on babywearing with my baby
It’s long been a fun game. “Mama! Slinky!” they would call, and come find me, baby (theirs, not mine), tucked under their arm, a muslin wrap trailing along behind them. They would cuddle their baby and hold their arms out while I tied up some approximation of my own sling, and off we could toddle, each wearing our own babies. For Butterfly’s recent birthday, I had bought some fabric** with the intention of making her an Ergo-style baby carrier, but I didn’t end up having enough time to get it made. So last week we pulled out the bag, set ourselves up on the dining table, and got to work.
We modelled it on my Ergo carrier, and used ribbon instead of clips to secure the arm straps, and left the waistband long enough to tie up. It ended up being super quick and easy to whip up – two width-of-fabric cuts for the waist and for the arms, a square of the outside and the lining for the body, and sew it all together with thick polyester batting for padding and structure. To give it shape, we added pleats to the bottom of the body where it joins the waistband to bring it in a bit and create a rounded little pocket for a delicate dolly bottom to sit.
UPDATE:: I now have a tutorial on how to sew a carrier of your own! You can find it at https://thebarefootcrafter.com/sewing/kids-babywearing-carrier-diy/
Thanks to madam’s impatience, we were racing against the school pickup clock, and I realised too late that I hadn’t come back to measure and pull up the arm straps, leaving them too long. A quick change of carry, and switching them to cross-over style, fixed the fit issues, and also give her plenty of room for the carrier to grow with her. Leaving the waist band without buttons (the original plan) is also due to wanting to get as much time out of it as possible.
The carrier, just like the ergo, works front or back, and I have been in trouble more than once for helping her put it on, only to discover she wanted it the OTHER WAY MUMMY!
You know a project is a success when it is in constant use, and lives at the end of her bed, where she took it off last thing before she went to sleep and will pick it up and put it back on as soon as she wakes. Boy2 informs me he is also now in the market for a carrier, and with Beetle forever trying to steal this one, I’m guessing I better put one for him on the to-do list as well. I also have at least half a metre of this delightful Frozen fabric left, so I’m off on a Pinterest hunt for a project to use it up ASAP – licensed fabrics are really not my cup of tea!
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Do you have a pattern of any sort for this? It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for to make for my girls, but I’m a beginner sewist and have very little idea how to piece something like this together
Hi Cherry, I don’t, I just winged it, but I will dig it out over the weekend and make up a cutting and piecing guide for you 🙂
You’re amazing! 😁
I’ve got the tutorial up for you! You can find it here – https://thebarefootcrafter.com/sewing/kids-babywearing-carrier-diy/
Thank you so much! I’ve been meaning to reply! I got my supplies and then got really sick. I’m hoping to get to it this weekend. I really appreciate you taking the time to do this!!
I’m sorry to hear you were unwell!! Have lots of fun sewing it up, and sing out if you get stuck!
Hello! Can i ask for a picture or a detail of the pleat? I cannot understand how exactly it’s constructed in this specific part 😅 TIA
Hi! When I make one of these, I would mark the centre of the body, and the centre of the waist band, and pin together. I would then measure out from the centre to where I want the edge to be, the same distance on both sides. I would then pin the edge of the body to the mark on the waistband, which gives me the excess fabric to create the pleat. I would then manipulate this excess so that the folded edge was approximately 1/4” from the centre mark. Pin in place and repeat on the other side.
Does that help? My daughter’s carrier is packed away in storage so I don’t have easy access for a photo at the minute
I think it helps a lot! I will start cutting the pieces and when I reach this phase it will follow step by step your directions. Thank you for your prompt reply! Greetings from Zurich, Switzerland ❤️
I think reading the steps as you sew is a helpful idea to see it come together. Please let me know if you have any more questions and I will try and help explain it it further. Have a fabulous day, from me here Down Under in Australia 🙂 and thank you for stopping by!