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View Full Version : What to do about Zolo?



egoldber
10-05-2003, 08:31 PM
OK ladies, I am just not feeling the Zolo love. I've had my cotton toile Zolowear sling since August. I exchanged a medium for a small, and the small size works much better for me than the medium. But after trying Amy's (daisymommy) Maya Wrap this weekend, I instantly fell in love with it!

Here's my thing with the Zolo. It is so daggone hard to adjust. I can usually get it adjusted to where I want it pretty easily, but I have a hard time getting it loose to get DD out quickly. In comparison, the Maya seemed to glide through the rings.

I have washed the Zolo and I used fabric softener. That helped, but not a lot.

Am I just spoiled by my super simple cotton pouch? Am I just a pouch girl at heart? Thoughts on how I can make this sling work for me? I really WANT to love it....

Momof3Labs
10-05-2003, 09:33 PM
Hmmm... I have a pretty easy time getting it loose and getting Colin out. I have the natural cotton (which I think is lighter weight than the cotton toile). To loosen the sling, I just lift up on the ring that is on top; if I want to just loosen the top rail, I lift the ring closer to the edge of the top rail. The fabric slides through pretty easily.

Now, on my Solarveil sling, the fabric does not slide as easily. The rings are smaller, and I haven't washed it yet, not sure which is the reason.

Does anyone close to you have a lighter weight cotton Zolo that you could try? If not, you can come visit your brother and swing by to try mine!

egoldber
10-05-2003, 09:39 PM
Alas, my brother and his wife just jumped ship and moved to Providence, RI!

gremlin44
10-05-2003, 09:58 PM
>In comparison, the Maya seemed to glide
>through the rings.

I started with a Maya Wrap and went to a Zolo cotton sling.

My problem with the Maya is that mine glided through the rings TOO easily. I'd put my DS in it in the kangaroo position to go shopping...and I'd spend the entire trip tightening and retightening the rails. Same with the hip carry.

So, while I admit my Zolo is harder to adjust, I'm thrilled by the fact that it stays put. I put it on, put DS in, tighten, and then I don't have to fidget with it anymore. Love that!

lizamann
10-06-2003, 06:42 AM
Shoot, I wish I could help you, but I don't LOVE mine either (though I still like it - great for going to dinner when I won't be walking a ton because it's so darn pretty). I am able to adjust mine by wiggling the upper ring, but the shoulder is still not the comfiest I own. OTOH, I do really love my Maya(s). Maybe you just need to buy yet another sling! (I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear.)

Calmegja
10-06-2003, 07:38 AM
I agree with Gremlin. The Zolo is a tighter adjust, but I like that, because then it stays put better than a Maya. I was forever rethreading and repositioning the Maya, even when I would put it on as textbook perfectly as one can. Those rings were just slippery little suckers....

It took me a bit to trust that the Zolo was going to stay put, and to get it positioned right, but once I did, I find I don't have much need to adjust it at all, ever, so I don't care if it's a tougher adjust, because frankly, I hardly ever do it.... ;-)

Momof3Labs
10-06-2003, 09:34 AM
Ack! That's where my brother and his wife are - maybe we need to meet up there! LOL

egoldber
10-06-2003, 11:03 AM
Au contraire, my dear! That's exactly what I wanted to hear! LOL!!!!! :) :) :)

egoldber
10-06-2003, 11:05 AM
But I wear my DD so tight, I can't get her out of the sling without loosening it at least a little bit. And I can get it tight no problem. Its getting it loosened after I have tightened it. Actually I leave the bottom rail alone, its just the top rail that tighten and loosen.

Calmegja
10-06-2003, 11:37 AM
Do you lean forward as you loosen it, to shift Sarah's weight out so that her weight works with you as it loosens?

That's what helps me, and lets me be able to loosen quickly. It does take more effort than a Maya, but I'll take a little more trick to my loosening to have the security from non-slippage that I get with the Zolo, or my KK sling (I have to do the same thing with it).

egoldber
10-06-2003, 12:14 PM
I'm not sure what you mean? It does seem to be Sarah's weight that makes it much harder for me to loosen the rings. I actually have to take all her weight with my left arm, while I use my right hand to loosen the fabric in the rings (I wear her on my left hip).

I wonder if the silk slings are just easier to loosen than the cotton ones.

And the Zolo is secure all right! I'll give it that....

lizamann
10-06-2003, 12:21 PM
Have fun deciding on a color! There are too many choices. I hesitate to say this because you probably already know (don't you know everything?) but the color swatches at mayawrap.com are not as good as the ones at the "online store" on that site. The online store swatches are more true.

stillplayswithbarbies
10-06-2003, 12:31 PM
my solution to your dilema: buy another sling!

If you think you will like the Maya, get one. If you like it much more than the Zolo, you can always sell the Zolo. Mayas come up on eBay quite often.

