Carry Challenge 2014

Starting January 1, 2014 we will have a 15 day carry challenge using woven wraps, full buckles, ring slings, and Mei Teis, with a new carry every day.  To participate in the Carry Challenge, you will simply make an album (titled with your name and “Carry Challenge” - much like we did for babywearing week) and upload your picture each day. I will post the title of that days carry and a video instruction on the facebook page each day.  Pictures must be uploaded that day, into your album, to count for prizes. But I would love any picture (a different day for example) to be posted in the daily carry thread on the facebook wall.

We have AMAZING prizes donated and all prizes will be awarded based solely on participation, EXCEPT for one prize for  the most creative carry. So the more carries you try, the more likely you are to win a prize! I decided to do the prizes based on participation because there are still several wraps available in the lending library if you want to check them out and participate. Table clothes, or bedsheets could be used, and 6 of the carries are done with carriers other than woven wraps. So there is plenty of opportunity for everyone!

Remember only pictures uploaded the day of that specific carry will count towards your total carry score for prizes. This will be more fun for everyone with daily participation rather than waiting until the last day and doing each carry for 2 minutes to take a picture.

The Creative Carry challenge can be ANY carrier type and any carry method. It will be up to a group vote and the winner will be allowed to choose ANY prize (except the grand prize). So if you ONLY want to participate in the creative carry - that’s fine too! The best entries will be a new carry with detailed instructions that the group can re-create on their own.

The Carry Challenge will follow this list for carries:

PRIZES!

We have FANTASTIC prizes donated for this event! Our grand prize was donated by Lauren Hyatt from Mums N Bums and is a Girasol Ring-Sling! Mums N' Bums is Owasso's newest addition to mommy and baby care! Mums N' Bums will provide eco-friendly, organic, natural products that will help you and your baby feel at your best!

Danielle J. Ethington is providing a custom Nipple Beenie for your cutie-pie! They are also available for purchase at oui oui cloth diapers!

Haylee Hager Barney is donating some adorable custom burp rags made of white cotton prefolds,  backed with Flannel and trim added. We have 2 sets of two donated.

Kristin Riffe has donated a coupon for a free customized suck pads with any fabric from her fabric library at:

http://pitterpatterstitches.weebly.com/drool-pads.html

Holly Foley has donated a gorgeous collection of custom hand-made bows that will go to several winners.

Ashley Richie of Tulsa Teethers has  donated a wrap scrap ring AND wrap scrap earrings!

And Kim Harris of Blue Marble  Market is donating a doll mei tei carrier for your little one to carry their little babies in! So cute!

If you have any prizes you would like to donate for the challenge please let me know! The more prizes the more fun for everyone! Also, remember, there are still woven wraps  in the lending library ready to  be checked out for this event! There is no reason not to participate.  I hope everyone has fun with this event and we can make it an annual occurrence!

Tiffany Johnson is a breastfeeding, baby wearing, co-sleeping, attachment parenting mama to three beautiful children. She is currently taking a leave of absence from her busy career as an estate planning attorney to focus on her home and family. In her spare time she loves crafting, reading a good book, red wine, all things geeky, and loving on her babies.

Do It Yourself Carrier Tutorials

Do It Yourself (DIY) Carriers: General Overview
with Tutorials

       

 

 

There are a lot of ways and types of carriers you can make yourself, if you are a crafty person. It is highly recommended that you use Gutermann's thread or Heavy Duty due to the amount of weight and wear that occurs at the threaded areas. Also due to safety and liability issues, we only recommend that you make your own carriers (or for family members). BCIA and CPSIA are two standards organizations that you should be aware of and compliant with in order to sell or make carriers for others. These standards are becoming even more strict and including lead, chemical and weight testing for all fabric/thread used. If you have questions about these standards, please message C.J., Ashley, or Somer and we will be happy to point you in the right direction if we cannot answer them ourselves.

 

 

 

Stretchy Wrap (such as a moby, sleepy wrap...) - Very easy to make and no sewing is even required. You can use 5.5-6 yards of cotton knit fabric (with stretch no more than 30%), cut it down the middle length wise and you're done! You can hem or serge it all the way around for a more finished look but it's not necessary at all. This does create 2 stretchy wraps.

 

 

 

Water Wrap- This can also be done very easily and no sewing is required. You get 5.5-6 yards of football mesh, cut it in half length wise and you have 2 wraps. You can serge the edges all the way around if you want, but it's not necessary at all.

 

 

 

Woven Wrap- This can be done with minimal sewing skills. You can use gauze (great for newborns in the summer), osnaburg or 100% linen (other fabrics can be used, though they do need to be considered bottom weight). All 3 are safe for front, hip and back carries. The amount you need will depend on the length of wrap you want. If you want a standard long wrap (approximately a size 6), you'd need 5.5 yards of the fabric you choose. You should be able to cut it down the middle length wise to get 2, but this will depend on the width of the bolt. We recommend 24-27 inches wide for a wrap when finished so it would need to be at least 50 inches wide to get 2 out of one piece (most manufactured wovens are 27in for reference). After cutting it length wise you can also "taper" the ends which is cutting them at an angle. This will help when tying it when you wrap as it won't be so bulky. A difference of 5-6 inches cut at an angle is a decent amount. You create the tapers opposite of each other (meaning, on one end of the wrap the "top" is longer with the "bottom" shorter, on the other end the "top" would be shorter and the "bottom" would be longer; laid flat the direction is the same /==/). Then, you'll hem it all the way around the length and width of the wrap. It may also be helpful to add a "middle marker" which is easier to do prior to cutting the tapers. This can be done by just a short decorative stitch, a small scrap piece of a decorative fabric to mimic a tag, or just a few stitches. This will help you when wrapping to know where you should start from depending on the carry you choose to do.

