I love these sorts of simple projects that you know will get so much use and love. Jeanine from Rosie Girl Dreams shares simple instructions for making a sling for your child's doll. What a sweet way to encourage nurturing and tenderness in your youngest family members. I bet Sam would get a kick out of having a sling to carry Piggy around in!
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This is a quick, simple guide to making a recycled or new Children’s Toy Baby Carrier. As I currently do most of my sewing without patterns, these basic instructions are meant to inspire and guide you.
Here are my two little ones…baby #3 due in just a few days. Ever since I’d made a baby carrier for my oldest when I was last expecting, I’ve wanted to make another. And finally, success! The baby carrier on the right took 45 minutes to make.
Mama footnote:
That was while
(1) husband was at work,
(2) during the mid-morning (which are our still-capable-of-productivity
hours), and
(3) includes the time it took to take the not so wonderful, but
hopefully useful photos that accompany.
So, if you’ve thought of it and decided a project like this is too hard, requires too much sewing, or too much time… think again. As usual, the hardest part is simply getting started.
By the way, although this is a great toy for any child, it would also make a lovely gift for a soon-to-be older sibling, as it allows for such endless, imaginative nurture-play. And if you are going the re-purpose/recycled route, you could use an old sheet or a plain colored fabric and give fabric paints or markers for the child to decorate on their own.
Time:
30 minutes-1 hour (depending on if you choose to hand sew or
use a machine)
Materials:
* 1 piece of fabric/material (approximately 3-4 feet-ish long by 2.5-3.5 feet wide)
Re-purpose Ideas: Cut open two sides of a pillowcase down the long
seams. Leave the bottom end intact. Now you have one long sheet of
material. Or, old/thrifted sheets or light-weight curtains would work
great.
* One 2 to 5 inch ring
Ideas: You could use an old belt loop, shower curtain hook (if it’s
round, smooth and can be completely closed in place), or purchase
something at a thrift or craft store. I used a thrifted wooden loop that
I removed the decorative fabric backing from for this carrier.
* 1 larger needle (to sew through many layers of material
where it’s folded at the ring)
* 1 spool of strong thread or embroidery floss (for sewing
through the many layers)
* If hand sewing the hem:
1 needle (quilting or general)
1 spool of thread or embroidery floss
* Or, if machine sewing:
Fully loaded machine, set to go with whichever color thread you’d
like
1. Gather all materials.
2. Consider ironing your cloth/material (ironed material is easier to work with). This step is not necessary, as the baby carrier/sling will end up being a long swath of bunched up fabric anyhow.
3. Fold and hem all sides of the material that are rough-edged.
Optional: Consider using a decorative stitch on your sewing machine
or embroidering the hem by hand.
4. Grab one of the long ends of the material and fold back and forth
in a width that will fit through your ring.
5. Draw the folded material through the ring and use your large
needle and thick thread/embroidery floss to pass through all layers of
material to secure in place.
6. When you’ve sewn across the entire width of the fabric and feel
the layers will hold, you’re done. (You may want to sew across the width
twice.)
7. Now grab the other end of the fabric (the tail end) and pull it through the loop and drape. It’s ready to go!
