Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 36
  1. #21
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Northern VA, USA.
    Posts
    31,123

    Default RE: What to do about Zolo?

    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?
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  2. #22
    etwahl is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    .
    Posts
    3,162

    Default RE: What to do about Zolo?

    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

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    .
    Posts
    552

    Default Another fleece question (sorry to jump in!)

    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?

  4. #24
    susabusa Guest

    Default I have a toile sling...

    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.

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northern VA
    Posts
    9,979

    Default RE: Beth--making a fleece pouch sling

    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!
    Mama to "The Fantastic Four":
    DS 02
    DD 06
    DS 09
    DD 12

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    .
    Posts
    552

    Default RE: Beth--making a fleece pouch sling

    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

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northern VA
    Posts
    9,979

    Default RE: Beth--making a fleece pouch sling

    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.
    Mama to "The Fantastic Four":
    DS 02
    DD 06
    DS 09
    DD 12

  8. #28
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Northern VA, USA.
    Posts
    31,123

    Default RE: Beth--making a fleece pouch sling

    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?
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  9. #29
    egoldber's Avatar
    egoldber is offline Black Diamond level (25,000+ posts)
    Join Date
    Oct 2001
    Location
    Northern VA, USA.
    Posts
    31,123

    Default RE: I have a toile sling...

    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.
    Beth, mom to older DD (8/01) and younger DD (10/06) and always missing Leah (4/22 - 5/1/05)

  10. #30
    susabusa Guest

    Default RE: I have a toile sling...

    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

Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •