The mama behind Wahmies & Drybees

DryBees Cloth Diapers was established in 2003 with five yards of fabric and a hope that people would like what was being made. For years, all DryBees products were made by my hands on my kitchen table after my children were put to bed. They barely knew that anything was going on. This allowed me to still be a mom and tend to their needs, but do something in the evening that was rewarding to me. DryBees quickly began to take over the living portions of our home. My mother started taking over the bulk of the sewing which might seem to have lessened my load but only made more work because there were more orders to fill, more customers to serve. After the passing of my mother in 2005 DryBees was too large for me to try to resume the sewing and daily running of the business all by myself. I decided that I would look at selling the one thing I loved. I didn't feel like I could keep it going and it held many memories of my mother as well.

With the encouragement of my little brother, who is forever my business cheerleader, I sought out a seamstress for help. I was lucky in that I found one of the best ones out there who helps me keep DryBees quality high. She works out of her home so she can be there for her family and when she needs help she finds other women who can work out of their homes. This is truly how I wanted it to be run. I am reminded every day how proud my mom would be to see how it has grown. DryBees moved out of my home but still onto my property in its own warehouse in 2007. This has allowed my home to be my home again which was much needed to have a moment to get away from it all. It has also allowed me to have help from local moms who, just like me, come after their children are in bed. Every day I am amazed at the other women I work with, from the people who help me run the business to the woman run businesses that carry my products. Women are strong and are able to take on so much and yet still run their families with grace.

How do you stuff a pocket diaper?

Our first blog post from a customer...Jill P! She earned money for submitting this post. See below to see how you can earn money writing for Cloth Diaper Outlet's blog!

At the request of my husband, the bulk of our diapers are pocket diapers. They are just as easy as a disposable when the need for a diaper change arises. The system works best if all the diapers are stuffed and ready, so it’s the first thing I do every other morning. Pocket diapers comprise about three-fourths of our stash, but I need only about twenty minutes to get all the diapers from the dryer to the shelf.

Stuffing a pocket diaper can be frustrating. I’ve discovered a little trick that works perfectly on our Knickernappies diapers. My husband kindly served as photographer so you can see it in action.


First, place a hand on each side of the diaper cover and scrunch it up on either side. (Ladies, think pantyhose!)

I hold the diaper cover with my left hand and place the inserts into the opening with my right hand.

I then slide my left hand over so I can pinch the inserts at the closed end of the diaper cover.

I spread the right hand so my thumb is on one side of the insert and my fingers are on the other, tucked just inside the diaper cover. I hold them out slightly, so they can slide easily on either side of the insert. Then I pull my right hand down, dragging the cover with it. The insert and end of the cover stay in place, still held firmly by my left hand.

That’s it! I like to give the diaper one good snap to even everything out. Sometimes I then run my fingers over the edges just to make sure the insert is smooth.

Looking for some writers!

Do you like writing? Do you love cloth diapers?

I am now accepting articles about cloth diapering. Approved pieces will be published here in this blog. You will be paid either $5 cash (paid via paypal) or $10 store credit for each article that is published. You may begin submitting articles immediately to me at heather @ clothdiaperoutlet.com (no spaces).

Topics include washing tips, detergent experiences, personal experiences with diaper brands you've liked (try to stay away from diapers you didn't like, please!), etc. Almost anything relating to cloth can be approved. I'm going to be looking for relevance, solid writing skills, and proper grammar.

Thanks so much!

ETA: Articles should be less than 300 words.