 

 

 

Ring Slings- This can be done with moderate sewing skills. We only recommended to purchase the rings used for slings from slingrings.com as they have been weight tested for babywearing (though o rings used for horses can be used they are heavy compared to sling rings). Sling rings are also not welded so they have no weak points in them which under pressure could cause them to break. There are wonderful tutorials on how to make ring slings on sleeping baby production's website. Fabric choices are numerous but the fabric does determine the type of sling that needs to be sewn. A bottom weight fabric can be used in one layer only. A pretty quilter's fabric we recommend in a double layer with a bottom weight. A medium weight fabric we suggest using two layers. Multiple layers can also be warmer and more difficult to adjust.

 

· One Layer Ring sling- http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/sling.html

· Reversible Ring sling(same fabrics) http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/reversible.html

· Reversible (different types of fabrics) http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/reverse2.html

· Two layer with lightweight fabric- http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/doublelayer.html

· NO SEW Ring sling- http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/no_sew.html

8 Steps to create an X Box Stitch

Mei Tais- This can be done with a moderate to higher level of sewing skill. Thread choice is very important as the thread carries weight. Also reinforcing all seams, extending the straps at least 6 inches into the carrier, and using "x boxes" (shown above) on the shoulder straps where they extend into the body of the carrier is important to insure the likeliness of the carrier ripping is minimal. Also if using a lighter weight fabric a bottom weight support panel between the layers of the body is suggested (can be a full panel or an internal X or U support panel, see below). Using multiple layers or bottom weight fabrics are also suggested for all straps. There are a lot of great tutorials and patterns out there on how to make a MT and many threads over on thebabywearer.com. Here is the link to a post there with numerous patterns and directions.

 

· http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?177441-MT-Answers-a-compendium

· faux ball baby overall MT- http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/bbo.html

· wrap conversion MT- http://www.wrapmeitai.blogspot.com/

o(You could do this with 100% linen and Osnaburg fabric as well.)

· "Hood to Headrest MT"- http://www.stilllearninglife.com/2008/01/diy-hood-to-headrest-mei-tai-tutorial.html

· Scandi MT Tutorial- http://scanditute.blogspot.com/

Internal X Support Panel

 

 

Soft Structured Carriers- This can be done with moderate to higher level sewing skills. Just as with a MT, thread choice is very important. Also seam reinforcements, straps sunk into the body, and "x boxing" on connecting areas are important. We also suggest that double or bottom weight fabrics be used as straps and if using a light weight fabric that a support panel be used. It is also recommended to use only weight tested buckles (to the weight limit that you feel comfortable with; I have found buckles tested to 90lbs for a $1 each).

 

· SSC tips- http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?117666-SSC-(Soft-Structured-Carrier)-Tips

· Chelsea and Shira's SSC Pattern download- http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?233690-Free-SSC-Pattern-now-available!-Have-fun-)

· SSC PDF download pattern- http://www.mediafire.com/?whdfr3hbm9t

· SSC tutorial on blog- http://latebloomercrafts.blogspot.com/2008/11/ssc-tutorial-1-cut-list.html

· SweetPod SSC tutorial- http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?393607-sweetpod-ssc&highlight=buckles

· Tip to turn MT into a "half buckle" without sewing- http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?418472-Converting-a-MT&highlight=buckles

 

 

 

Podaegis (Pods)- This is a blanket type carrier with straps on the top. These can be made with moderate sewing skills. As the same with a MT, thread choice is important as well as sinking the straps and "x boxing" them to reinforce them. Straps should be a bottom weight fabric or a double layer as well as the blanket.

 

· Wrap Pod- http://wrap-pod.blogspot.com/

· Straight strap pod- http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?93216-Pod-directions-draft-version

· Angled strap pod- http://www.thebabywearer.com/forum/showthread.php?114473-Silk-Pod-sew-along-directions!-Finished-yay!

· PDF download straight strap pod- http://www.thewahmmall.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=46_56

· Patchwork Pod- http://sewshesews.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/baby-carrier-tutorial-a-podaegi/

 Angela Miller is an extraordinary mother to 4, including a rambunctious boy, an adorable set of twins, and new, little girl that likes to keep her on her toes. In Angela's very little free time, she enjoys DIY carriers and is aspiring to purchase a loom!

 

 

C.J. North is a Babywearing Institute Scholar who is also a certified elementary teacher.  She stays home with her three kids; 6yo stepson, 2.5yo son, and 6mo daughter.  C.J. has a love/hate relationship with cloth diapers and is crunchier than she ever thought she would be.  She also manages the allergy and special needs of her family, while being overly addicted to research.