PrairieMama Sponsor :: Cranky Pants

When I started cloth diapering 8 years ago, I quickly fell in love with wool and it's beneficial qualities.  I loved the way it absorbed and kept Emma cool and dry.

Emma in our favorite wool cover at the time, made by Stacinator.

There were options, but not very many fun ones.  I could get snap, velcro or pull on wool covers in a variety of colors, but they were all solid colors.  There was nothing that I could find that was fun or funky, or even that looked hand knit.

Shortly after Emma died, I started to knit.  The first thing I learned to knit, besides hats, were wool covers.  I spent many a day and evenings filling my empty hands knitting for the baby growing in my womb.  I knit solid and stripes, but nothing really interesting because my knitting skills were just so limited.

Amelia in one of the MANY diaper covers I knit.

I remember searching online for diaper covers and came across Crankypants in 2005.  This was when Seth was starting to walk, and I thought these would be SO cute on my little monster's bum.  However, our grad school income wouldn't allow me to pay someone what they deserved for well knit longies.  So, I admired them from afar.

Photo from Cranky Pants

Crankypants started in 2004 when being a broke stay at home mama collided with the realization that there were very few options for people who loved the idea of longies but wanted something a bit funkier than what was being offered at the time. With lots of hard work and the amazing power of mama word of mouth, Crankypants has grown and expanded to carry an assortment of gear for kids of all ages.  In 2008 we forged a Fair Trade Federation certified partnership with a knitting cooperative in Peru to keep Crankypants hand made and help foster economic development in that region.

My inspiration is, first and foremost, my own little beastie Henry, who is now 7.  He has a pretty wicked case of colic when he was a baby so I needed every opportunity for a giggle I could get.  When I'm designing a new product I like to think about what makes me crack a smile.  I firmly believe that keeping your sense of humor intact is sometimes the only thing that can save you as a parent and I hope that the goofy things I make can bring a tiny giggle to an otherwise challenging day.

My favorite things to create are one of a kind items that I know are going to be loved half to death by a kiddo or their parent.  I get emails from people who say something I made was "perfect" for a unique individual in their life and that is pretty much my favorite thing ever! 

 
 This fall when I went to the Type A Mom Conference, there was a Mom Market on the last morning.  I am always so excited to support Mama run businesses, because I know what it's like to run a business.  When I saw Crankypants I about peed my pants with excitement!!!!  For the last 5 years I had drooled over and coveted these longies, and there they were right in front of me!!!!

I still didn't have the money to spend on them, but I was thrilled to see that Amy had added lots of other homemade items to her shop!

From homemade undies for the littles, to juggling bags, and even ice packs for those poor men who get Vasectomies - everything Amy makes is just brilliant!

 

But our favorite item from Crankypants is Skinny.  Skinny is a little monster that I bought for my little Monster, Seth.

He is made from a sock and has tatted yarn for his eyes, mouth and on his ears.  Seth doesn't go to sleep without him, and has had to take him to school a few times to hang out in his backpack.

Skinny is the reason that our transition to Texas has been as smooth as it has.  He is something Seth can cling to, and I am so grateful for it.  He is another member of our family and we love him.

Thanks so much for amazing products Amy!  We love Crankypants and know you will too.  Click on the linky to the right, or on any of the links I have provided to purchase from Crankypants.  Not only will you be getting something one of a kind for your one of a kind kid, but you will be supporting another Mama and isn't that what we all love to do???