My Zolo loosens just fine, but then Logan is not as big as Sarah and I don't have to loosen it very much to get her out. When she is a toddler, I think I may have the same issue you do.

But that's okay, I have lots of other slings to use. :) (no, my didy still has not arrived!)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

Calmegja
10-06-2003, 02:16 PM
Beth...

When I'm getting Josh out of the Zolo, silk or cotton, or the KK sling, I lean forward at the waist, so that his body weight shifts to press against the top rail of the sling. The change in position, from upright to pulling against the fabric, lets me use one hand to loosen the ring, because the baby's shoulders/upper torso act more like a weight to pull on the rail for me.

If that's about as clear as mud, ask me again, and I'll try to explain further. I have had precious little coffee today, so I may be unclear....;-)

egoldber
10-06-2003, 07:17 PM
Now see, I did NOT know that! Thanks!

egoldber
10-06-2003, 07:20 PM
No, I think I got it that time. :) I have a raging cold (and I hope not a sinus infection) and the little monster, I mean little dear, was up at 5:30 today, so I am a bit on the sleep deprived side myself. :)

I'll try that tomorrow. Thanks!

egoldber
10-06-2003, 07:20 PM
Do they work at MetLife?

Momof3Labs
10-06-2003, 07:22 PM
No, he's an officer with the Coast Guard (stationed there) and she's finishing up her student teaching.

chrissyhowie
10-06-2003, 07:56 PM
Beth,

In comparison to the other posts so far, I'm going to take the alternate side of the equation here. I know I am "just a pouch girl at heart" :).

As much as I like my ring slings (I have a solarveil and one that I made), I never find myself reaching for those. I faithfully keep trying and practice using them (they definitely have their advantages), but I just love my pouches (KKAFP and simple cotton pouch). Honestly, I think the lack of adjustment is what appeals to me. I just don't want to fuss. Plus the compactness of the pouches can't be beat.

Personally, knowing how handy you are with the sewing machine, I think you should go shopping and get the most gorgeous fabric you find, regardless of cost per yard, and make a stunning new pouch for yourself!

daisymommy
10-07-2003, 10:44 AM
I know I may not hold the popular opinion here, but I'll say it anyway. I got swept up into the Zolo craze not once but twice, and regretted it both times. I bought a cotton Zolo on sale, hated it, and returned it. Then thought maybe I was doing something wrong, or I was impatient, and that was why it was so hard to adjust the frabric through the rings, and the narrow shoulder area kept digging in to me. So, I bought a second, at full price. After washing it to soften it up, and fussing with it for days, I gave up, and returned it.
I was ready to swear off ring slings all together, when I happened upon Maya Wrap slings. I am in love :). The fabric is buttery soft, even before washing. There are countless beautiful fabrics and, it glides through the rings like silk. It is so gentle on Josh's chubby bare legs, it folds up compactly in a diaper bag, and best of all, it is half the price of a Zolo. It also comes with a free very helpful video/DVD.
I would sell your Zolo Beth, and jump on board with a Maya. I would also go to G Street fabrics and buy yourself some Maden Mills Fleece to make a new fall/winter pouch. I think you'll be happy you did!

egoldber
10-07-2003, 11:17 AM
Amy, when you make a fleece sling, do you want the length of the sling to follow the lengthwise or crosswise grain of the fabric?

And how much shorter do you make the pouch to allow for the fabric stretch?

etwahl
10-07-2003, 06:54 PM
i just read this. i have the hardest time loosening my silk sling, so i don't think it's easier than the cotton... it's one of the things i dislike about this sling...

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

csa12
10-07-2003, 07:14 PM
Aha! Just the topic I was looking for. I am having such a ball making my own slings. I remade one sling that I bought ( I know cheating) by adding more padding and now I use that more than my pouch sling. I was so close to getting a silk Zolo. This close! But now I am trying to be practical and would love to make a fleece sling. Please bear with my beginner question but what kind of stitch do you recommend using with fleece?

susabusa
10-07-2003, 10:03 PM
And I don't find it difficult to loosen to get baby out or just to switch to a different position. While baby is in the sling I usually grab the bottom ring and lift straight up while letting the baby's weight pull the sling down and I support the baby's body with my other hand. If the rings are on my left shoulder I use my left hand to lift the rings while using my right hand to support baby's weight.

I like the grip that the Zolowear provides me. It is truly hands free. When I say hands free I truly mean it. Like walking while holding my other two children's hands and not worrying that the sling is going to slip. Like walking and holding a soda in one hand and pushing a grocery cart with the other while Tatum is nuring. Like be able to go through a buffet line while DD is sound asleep in the tummy to tummy position.

Stephanie

I believe in this product so much.

daisymommy
10-08-2003, 11:00 AM
Beth:
First of all, there are three different types of Maden Mills Fleece at G Street Fabrics. There is thin and WAY too stretch, medium weight (just right), and very thick and plush (too heavy for a sling).
When you lay your farbic out to cut your "pattern" you want the stretch to be width wise, not length wise. It does have a small amount of stretch going both ways, but there is alot more stretch going in one direction than the other. Pull it both directions, and you will instantly know what I am talking about.

