Navigating the woven wrap world, part 4

Used under the Creative Commons license through Flickr. Photography by Meaghan O'Malley

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​(This post is the fourth in a series about choosing and using a woven wrap. See Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here). 

Today's post is for the crafty folks - how to make a DIY (do it yourself) woven wrap. While some people prefer to buy a wrap specially made for carrying babies, others choose to make their own wrap. Hopefully this guide will help. 

The basic things to know are: type of fabric, dimensions, and "how to." 

Recommended types of fabric 

• Osnaburg - it is a muslin-like material, natural/off-white in color with darker specks on it. It may feel a bit scratchy. This material should be "scoured" before using in order to clean it. 
• Duck cloth - may feel stiff, like canvas, on the bolt. It will soften up with washing, drying, and using. 
• 100% cotton or linen "bottom weight" fabric (usually near the denim). 
• Cotton jacquard tablecloths (Mahogany on Amazon, Threshold at Target, or Christmas Tree Shop) make excellent short wraps.
• Gauze - this can be a good warm-weather option. It requires careful wrapping, especially with heavier babies, in order to not "dig." Most people recommend it only be used in carries with 3 passes (layers) over the baby. 

Fabric types to avoid

• Polyester blends, including athletic mesh
• Quilter's cotton/calico
• Anything stretchy (like jersey/knits)
• Anything (even if it meets the criteria of the first list) that says "stain resistant" or "clean by wiping with a damp cloth - these fabrics are treated and not recommended for use as a baby wrap

Dimensions​
There is a lot of information about wrap sizes (that's another whole post!) but for now, we'll cover some basics. Wrap sizing can be confusing, but in general, most new wrappers start with a long wrap that will allow them to do Front Wrap Cross Carry. This size is also known as "base size." This list may help you decide which size is for you: 

• For very small/thin people, that length is a size 4, or 3.6 meters.
• For smaller people that length is a size 5, or 4.2 meters.
• For average size people, that length is a size 6, or 4.6 meters.
• For larger size people, that length is a size 7, or 5.2 meters.
• For very large size people, that length is a size 8, or 5.6 meters. 

Remember, you can always cut a wrap shorter, if you find it is too long for you - so err on the side of too long! Also this fabric will shrink about 20% when you wash it so be sure to account for that when you buy, and add enough extra so that you'll have the length you want in you final product.

Osnaburg fabric is usually 60" off the bolt. A wrap width of about 28" works well for most people, so you will have enough for two wraps! 

Step by step directions
1. Buy your fabric (see above).
2. Wash and dry it twice (wash on hot).
3. Scour the fabric if using osnaburg or another undyed fabric (see instructions here: http://www.rootsimple.com/2012/05/how-to-prep-fabric-for-dyeing-scouring/
4. Cut your fabric in half. Measure at the midway point (if your fabric is 60" wide). Cut an inch snip and then rip down the middle. This should be more accurate than cutting with scissors. 
5. Cut the tapers. This is not absolutely necessary, but most woven wraps have tapered edges to make tying knots less cumbersome. A 45 degree angle should work fine. Your finished wrap should look like a parallelogram, not a trapezoid. 
6. Hem your fabric. If you iron and inch fold all around, then hemming should be easier. You need to do a rolled hem. Cotton thread works fine. Sew very close to the fold! This tutorial is helpful, especially for the corners: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/rehem.html
7. You're almost done! 
8. Last step! Make a middle marker to denote the center of the wrap. You can use anything for this: Fabric pen, ribbon, thread in a contrasting color. Most people like to have a middle marker on both edges (top and bottom). 

You're done! Go wrap your baby!

Used under the Creative Commons license through Flickr. Photography by Devon