Sew your own soft structured carrier

So in my last post about sewing baby carriers I mentioned that I was sewing a new one from this free SSC pattern. It was a gift for a friend, but it seemed to work pretty good. I think it will be great for back carries, but I'm not sure if I made
the strap buckle be able to slide up high enough to allow someone to buckle it in the back (for a front carry) without help. The darts in the seat are great, and are a big improvement over the dartless seat I made with my own pattern. I didn't make a sleeping hood, but probably should have. I didn't really know what they were for, but then realized they are to prop the head and avoid head flop. (See picture.)

I only tried a front carry with my friend's super cute 5 month old and I didn't use the strap buckle (I hadn't attached it yet). I did put Selena in a back carry for a

short period of time, but I'm pregnant so my belly was kind of in the way. The shoulder straps and waist band were also too big for me (but I am pretty small). I am making another one for another friend, but will soon make one for me for the new baby, but I will narrow the straps towards the end and may angle them a little bit more up (instead of out). I will also make a smaller waist band, more the size of the one I made with my my own pattern.

I also am unsure about the use of the camping mat for the waist band. In the first one I made I just used high density foam that you can get at Joanns. This seems more comfy for front carries, especially if you need to sit down, but for back carries the thicker foam seems a lot more substantial and supportive. I will make one with the camping mat for me since I already have one with the thinner foam.

Just to note it costs me around $15-$25 to make one of these (depends on the fabric) compared to the $100-$150 it costs to buy a similar one.

Sorry the pictures are kind of lame, but I was in a hurry and then I gave it away.

Sew your own baby carrier

Sewing different baby carrier's are fun and are really great baby shower presents. The benefits of these kind of carriers versus carriers you can buy in the store is that most are made so that the baby is facing the parent which in general is more cozy and less stimulating for the infant so they will like being carried for longer periods of time. Also most commercial carriers are designed so that all the baby's weight is being supported by their hips, and this isn't the best position for a baby to be in for long periods of time. Most of the carriers on this page have been used for centuries in various cultures.

I've made some slings, mei tai's, wraps, and soft structured carriers. My favorite carrier for nursing is a sling. For carrying an infant I liked a wrap. For a larger infant a mei tai (Asian Style baby carrier) in a front carry, and for a toddler a soft structured carrier in a back carry. Here are a few carriers I have made. I've made more but unfortunately I didn't always get picturees before I gave them away.

The best sites I have found to get help and free patterns for sewing is Jan Andrea's website. And thebabywearer.com's Do It Yourself Forum.

Specific free patterns that I have tried and liked:
Wrap - I used knit t-shirt fabric and just cut it and didn't sew anything.
Mei Tai (ABC) - I made one with this pattern and one with my own pattern and this was easier.
Sling - I've used a lightweight denim and knit t-shirt fabric and liked the knit one better but it doesn't work as well for older babies.
Soft Structured Carrier - The one I made in the pictures was my own pattern. I am in the process of making this one, but so far it looks better than my own pattern.

Wrap or SPOC (Simple Piece of Cloth)

Soft Structured Carrier

Mei Tai or ABC (Asian Baby Carrier)