As far as the how much shorter to make it to allow for stretch, I would say 1.5-2 inches. Fleece is pretty expensive compared to plain cotton, and once it's cut--that's it! So I would make it a bit longer at first and take it up as needed. One thing I do is to make a single seam on the rounded edge where baby sits. Then try it on. If it needs to be taken up, I take out that stitch and sew a new one. Once I have my pouch the length I want, I do the triple-stitch French seam to finish it off. Yes, it is more time consuming to take out 1-2 seams until you get it right, but I prefer to do it this way rather than have the fabric folded over at the shoulder.

One great thing about making your own slings with this pattern, is once you get it right, write down the final measurement and keep it on hand for next time. This way I always know how long to cut the fabric, and I can whip myself up a new sling in under an hour!

Good Luck, and Have Fun!

csa12
10-08-2003, 11:24 AM
Hi Amy -
I know you were posting to Beth, but I wanted to thank you for the directions too. I can't wait to try this!
Cheryl

daisymommy
10-08-2003, 11:48 AM
By the Way, here is the pattern I am refering to, that I use to make my pouch slings:
http://www.ida.net/users/stace/sling.html

I also sew a straight seam thru both pieces of fabric, straight across the shoulder area (directly opposite from the bottom seam). It keeps the shoulder area from opening up and slipping around so much. You really only need this with cotton fabric, not fleece.

egoldber
10-08-2003, 01:26 PM
Just to make sure I understand. :) (I have sewn with fleece a fair bit for garments.) I know that most people use 200 wt fleece for slings, so that it is what I was looking at.

Also, fleece fabric has MUCH more stretch in the direction of the lengthwise grain than the crosswise grain. So I want the length of the sling to be in the crosswise grain direction and the width of the sling with the lengthwise grain direction. This is good news, since for one sling I would only need about 2/3 of a yard of 60" wide fleece fabric.

Correct?

egoldber
10-08-2003, 01:30 PM
I hope no one takes my words as a criticism of the Zolo product as a whole. It is a beautiful, wonderfully made sling, that obviously is terrific for a lot of people. But for me, I am finding it very frustrating to use. I do not find it easy to adjust.

Do you have any more suggestions for me? I tried Jessica's suggestion and it helped only marginally. As I said, I REALLY WANT to love this sling.

susabusa
10-08-2003, 07:08 PM
I think you just have to keep at it. I hardly have to adjust mine now that it is set for my baby. At first I really had a hard time with it -- but once you get it right, you won't have to adjust it much at all. Are you sure that the way it is threaded that you have the top rail and the bottom rail on the very outer edges of the threading? http://www.quinnclairetatum.com/family/id12.html Don't try to pull the whole tail to adjust -- you should only be pulling the edges or "rails"

Cup your hand to form a C shape -- that is how you need to think of your sling -- you want the edges tight and the middle big for your baby. If you are trying to pull the whole tail at once it is like making your hand flat -- it wouldn't matter how tight you got it -- there is no room for the baby like that.

HTH
Stephanie

egoldber
10-08-2003, 07:40 PM
Yes, when I adjust the sling, I seldom touch the bottom rail. I generally only tighten and loosen the top rail. But I will try re-threading it and see if that helps.

cinrein
10-09-2003, 07:11 AM
I don't find the Zolo to be hands-free at all! I continually have to keep re-tightening it when I'm wearing Anna. Since I seem to be in the minority with this problem, what am I doing wrong?

Beth, I think 3 mos is long enough to get used to a sling. From what I've read, you've used slings before and are not a novice. IMO, it's time to say it's not working for you and move on. Life is too short to struggle with things like slings!


Cindy and Anna 2/11/03

Calmegja
10-09-2003, 07:23 AM
I'd rethread it. Take the whole thing apart, and then rethread it. You really shouldn't have to adjust it more than once per ride. That's the biggest difference I've noticed with slings other than a Maya......

And I agree....if it's not working, Bethm move on to what makes you both happy, and you seem to be a pouch pro, so go with that..... ;-)

egoldber
10-10-2003, 07:45 PM
Just thought I'd update! I re-threaded the sling using the directions that Stephanie provided and it is working MUCH better for me now. I thought I had it smooth enough in the rings, but apparently not.

I still wouldn't call it easy to adjust, but it is much easier now!

Thanks all!

susabusa
10-10-2003, 09:46 PM
Glad that this is working better for you. Yipee!

Stephanie

daisymommy
10-11-2003, 10:27 AM
To answer Beth's question...
Yes! You are correct! It sounds very confusing when you throw in all the "crosswise/lengthwise" jargon ;) But yes--the majority of the "stretch" should be going crosswise, other wise Sarah will be sagging down to your knees :) Let me know how it turns out!