Baby carriers are a wonderful invention, they allow the parent to carry their child safely and snuggly with body contact while leaving your hands free. While they can be bought, why pay out your hard earned dollars when you can sew you own baby carrier? The whole process is simple and the items you need can be bought widely in any store. Another plus side for sewing your own baby carrier is that you have a wide choice of fabrics you can choose from for your baby sling.
However before you begin to put your baby carrier together you will have to make sure that you get the sizing right, this is of the utmost importance. However this process takes just a few minutes and is quick and easy. Just take a tape measure and measure from one shoulder, the one you want your baby carrier on, to the opposite hip. Do this loosely and do not pull the tape measure tight, you are better off choosing a fabric tape measure rather than a metal one. Once you have the measurement then double it and then to taking into account the seam and the curve of the sling, you should add roughly 6 inches.
Of course you should also take into account how far down you want your baby. For instance if you have a newborn then you might want the baby carrier to hold the child higher, this can come in for breast feeding. If the child is older then you would be more comfortable with the sling further down so that hip takes the weight of the child.
Choose the type, pattern and color of fabric, a 45” length of fabric will give you 2 carriers, and then cut the fabric in half down the length. Next hem the edges of the fabric down the long side and then fold your fabric in half again with the ragged edges of the cloth facing each other. Starting at the bottom corner where the fold is, draw what could be called a “half smile” with a gentle crest; don’t make it a huge smile, around 2 to 3 inches from the seam edge. You will be making a French seam along the “smile” you have drawn.
A French seam is made by turning the fabric the wrong way and then stitching just above the curve that you drew. When you open up your baby carrier the seam can then be stitched down neatly and flat against the inside of the sling. Take your time when sewing this part of the baby carrier as this is what gives the carrier its strength. You can then reinforce where the French seam meets the hem edge by sewing back and forth over this area, this also makes the baby carrier look neater.
All that’s left to do then is to put your baby carrier on the right way, begin by folding the baby carrier in half the wrong way before putting it one. Put your arm and head through the hole, with of course the French seam at the bottom, and then slide your baby into the carrier where he/she will fit snuggly and comfortable.