How to Sew a Ring Sling With a Padded Shoulder

A padded ring sling gives you versatile ways to carry your baby.

Ring slings are a well-known versatile type of baby sling, which are modeled after fabric baby carriers. The modern addition of slide rings makes the construction more adjustable; for example, padding in the shoulder adds comfort when carrying the baby. Ring slings are worn in several different ways, making them popular for transporting babies, big and small. The ring slings are simple to construct and can be made in a number of different fabrics.

Things You'll Need

• 2.25 to 2.5 yards of 36- to 45-inch-wide fabric
• Sewing machine or sewing needle
• Thread to match fabric
• Scissors
• Quilt batting scraps 6-by-8 inches
• Pins
• 2 sturdy nylon or metal rings with a 3-inch diameter

Instructions

1. Choose a fabric that has a pleasing pattern on both sides or is a solid color, as both sides will show during use.

2. Hem or surge the cut ends of your fabric to finish them. Hem them by folding the raw edge over a quarter inch and sewing a neat, even stitch along the entire edge just below the folded-over cut edge. This can be done by machine or by hand. Surging is using a machine to run a zig-zag stitch over the raw edge of the fabric where it was folded over, seaming the edge.

3. Hem the selvages in the same manner if desired for a cleaner look, or leave them alone if they are neat and you don't mind having them show. Selvages are the edges of the fabric that are finished by the manufacturer so they don't ravel.

4. Place the batting, which is the formed fiber padding inserted into the middle of quilts, lengthwise on the sling a half inch from one hemmed end, centered in the fabric. Stack all three pieces one on top of the other to create a thick enough pad for shoulder comfort.

5. Fold the outside edges of the sling in towards the middle, meeting the outside edges of the fabric to the edges of the batting. Fold the new outer edge of fabric in again, meeting in the center over top of the batting and overlapping it slightly, making sure the batting is covered by the fabric. Pin in place.

6. Sew directly down the center of the fabric and batting where it overlaps, securing the batting in place and sewing the fabric down, attaching it to the batting. This is the shoulder pad area. Sew down to the end of the batting, then finish off by reverse stitching if using a machine, or knotting the thread if by hand.

7. Fold the top edge down a half inch and sew, seaming in the end of the shoulder pad.

8. Fold the remaining sling fabric, loosely like a fan, making about four layers. Slide the two rings down over the shoulder pad of the sling to the end of the shoulder pad where the batting stops. Smooth out the shoulder pad and fabric, folding the outer-most layer of fabric opposite the shoulder pad away from the piece. This is to move it out of the way for sewing so that it will open properly during use.

9. Sew cross-wise across the shoulder pad and through it and the three layers of the folded fabric beneath it, a half inch above the bottom of the shoulder pad. Place this seam just above where you seamed the shoulder pad together to make it less thick to sew through. This secures the shoulder pad in place and keeps the rings secured on the sling.

10. Wrap the fabric over your shoulder, placing the padded rail on the shoulder and bringing the opposite end of the fabric up and around the body then through the rings. Slip the fabric end down back through the top ring securing it.

References

• Maya Wrap: Baby Sling Sewing Instructions
• Brave Pages: How To Make an Adjustable Sling