How to Make a Sling to Hold a Baby

Use your sewing machine to create a baby sling in your preferred fabric.

Baby slings make day-to-day tasks with a baby easier because the baby can simply travel around with you. Plus, you and your baby will likely enjoy the extra closeness that slings provide. Some slings are expensive, though, but if you have basic sewing knowledge, you can create your own inexpensive, personalized baby sling.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric, about 2 yards
• Tape measure
• Scissors or rotary cutter
• Threaded sewing machine

Instructions

1. Cut your chosen fabric into a piece that's 2 yards wide by 22 inches long.

2. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise.

3. Fold the fabric. At this point, all four of your fabric's corners should be on the right.

4. Measure from your shoulder to hip. Then, measure the top of the fabric. It should be no longer than a half-inch of your shoulder-to-hip measurement. Mark the fabric appropriately. For instance, if your shoulder-to-hip measurement is 28, you would mark the top of the fabric at 28.5 inches.

5. Mark the bottom edge of the fabric. It should be 3 inches longer than your shoulder-to-hip measurement.

6. Cut a half circle from your bottom mark to your top mark. Your top mark is further in, so cutting a curve from the bottom mark to the top mark will come easily. Use a rotary cutter to make cutting easy.

7. Unfold the fabric width-wise.

8. Sew along the edge of the curve you cut.

9. Turn your pouch inside out.

10. Sew the seam down again. This will help give the seam extra support.

11. Hem the sling's top and bottom edges about a quarter-inch from the edge.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use almost any fabric you'd like for your baby sling. My Karma Baby recommends avoiding synthetic fabrics so that you don't irritate your baby's skin.

• Fleece works well for warmer weather, while Solarveil is a waterproof, sunproof material that will keep your baby close in the pool or during hot weather.

• Add a pocket or another embellishment to personalize the baby sling. To create a pocket, simply hem a square piece of matching or contrasting fabric and sew it to the sling.

• A few slings have been recalled, so if you're making a sling at home, follow a few safety guidelines to make sure that your baby is safely positioned. Sling maker Jan Andrea of Sleeping Baby Productions says to position your baby in the sling only in a way that you would hold him. While your baby is in the sling, his chin shouldn't be resting on his chest, and excess fabric shouldn't be covering his face.

References

• My Karma Baby: Make Your Own Baby Sling
• Sleeping Baby Productions: Is My Sling Safe?