Baby Ring Sling
The Baby Ring Sling is a
safe, versatile sling to help you carry your baby until he or
she is too big to carry! It is NOT a bag style sling, as
these pose risks to baby’s safety (see bottom of the page for
links to more info on sling safety).
Though some ring slings vary
in design, this particular one seems to be the not only the
most versatile and comfortable, but the simplest too. The
sling is gathered rather than folded where it meets the
rings, allowing it to fan out more as needed both over your
shoulder and for baby as well as adjusting easier. It also
has a pocket at the end, so if you need to dash into the
store and don’t want to lug your baby bag, you can throw your
wallet and keys and a couple essentials inside.
Supplies:
Fabric (Measure the sling wearer from left shoulder to right
hp. Multiply that number by three, and that’s the length to
cut your fabric to.)
Baby Sling Rings (I recommend buying them
HERE. Do NOT buy
rings from the craft store, as they aren’t guaranteed to
be strong enough. The rings shown in this tutorial are the
plastic ones, but after using both plastic and metal ones
I definitely prefer and recommend the metal ones b/c they
are much easier to use and maneuver the fabric through!)
Directions:
Prewash & iron your
fabric, if desired.
Trim fabric to the
appropriate width. Around 22” wide for premies, and 33”
wide for full term babies. (You may give or take about
3”, depending on your preference).
Use the scrap you just
trimmed off (about 11” from a 33” wide sling) to make a
pocket for your sling. Trim your scrap to a size of
about 8" (or less) x 33" (or the width of your sling).
Serge (or hem) one long
edge (the top) of your pocket piece.
Pin the pocket piece to
one end of your sling, lining up the raw edges exactly,
and facing the serged/hemmed edge towards the length of
the sling.
Serge (or hem) all four
edges of your sling. This will catch the edges of your
pocket as well, securing it in place.
At this point, I sewed
three vertical lines up through the pocket, dividing it
into four equal pocket sections. This is to keep the
pocket from flopping open when when the sling is draped
over my shoulder.
Fold the non-pocket end
of the sling over 5” and press a crisp line into the
fabric. This will be your sewing guideline.
Now fold your
serged/hemmed edge to the 5” pressed guideline, placing
both rings inside the fold. Do this to the first couple
inches and pin in place to get you started, but you'll
line up the rest of it little by little as you sew.
If you have an
extra-sturdy stitch option (like that used for denim),
use that setting on your machine. If not, you will want
a real secure stitch, so you may choose to do it once as
zigzag and once again as a strait stitch directly on top
of it. Sew the edge of your fabric to the pressed
guideline, sealing the rings inside the fold. Work the
fabric a couple inches at a time, doing your best to
keep them lined up.
Voila! Your sling is
done!
To use, gather the
sling tail (pocket end) and thread it through both
rings, then back over one, and under the other. Now all
you need is a baby! :)
Remember: Do not place
your baby in a sling so his head is tucked to his chest!
Click here to read all about baby
wearing, including proper positioning for your baby’s
safety, the risks involved with bag style slings, and
more. Click here to see quick
demonstrational videos showing you how to properly
position your baby in the sling in various positions,
according to their age (great resource if you're new to
baby wearing!).
Last, if you decided to
do this project yourself, please send me a photo of it
with your name and what state you're from! I've recently
decided to start featuring my readers' finished results.
Don't forget to check
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