How to Sew Your Own Ring Sling
Ring slings are fabric slings often used by mothers to carry babies. The fabric is wrapped over the mother's shoulder and then held into place with a large ring creating a sling in which the baby is cradled. Newborns can be carried in the ring sling across the mother's tummy and older babies typically sit in the sling on the mother's hip. If you have sewing skills, creating a ring sling is relatively quick and simple. It's important to use a double stitch or reinforce your stitching several times to create extra support for holding a baby.
Things You'll Need
- Fabric (at least 2.25 yards)
- Lining (at least 2.25 yards)
- Straight pins
- Thread
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Aluminum sling ring (safe for babies)
Instructions
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1
Lay your fabric flat with the right side facing up and place the lining on top of the fabric with the wrong side facing up. Cut both to at least 2.25 yards and pin in place with straight pins.
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2
Sew the lining and fabric together along the edges, leaving a 4-inch opening along one of the short sides.
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3
Reach into the 4-inch gap and turn the fabric inside out, so that the right sides of the fabric are showing.
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4
Place the ring on the end of the fabric where the gap is and pull the fabric through the ring at least 2 to 4 inches to form a fold. Because there is a lot of fabric, spread the gathered fabric out evenly and pin the fabric in place.
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5
Sew a seam along the edge to secure the fold so that the ring is locked into the fabric. Reinforce your stitching by sewing along the seam at least two times to add extra support. Backstitch each time to secure the stitching.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Use only an aluminum ring made specifically for carrying babies to ensure it is strong enough to hold the weight of a baby. (See References 1 and 2)
References
- Photo Credit Photos.com/Photos.com/Getty Images
