How to Convert a Woven Wrap Into a Ring Sling and a Short Wrap

I love to wear my babies! Recently I had a beautiful wrap that was too long for my needs. A friend of mine was looking for a ring sling from this kind of wrap and I wanted a short wrap, so we decided to split the wrap. Splitting this beautiful wrap into two carriers worked perfectly to fill what we were both looking for. The ring sling and wrap turned out the perfect sizes for both of us. Converting a long wrap into a ring sling and a short wrap is easy to do; with a set of sling rings and a sewing machine you too can convert your own wrap.

Enjoy wearing those babies!

Step 1: Supplies Needed

Needed Supplies:

-Woven Baby Wrap size 6+, 4.6 meters or longer works best. The wrap I used was an Oscha Dyed Linen Grad Wrap 4.8 meters long.

-Pair of Sling Rings for the Ring Sling. It's important that these rings are made for ring slings so they can bear the weight well. I bought mine from http://www.slingrings.com , they are a size large.

-Sewing Machine

-Sewing Scissors

-Sewing Thread that matches your Wrap

-Measuring Tape

-Pins

-Iron

-Optional- Fabric Pencil that washes out

Step 2: Splitting the Wrap

Split the Wrap into a Ring Sling Piece and a Short Wrap Piece:

-Decide how long of a ring sling you want and how long of a wrap you want.

- Ring sling length is measured from where the wrap attaches to the rings to the end of the wrap tail and is usually between 65 inches to 85 inches long depending on your size and preference.

-Decide how long you want your ring sling and added 11 inches for the folded over fabric. This number will be how long to cut your piece for your ring sling. I wanted a ring sling that was 70 inches long from the rings to the short taper, so I added my 11 inches to the 70 to get 81 inches from the short taper for where I would cut my wrap.

-Usually whatever amount of wrap is left is how long your short wrap will be, but if you want it shorter than what's left, you can cut the wrap piece shorter.

-Cut a snip in the side of the wrap at the total ring sling length (finished length plus 11 inches). Find a weft thread that will run straight across the width of the wrap from your measured snip and pull on that thread all the way across the wrap. Pull out the thread by clipping into the opposite edge where the thread pulls. There should be a visible straight line left by the missing thread.

-Cut along the line to get a straight cut across the width of the fabric. I learned this way of cutting a woven wrap from http://www.sleepingbaby.net, which has lots of great information about converting woven wraps to ring slings.

-I measured 81 inches (my measuring tape is 60 inches long so 60+21= 81, which is why in the picture it shows me cutting at 21 inches) from the short taper and made a snip there in the side with my scissors, pulled a weft thread creating a straight line and cut my wrap into two pieces.

Step 3: Gathered Shoulder Ring Sling

Sew a Gathered Shoulder Ring Sling:

-Before sewing in the sling rings, decide on which shoulder you plan to wear your ring sling and make sure you decide which side of the fabric will need to be up. Pay particular attention to the orientation of the ring sling and sling rings in particular if you are using a wrap with a one directional pattern.

-Fold the straight cut edge of the ring sling piece over about 1/2 inch and press with a hot iron. Then fold it over another 1/2 inch and press with a hot iron creating a double fold hem.

-Measure 20 inches from the edge of the double fold hem and mark a straight line across the wrap. My wrap was linen and held a crease well, so I folded the wrap along the 20 inch measurement and ran my finger along the fold to create a visible crease. Other methods of marking the wrap at the 20 inch mark could be to use a washable fabric pencil or pin along the line.

-Pull the double folded hem end through both sling rings and fold it over so that the double folded hem edge matches up with the 20 in markings with the double fold facing against the fabric. Pin the double folded hem along the 20 inch markings across the width of the wrap.

-Sew along the edge of the hem with a straight stitch making sure to back stitch at each edge of the wrap. Sew another line 1/4 inch from the other stitch line on the sling rings side. Sew a third line in between the two other lines.

-Clip your loose threads and enjoy your ring sling!

Step 4: Short Woven Wrap

Finish off the Short Woven Wrap:

-Create a matching taper by laying the sewn taper edge of the wrap on top of the edge of the wrap that needs to be cut. Make sure to flip it so that in the end the two edges when laid out flat will be parallel. Like this / /, not like this / \. Measure how deep of an angle the taper is.

-Cut the raw edge to match the angle of the sewed taper.

-Fold the raw angled edge over to match the same width as the other sewn edges of the wrap and press with a hot iron. Fold the edge over again creating a double fold hem and press with a hot iron. Fold in the fabric on the corners to match the other sewn corners of the wrap. On my wrap the edges were folded over a little over 1/4 inch.

-Sew down the hem using a straight stitch and making sure to back stitch at each edge.

-Move the middle marker. Unpick the seams where the middle markers are and remove the middle markers. Sew the edges back closed. Measure the wrap and find the middle. Unpick the seams at the middle edges of the wrap and insert the middle markers. Resew the edge seams closed with the middle markers in place.

-Clip your loose threads and enjoy your short wrap!