that you have a new one to try for each cycle. By the end of the year you’ll have 12 pads, which many women find to be enough to get through an entire cycle.

Seconds

Sometimes, pad sewing just doesn’t go right. It’s a fact of life. One slip with the machine because you’re singing along to Kate Bush instead of paying attention, and you have a wonky pad. Sellers often list these pads as “seconds”, and sell them at reduced prices. There is nothing wrong with the pads – they just have some minor cosmetic flaws. Cloth Pad Shop has a category just for seconds, and some sellers post their seconds on the Cloth Pads or Cloth Pad Sales communities on Livejournal.

Upcycled fabric

Some sellers make pads from upcycled fabric, such as old clothing and bedding that would otherwise been thrown away. These cost significantly less than pads made with specialist core fabric or designer cottons. (They are also very environmentally friendly, since new fabric does not need to be produced to make them.) Bear in mind that while the materials are cheaper, you will still need to pay for the pad maker’s labour.

Second hand pads

In my opinion, this is the best way to get fantastic bargains on good quality pads. Don’t be too grossed out by the idea – “second hand” doesn’t necessarily mean “used”. Besides, used pads will have been cleaned, and have usually only been used a handful of times. If you’re worried, a hot wash with half a cup of vinegar will kill any nasties. Keep an eye on Cloth Pads and Cloth Pad Sales and snap up a bargain.

Trades

Do you have fabric or other supplies that a pad maker could use? Do you have a skill such as web design that you could offer to a pad maker who wants to revamp her website? Perhaps you create handmade products of your own that a pad maker might like? It’s worth posting a message on Cloth Pads, which is read by a lot of pad makers. I’ve done trades in the past with a lady from Pennsylvania who sends me fabric from her local store in exchange for pads, and a lady who makes gorgeous mineral make-up.

Testers

Most pad makers like to “test drive” a new product before putting it in their stores. Many will self test and/or enlist the help of female friends/relatives, but some need specific types of testers that they may have difficulty finding (for example, women with very heavy flow). In these instances, pad makers will send out tester pads for a low cost or even for free, in exchange for feedback. Let pad makers know that you’re willing to test drive pads for them, so that you’re on their list if they need testers.

Competitions

Lotteries/drawings for free pads are becoming increasingly popular with cloth pad makers. Once in a while, I run one in my Cloth Pad Shop store. Usually the drawings are for liners and light duty pads, since that’s what WAHW (work at home woman) pad makers can spare. Most pad makers announce their competitions and winners in the Cloth Pads community, so it’s worth checking regularly.

Samples

Some of the larger pad companies such as Luna Pads, Gladrags and Party in my Pants offer free samples. Again, these are likely to be liners or light duty pads, but all three have very different styles, so it can help you to figure out what works best for you. WAHW pad makers usually do not have the means to give out free samples, much as they would like to.

Make Your Own

If you’re nifty with a needle and thread, cloth pads are a fun and satisfying project. There are lots of free patterns available online, the most popular being Adahy’s. I sell small-lot quantities of fabrics that are especially awkward to find, such as bamboo fleece and PUL. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money on fabric, though. Old fleece blankets make great backings for pads, and can be bought very cheaply at charity/thrift shops. Flannel pyjamas make great pad tops, and old towels are very effective for cores. The DIY Pads community is a great resource for people who want to make their own pads.

If sewing isn’t your strong point, or you’re strapped for time, don’t despair. Cloth pads don’t need to be complicated. A simple facecloth folded into thirds makes a perfectly adequate cloth pad, as does a square of hemp or bamboo fleece. Two squares of flannel sewn back-to-back can work well too.

Menstrual cup

If none of the above suggestions appeal to you, consider getting a menstrual cup. I stock the Femmecup at £14.99 – about the price of 3 cloth pads.

This article is now a Squidoo lens.

Snap Woes

2009-05-11T13:20:00.003+01:00

After a year of working beautifully, my snap press has suddenly started misbehaving. The store from which I originally bought it is ignoring my pleas for help, so I've ordered new dies and a different brand of snaps from a different source. We'll see if that does the trick.

In the meantime I'm limping along with the old snaps/dies. I test each snap thoroughly before putting pads up for sale, and again before I send them out, so none of the "bad snaps" should manage to sneak through. If, however, you experience a problem with a snap, please send the pad back to me so I can fix it. You can find my address on the packaging/packing slip, or send me an email and I will give it to you. Snaps are guaranteed for the life of the pad, and I will replace them free of charge if they fail. It doesn't matter how old (or stained) the pad is, as long as it's clean!

Free Lottery!

2009-05-10T19:10:00.004+01:00

Welcome to the new Luna Wolf blog! The old wordpress one got eaten during the server move last year, so I thought it was about time I started a new one. Why not subscribe and be the first to hear about new fabrics, special offers, etc?

Today's news is that I'm running a FREE lottery over at my Cloth Pad Shop store for this liner:

To enter, simply click this link and add the item to your cart. Don't worry, you won't be charged. The winner will be picked randomly by the shopping cart system on 23rd May, and will be notified by email. International entries welcome!

Good luck!