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DIY - Customize your Baby Carrier
Topic Started: Dec 10 2012, 02:46 PM (1,879 Views)
conundrum1
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Yummy's Mommy
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I've made wraps before, but only with plain cotton jersey material. If I can figure out how to get my junky "as seen on TV" sewing machine to work, I'm going to attempt to make a front panel. I bought some amazing fabric to go with my beige and lilac wraps and am looking forward to using them! Many of the instructions come from the blog, "A Load of Craft". Here's a link to her tutorials: http://www.aloadofcraft.com/p/free-tutorials.html

A somewhat easier project, in my opinion, is the customization of my (new!) Beco Butterfly II carrier. Only plain brown was on sale, so being the thrifty gal that I need to be, I bought it instead of the really cool ones. But not wanting to keep it plain brown, I decided that I would attempt to hand sew material of my choice onto the front. So far it's going really well. Very tedious, but I'm loving the monkeys that are jumping around in eager anticipation... I'll post pics when I've finished the sewing. It will be one-of-a-kind, for sure, and done by a beginner! There are companies such as "Pimp my Carrier" (not the best name choice, I know) that provides a similar service for $50. It's time consuming, but very easy to do.

Has anyone made or customized their own carriers? I'd love to see pictures.
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zuncompany
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I have not but it sounds cool.
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conundrum1
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Yummy's Mommy
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Did/do you baby wear? What carriers/wraps did/do you use? I'm always curious to see what people prefer.
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zuncompany
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Honestly it all hurts my back and I have tried a lot of things. I have some really bad sciatica issues though. Ironically the bjorn doesn't bother my back.
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conundrum1
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That's interesting because I've seen so many complaints about the Bjorn being the most uncomfortable carrier after the Infantino/Snuggli carriers. I bought the Beco Butterfly (as opposed to the Gemini) because it makes back carrying a breeze. I've always front carried - and I love it - but I think that it will be better for my shoulders to carry my kid on my back. Plus, I'll have my hands free to take care of the other two monkeys in my house :).
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zuncompany
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I tried back carriers (not the big hiking ones but other ones) and to be honest- I couldn't figure it out with help. LOL Made me nervous.
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Marion
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aishes chayil
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I can't even afford the Beco on sale...bought fabric to try to sew my own mei-tai but never had the time...so now I want to learn how to back carry in the wrap. I don't baby wear but I find it much easier to go for a walk with a carrier and a single than with a double.
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npl
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I have a yamo, which I loved last time, and two slings - my original maya wrap which has served me well, but I'm having trouble adjusting for this kid, for some strange reason (I need to spend some quiet time playing around with it) and a newer Sleeping Baby Productions - I love the shoulder on that one, but it's my dressy sling (linen, fancy pocket). I bought it used, for wearing at shul, etc, and haven't had much occasion to use it yet.
I love the slings for supermarket shopping, and for wearing when I'm indoors and anticipating having to nurse because the tail makes a great nursing cover, even if I slip baby out to nurse - I just keep the sling on my shoulder to keep it in place as a cover.
I tried a stretchy wrap with jersey fabric that I bought precut but unsewn from a fabric website that sells kits. I never got good enough with it to feel comfortable that the baby wasn't sagging. I think the fabric might be too thin/stretchy, and it wasn't easy to find time to learn with other littles around.
I also have a YAMO that I bought in Israel for #4 - I loved it with her, especially wearing her on my back. I haven't used it as much with this baby - he's chunky, so my short arms don't reach around so well, and he isn't quite old enough to wear on my back. He doesn't like it (yet) when I sit down with him in the Yamo on my front, but we'll work on that! It's been a bit crazy here since he was really big enough to fit, but I'm looking forward to getting more use from it. I do find that I'm a bit small for it to fit well, but my particular size and shape are hard to fit.
I have rings and fabric to make another sling, from last time around, but still haven't got around to that.
I'll put either the sling or the yamo on under my coat/jacket before I go out, and then just put baby in when we get out of the car, if the weather is conducive.
Today it's going to be very cold, but we have the chanuka party at school for my 2.5yo, so I'll bundle him up, bring him into the building in his car-seat stroller, and then unbundle and put him into either the sling when we get there, as I'm guessing he'll probably get hungry while we're there, and is likely to be tired and fussy anyway, so nursing to settle him will be useful!
I'd love to try other carriers, and when the weather gets better, and my 2.5yo starts walking further, I might, especially for trips to the park, but it will have to be consignment-store finds, rather than brand new, at this stage.
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4hope
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Bala Buste
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i would love for someone to personalize the stroller we bought.... can't wait to see photos of the carrier, con!
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conundrum1
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npl, there may be carrier lending "libraries" around...someone on meet 'n greet was selling the carriers from her collection. I'm sure if you look around you could find one. That's what the GTA needs...a carrier lending gemach. I wonder if that's possible.

The BECO really is expensive. I bought it for $99.99 - $10 and free shipping...so it was $89.99 + tax (from Snugglebugz.ca). But that's the only carrier I've ever bought. I made my own wraps for about $5 each. This time I bought extra material for the panel, so that increased the total cost by a bit - but not by much. If I knew how to sew - properly - I would probably attempt to make a mei tai. There are some great sites that explain how to make the various carriers. npl, since you are good at artsy stuff, including sewing, you could for sure make any carrier you wanted - and it would all be within budget! I envy your creative skills :).
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conundrum1
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zuncompany
Dec 10 2012, 07:08 PM
I tried back carriers (not the big hiking ones but other ones) and to be honest- I couldn't figure it out with help. LOL Made me nervous.
So the Beco Butterfly II has a unique feature where you strap the kid into the harness BEFORE putting him/her onto your back. It's almost as easy as putting on a backpack. It's designed to take the anxiety out of back carrying. I've only tested it out on my toddler, but I'm sure that I could figure it out with an older infant - head/neck control is a must.
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zuncompany
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cool
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npl
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Yeah - I could make my own mei tei, just like I could make my own sling. But there are so many sewing projects higher on the list that take priority and I haven't got to. Like dd1s blanket I was going to make for her 11th b-day - she turned 13 this week! I'm too tired to concentrate on sewing when I have the time!

I like the sound of the butterfly II - will have to stalk the sales.
I remember that stash sale - she didn't have what I was looking for iirc.
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conundrum1
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I finished my Beco last night! Today I started hand-sewing a panel on my wrap. I give up on my useless sewing machine. I think I'd rather pack my wrap in my hospital bag anyway...I like having a squishy newborn right against my skin.
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4hope
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Bala Buste
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can you post photos of your creation?!
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