Has anyone made their own wrap?

[mamasmith]

I'm pretty crafty and plan to make my own wraps.  I've already made a ring sling and think I will like it when my first is born in July! 

With the traditional wraps I've seen, they look like long pieces of fabric and that's it.  Is this true?  Is there any stitching involved besides a rolled hem along the edge?  If this is the case, then I could pick out any fabric I wanted for hot TX summers! 

[bentlaj11]

There is a good DIY forum over at thebabywearer. They talk alot about different types of fabric, etc... and the pros/cons of each. There are also lots of other topics on making other types of baby carriers.

 I made a wrap out of onasburg, and while not as cushy as a "real" woven, it definitely works! I know you want to be careful as certain fabrics will not be supportive or could even be dangerous. I also had good luck with making a tablecloth shorty (used like a ring-sling, but without the rings)- I found an on sale 100 % cotten tablecloth and split it in 1/2 lengthwise and did a rolled hem.

http://www.wearyourbaby.org/Default.aspx?tabid=121 this is also a good site. Good luck, and congrats on your new LO.

[Treece]

I have made 2 wraps. I am 5'2" and 125 lb

1. Stretchy (jersey material) and short (2 yrds). Could only wear facing in, but served it's purpose. Didn't hem the edges, no fraying. Wish I had gotten more fabric. I cut the fabric in half (width) so that I had 2 wraps.

2. Woven and LONG (4 yds). I wish I knew how to put my kiddo on my back because this would have been great. The edges needed hemmed b/c they frayed real easy. Again cut in half so that I had 2 wraps.

Not very crafty, but were incredibly useful. I serged my only hems on the woven one, and it looked store bought. I got so many compliments on each one. If you go stretchy, I would go longer b/c 2 yrds is not long enough. For me, 4 was too long. 3-3.5 would be better FOR ME.

Good luck. This is my experience, and I did research a lot before I even attempted to cut the first one down. I looked at that fabric for at least a month. lol

[SnuggyBaby]

Wraps are probably the easiest type of carrier to do DIY.  You are right that it is just a long piece of fabric.  I am not sure about your size, but the average length that I usually hear moms say is more like 5-6 yards.  I think it is always better to have too much fabric that you can later shorten than not enough fabric to do what you want. 

Stretchy wraps are great for newborns.  They are generally made with a comfortable knit or jersey fabric.  The problem with most stretchy wraps, and definatly with the fabric thatyou will find for a DYI is that after a while the fabric will do exactly what it is intended to do and stretch.  Once the fabric starts to stretch under the weight of your baby and causing them to sag, it will be much less comfortable for you.  Stretchy wraps are easier to learn to use, because the stretchy fabric is more forgiving, but they are also limited in the positions you can do.  I only recommned a front carry with a stretchy wrap. 

If you wanted to upgrade to a more supportive wrap, you can look at buying osnaburg, or even a cotton gauze.  Gauze will be nice and lightweight for the TX summers, but it will not be as supportive and people often complain that it can dig in if it is not wrapped just right.  Either way, gauze or osnaburg, it still will not be the same as getting a true woven wrap, but it will be enough for you to see if you are a wrapper and want to invest in a better woven wrap, or if wrapping just is not for you. 

[Treece]

Originally Posted by SnuggyBaby 

Wraps are probably the easiest type of carrier to do DIY.  You are right that it is just a long piece of fabric.  I am not sure about your size, but the average length that I usually hear moms say is more like 5-6 yards.  I think it is always better to have too much fabric that you can later shorten than not enough fabric to do what you want. 

I completely agree. Too much is WAY better than too little. My short wrap is ALMOST too small. But I didn't originally buy the fabric to use that way, but 3 years later, its still a wrap (well, 2).

[Nicole730]

I have 2 homemade wraps.  One is just a piece of stretchy cotton knit (of some sort, got it in the clearance section).  I got it 60in wide, cut it in half lengthwise and then overlapped about 5 inches and sewed a rectangle and then an X in the middle.  No hemming.  It's about 6 yards.

Then a nonstretchy one, 6.5 yards.  20 inches and same deal with the sewing in the middle - which I like so I know where the middle is when I put it on.  This one was fabric from the apparel section of JoAnn.  It's only one sided, but I am able to wrap it so all the pretty side shows.

My friend made one out of gauze that is more breathable.