I am having trouble doing the pleats for the ring sling

[Yuliana]

I don't seem to understand these instructions http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/sling_pleat.html

:-/

Once I did all the pleats, that end that will go in the ring has a width of almost 7 in. I think it is too wide so I am pretty sure I am not doing the pleats right.

Please help me if you know.

[DoulaClara]

In the directions, before she folds the final pleat down (and "stacks" it), it looks like her end is about 7" long, too (if the squares on her cutting mat are in inches). After the final stack and everything is sewn, it looks like ~5 inches.

Do you have pictures of what you are doing?

[Starfox]

I always have to do the pleats a couple of times to get them to fit. Sometimes I don't have them overlapping enough.

Also one thing I do is pin it really well in two places. Then I put it in the rings and sort of adjust the pleats (like tucking a bit in more at places) so they fold nicely around the rings.

Can't wait to see what your RS looks like! :kiss

[Mama Rophe]

What they said. Sometimes you just have to mess with it a bit to get them just right. I'd love to see pics.

[Yuliana]

I *think* I got it. This is what I have up to now.

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b50/yasmel/Sewing/IMG_5317.jpg
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b50/yasmel/Sewing/IMG_5318.jpg

The rings I have are only 2 in. and since this is a large ring sling I need to go to Home Depot and buy a 3 in. ring and a 3.5 in. ring.

---------- Post added at 08:11 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:10 PM ----------

Should I wait until I buy the rings to sew the pleats down?

[DoulaClara]

:rockon That fabric is seriously BEAUTIFUL! What a lucky cousin she is! :heart

[Yuliana]

:rockon That fabric is seriously BEAUTIFUL! What a lucky cousin she is! :heart

Thank you. I hope she likes it and uses it since in Cuba NO ONE has slings :giggle I already printed out instructions in spanish with pics so she can learn how to use it.

[Forsynthianicki]

Love that fabric. It is beautiful. What a great gift for your cousin.

[Marielle]

I would wait until you have the rings to sew the pleats down. I use masking tape to tape mine down. Be careful though, buying the rings at the hardware store or feed store can be a bit dicey. Have you tried buying them from sling rings.com? They do stress testing on the rings specifically for carrying babies and I find them less heavy than what you can find at the hardware store.

[Yuliana]

I would wait until you have the rings to sew the pleats down. I use masking tape to tape mine down. Be careful though, buying the rings at the hardware store or feed store can be a bit dicey. Have you tried buying them from sling rings.com? They do stress testing on the rings specifically for carrying babies and I find them less heavy than what you can find at the hardware store.

Off to check them out.

---------- Post added at 10:33 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:25 AM ----------

I just checked and they don't have brown. I don't know what other color would match.

[Marielle]

I use the aluminum 3" rings and have only tried the silver or bronze. The bronze is kind of a plummy/purply brown but definitely would look off if you put it up against a true brown. So maybe the silver?

[Yuliana]

I use the aluminum 3" rings and have only tried the silver or bronze. The bronze is kind of a plummy/purply brown but definitely would look off if you put it up against a true brown. So maybe the silver?

I just checked and they do have brown but I wonder if it would match my brown :shrug3

Also I love aluminum rings but on their site it says that the fabric slides bettern on nylon rings. Do you notice a diff.?

[Quiteria]

They do have brown, at least they did when I ordered. They also have a cream in the plastic rings. I have them both, though I can't remember what size the cream are; the brown are medium aluminum...I can look for you if you want to buy them. (Am I allowed to say that?)

[Marielle]

I haven't tried the nylon but have seen and felt nylon rings in other slings. I prefer the aluminum. The nylon ones are chunkier and for me harder to manipulate the fabric around. I find the aluminum are smooth to slip the fabric but no slippery (and my slings have been made out of dupioni silk and now linen/rayon).

[Yuliana]

They do have brown, at least they did when I ordered. They also have a cream in the plastic rings. I have them both, though I can't remember what size the cream are; the brown are medium aluminum...I can look for you if you want to buy them. (Am I allowed to say that?)

Thank you. I am still debating on what to do :think

I haven't tried the nylon but have seen and felt nylon rings in other slings. I prefer the aluminum. The nylon ones are chunkier and for me harder to manipulate the fabric around. I find the aluminum are smooth to slip the fabric but no slippery (and my slings have been made out of dupioni silk and now linen/rayon).

So you think aluminum will be fine for my AB home deco fabric?

I might order a pair of both to test them.

[Quiteria]

My SBP sling (made by the gal who wrote the directions) was nylon rings. I like it in the washer because it doesn't clunk like metal. But I haven't washed aluminum, only some heavy steel hardware store rings...ditto the advice to NOT go that route. AFA slipperiness...my SBP sling is tencel, like rayon...very slippery and IMO I'd consider sizing down the rings. But for your cotton deco fabric, I have no idea.

What I ended up doing was ordering two samplers...a nylon size sampler, and an aluminum neutral-color sampler in size medium. Actually come to think of it, I got both the neutrals and the bright colors, not sure which included the brown. I was really excited about making slings for everyone.:o

[Yuliana]

My SBP sling (made by the gal who wrote the directions) was nylon rings. I like it in the washer because it doesn't clunk like metal. But I haven't washed aluminum, only some heavy steel hardware store rings...ditto the advice to NOT go that route. AFA slipperiness...my SBP sling is tencel, like rayon...very slippery and IMO I'd consider sizing down the rings. But for your cotton deco fabric, I have no idea.

What I ended up doing was ordering two samplers...a nylon size sampler, and an aluminum neutral-color sampler in size medium. Actually come to think of it, I got both the neutrals and the bright colors, not sure which included the brown. I was really excited about making slings for everyone.:o

Decisions, decisions. I have to decide what to do. I might get a sampler so I can try which one works better.

[Quiteria]

the owner of slingrings, or Jan who wrote the pleating directions, or the DIY forum at thebabywearer.com...any of those might be able to point you toward the best rings for your fabric...leaving you with just the decision of color. Amy Butler is very popular...

IMO, a medium brown aluminum and medium cream nylon are probably your best bet, and if I recall, the shipping from slingrings on 2 pair is VERY reasonable.

[Yuliana]

the owner of slingrings, or Jan who wrote the pleating directions, or the DIY forum at thebabywearer.com...any of those might be able to point you toward the best rings for your fabric...leaving you with just the decision of color. Amy Butler is very popular...

IMO, a medium brown aluminum and medium cream nylon are probably your best bet, and if I recall, the shipping from slingrings on 2 pair is VERY reasonable.

Yeah, for a pair of rings the shipping was .99 cents, so very cheap. I will email them and see what they recommend.

[Eesti]

I would go w/alluminum. I don't think the ease of nylon is worth the clunkiness.