Want to make a ring sling - could I use a sari?

[frazzledgirl]

Just made my first one y'day in raw silk and I looooove it! Also loved using the sewing machine for the first time.

Keen to try again, and thought a sari could look beautiful - do you think it would work?

Ooh post a pic please!

Haven't got one at the moment, but it's a beautiful silvery grey with brown stitching and bronze sling rings. Is gorge, tho the stitching is wonky

I made myself one a couple of weeks ago. As long as the material is thick enough I think it would look gorgeous

How do you know if it's thick enough, would you say?

I want to make this one. What fabric would you use? Loving the sound of sari fabric.

I dunno, I like a bit of stretch on my wraps. Is there a lovely silky jersey, perhaps? You could add a nice contrasting silk panel or something on the front, as a pocket.

I need to get my ass to a fabric shop. There is a great remant one near me, so it will be bargainous too. Think this will become a new obsession hobby.

Suwoo, I fear the same.

And much to my chagrin, DH complimented me on my new sling and sewing skills, but commented: "But now you've got SIX slings..."

Hadn't realised he'd kept count.

Sh*te.

Doesn't need to be really thick but you need to be able to trust it to take the weight of the baby and not to stretch too much.

I am so pleased with how mine has come out. I just used a piece of fairly sturdy cotton. I wish I'd known how easy it all was before.

Just need dc3 to hurry up now - 7 weeks to go before I get to test it out (ds2 who is 3 is a determined walker and won't be persuaded to give it a go )

Me too (wishing I'd known before).

Maybe if I doubled up a thinner sari... hmm...

BTW major advantage of silk - it folds down to nothing.

Congrats re DS3 - I'm still working my way round to having a DC2, although might have to hurry up cos DS is outgrowing slings...

The sling I am thinking of is for my DC3 too. I have a mei tai from DS, but really fancied a wrap for when the baby is very young and hopefully if I can master it, for bf in.

I adored my Hug-a-bub wrap when DS was tiny, but I'm not sure I could have bf'd in it (was stretchy and I tied it pretty snugly). Maybe a ring sling would work better for that?

Or make them yourself, save loads and justify having both!

I made loads of ring slings from a sari, the beauty of them is you can make a no sew one in a hurry!
You just attach both ends of the sari in the same way, so adjustable, and either let the top bit hang loose or tie it round itself for a shoulder padding bit.
That wya you can try out the material before sewing it all up and if you have a pair of rings in your bag all the time (I am so sad) you can make a RS out of nearly anything. There is a site somewhere with info, shall have a look.

Be careful the sari isn't too embroidered though, I had a beautiful one that kept getting jammed.

Here you go good old Jan Andrea!

Jack, you are fab. Thank you!

What sort of saris did you use? Silk? Gauze? Cotton? Have been looking at vintage silk ones on eBay, but don't know whether I could trust them.

OMG Stop now!!!!! I will be no-sewing like mad . That link has opened up a whole new world of excitement for me.

I live in Manchester and there are lots of Sari shops near me.....hmm ponders what I'm doing this weekend.

If you're actually buying the fabric to make one, then imo jersey would be much better than a rigid woven cotton. I've only made one out of jersey, so don't know for sure, but I'd be worried about sari fabric slipping throught the rings too much, and about whether it's comfortable enough. Be really interested in the results though.

Oh no! Now I'm going to have to buy a couple more rings, how could you Jack?!

This opens up a world of possibilities. With just 2 rings I can use anything from Saris and Sarongs through to Pashminas as a sling.

Pashminas work better than saris, plus have the added benefit of being in a church during a wedding with a whining child, whip off your pashmina, quick weave with some rings and presto, happy snuggled baby!
(I'm not helping, am I)

Jersey has a stretch so be careful that you get it right or they can be uncomfy, but if you get the right jersey they are sooo soft.
Most saris are actually quite grippy, and very soft, I just used bog standard ones from a market stall TBH, no clue what they are made from!
Pashminas are my fave as I have a few loitering but I have used saris, bedsheets (as a demo) a thin towel (at the local lido, was hard work and needed big rings but worth it), a strip of fleece when it was biting cold, and a length of thin gauze I got cheap .

Suwoo, only just saw your link, that is my fave ever site for making carriers. I bought some gauze for the no sew, it's kinda like cheesecloth or thin cotton but I can't rememebr what it is known as in UK.

Ooh its a whole new world! Really need to get to a fabric shop, although I do have a pashmina lurking upstairs. The only problem is I have no baby to put in it .

You have a toddler don't you?!
DD1 is 3 and likes a carry now and then....

Altho slightly harder with preggy belly

No doubt my velcro boy would like a carry- he is never far away from mummy! Hmm we'll see....