Mei tai baby carrier!

Phoebe is now almost eight months old.  Breastfeeding has ceased, in fact milk in general is consumed far less and she favours the huge variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and fish that she is munching her way through.  Like her sister this little girl loves her food.  Unlike her sister though Phoebe is now a whopping 21lbs!  (Lillia was only 18lbs at 1-year-old.) 

Quite a few lovely people told me about the "mei tai" baby sling when Phoebe was still tiny (ok, she has never been tiny...but smaller than she is now anyway) but it has taken me until now to get around to making one.  One of the school mums gave me some information and links and I scooted about on the interweb for a bit and eventually made my very own mei tai!

(me faffing about getting it sorted..)

I make a lot of stuff, as you know, but seldom have I felt this excited by something I've sewn myself for two main reasons.  Firstly whilst following the tutorial I learnt that you can rip fabric to create one long accurate piece.  I never knew this! Endless fun! (I am now thinking of all the long things I could possibly make in order to rip long pieces of fabric - draught excluders, curtains, snakes...) Secondly, even though it is essentially a square and three long bits sewn together it holds my 21lb baby as though she is a teddy bear stuffed with feathers...and she loves it...

(me looking like a human being at last!)

I used a combination of this tutorial and this one and made some bits up.  I used two bits of fabric for the body panel - I sewed them together right sides together leaving the two openings for the straps un-sewed.  I then turned it out and pressed the seams, then I inserted my straps into the holes with about three inches inside, pinned them and then sewed a sturdy x-box to secure them. 

This way I had a good sturdy reversible sling and it was very simple.  I used a heavy canvas type fabric from Ikea, I bought two metres and used the full length for all the straps, which fits me (and hubby) perfectly.

Although she likes the front carry she especially loves the back carry...

Hubby requested that I make the sling in a "manly" fabric so he can use it too.  I think I chose quite well, just look at Mr Snipsnaphappy, manly man! Grrr...girls...lager...football...

Wish I'd made one earlier now!  And Phoebe wasn't the only one who wanted a go...

It can even hold a 5-year-old without batting a mei tai eyelid.  Impressive.

So, as you may have picked up I am VERY pleased with the mei tai and hubby and I are looking forward to putting it to good use on holiday as we trudge around the glorious Kent countryside. (A big thanks to the two girls who shared their mei tai making wisdom in their tutorials!)

xx