Hey LAVENDER

[monique]

Hey LAVENDER

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have you seen this maybe it could be a nice side line for you LOL like you dont have enough to do

The URL for this page is: http://crafts.sleepingbaby.net/crochet.html Crocheted Sling -- Hip Carrier for older babies (printer-friendly directions -- pattern only )

I tried to make the "sling" listed at http://www.kanggah.com/cheap/sling.html -- unfortunately, the pattern currently posted online is actually for a big hobo bag. I wrote to its author, Maka, and she said that she had in fact modified that pattern to make a baby sling, but the modifications were not included on that page. Here's how mine turned out. Needless to say, I unravelled the whole thing and used the yarn for a different kind of bag.
However, I still wanted a crocheted pouch; the idea seemed sound, and I liked the notion of a sling I could shape as I made it -- I love my ring slings, don't get me wrong, but crochet offers a lot more in the way of shaping. So I just sort of made this up as I went along. I made the pouch part nice and curved, to conform to the baby's body, and while I decreased the width of the strap from the pouch to the shoulder, I then increased at the shoulder itself, to ensure that it cups the shoulder joint instead of riding up on your neck.
The carrier is appropriate for a baby who is comfortable in a hip carry -- s/he should have excellent head control. I don't think the pouch, as I've described it, is deep enough for a newborn in a cradle hold. However, you could make the pouch as described and then add rows to it on either side -- they could then be removed easily when the baby graduates to a hip carry.
You don't have to be an expert crocheter to do this -- the Maka sling was the first thing I ever crocheted. I learned from the book "I can't believe I'm crocheting" which I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics, but there are good directions on the web, too. I'm writing this pattern out in English instead of crochet shorthand for now, but may translate it in the near future.
As always, please let me know if you have questions about the pattern. General crochet questions are best answered by Google, however, as I am a novice myself!
Also, if you intend to make these to sell, please be very careful! Because the pouch is not adjustable, it is not a one-size-fits-all carrier. It really needs to be made to size, or altered so that it's adjustable. A too-big pouch is uncomfortable and unsafe, while a too-small one is just useless. If you're making pouches using this method that you intend to sell despite my pleas, please at least include a link back to these instructions in your sales page.
Materials:

• One crochet hook, size G
• Approx. 8 oz cotton yarn
  • (two 4-oz skeins, or half of a one-pound cone, or three 3-oz skeins... you get the idea)
  • I did the Maka sling in $1.99/lb acrylic yarn, because cotton seemed very expensive given that it was my first project. However, cheap acrylic doesn't feel nearly as nice as cotton does; it also seems to stretch more, which is not nice when you're making a pouch sling. If you get a more expensive acrylic, this may not be a problem.
  • Cotton will stretch some, but if it stretches too much, your pouch won't fit.
  • Keep in mind, too, that you can always unravel your creation if it doesn't work out, so no yarn is actually wasted.
• Time: highly variable! I worked on this pouch on car trips to Boston, or while the kids were sleeping and I was watching a movie. I think it probably took about 5 hours of actual time, but I did it over a couple of weeks. It's a nice brain-free, hands-busy activity, anyway.

Method:

I'm going to assume you've learned the basic stitches from a book, a friend or relative, or an online guide. Remember, if it doesn't look right, you can unravel it and start over. I restarted the Maka sling at least three times, until I figured out what I was doing wrong. Also, these directions are open to much interpretation. A pouch sling needs to fit just right, or it's very uncomfortable. Therefore, the number of rows that would fit *me* may be very different from what will fit *you*. Also, I included a shaped shoulder "pad", which you can make smaller, wider, or leave it out entirely. Finally, make sure you try on the sling by holding it up to yourself as you crochet. You can unravel if it's too big, but it's frustrating to do so (all that work lost...)
Note: all stitches are worked in the space between double crochets, instead of within the previous row's dc. This is contrary to what most instructions will show, and was the cause of two of my unravellings the first time I tried a crocheted pouch.
Pouch portion:

Beginning ring : chain (ch) 4 stitches (st), then join with slipstitch to form a circle.
Row 1: Ch 3 st (counts as first double crochet (dc)), then make 11 double crochets in the ring (that is, when you're pulling the yarn through, instead of going through a stitch in the chain, you go through the hole in the middle). Join to the first dc with a slipstitch (sl). 12 total stitches.
Row 2: Ch 3 st (counts as first dc, and will for the rest of the pattern), turn, make one dc in that space, then make 2 dcs in each space, for 24 total stitches. (In other words, make 2 dcs in every space besides the first.) Join to first dc with sl.
Row 3: Ch 3 st, turn, dc in that space, make a single dc in the next space, two in the one after that. Continue around doing one dc and then two, for a total of 36 stitches. (In other words, make 2 dcs in every other space.) Join to first dc with sl.
Row 4: Ch 3 st, turn, dc in that space, make 1 dc in each of the next two spaces, then two in the one after that. Continue around doing one, one, and two dcs, for a total of 48 stitches. (Make 2 dcs in every third space.) Join to first dc with sl.
Row 5: Ch 3 st, turn, dc in that space, make one dc in each of the next 3 spaces, then make two in the fourth (2 dcs in every 4th space.) Join to first dc with sl. 60 total stitches.
Row 6: Ch 3 st, turn, dc in that space, make one dc in each of the next 4 spaces, then make two in the fifth (2 dcs in every 5th space). Join to first dc with sl. 72 total stitches.
Row 7: Ch 3 st, turn, dc in the NEXT space, and work evenly -- dc in every space, no doubles. Join to first dc with sl. 72 total stitches.
Row 8: Ch 3 st, turn, dc in the next space, and work evenly as above. Join to first dc with sl. 72 total stitches. (These repeats give the pouch its shaping.)
Row 9: Ch 3 st, dc in that space, make one dc in each of the next 5 spaces, then two dcs in the 6th. (2 dcs in every 6th stitch.) Join to first dc with sl. 84 total stitches.
Row 10: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, and work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 84 total stitches.
Row 11: Ch 3 st, dc in the same space, make one dc in each of the next 5 spaces, then two dcs in the 6th (2 dcs in every 6th stitch). Join to first dc with sl. 96 total stitches.
Row 12: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, and work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 96 total stitches.
Row 13: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 96 stitches.
Row 14: Ch 3 st, dc in the same space, one dc in each of the next 8 spaces, then two dcs in the 9th. (2 dcs in every 9th stitch.) Join to first dc with sl. Roughly 104 stitches (I lost count! Luckily it's not that important...)
Row 15: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 104ish stitches.
Row 16: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 104ish stitches.
Row 17: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 104ish stitches.
Row 18: Ch 3 st, dc in the same space, one dc in each of the next 8 spaces, then two dcs in the 9th. (2 dcs in every 9th stitch.) Join to first dc with sl. Roughly 112 stitches (?).
Row 19: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 112ish stitches.
Row 20: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 112ish stitches.
Row 21: Ch 3 st, dc in the next space, work evenly (dc in every space, no doubles). Join to first dc with sl. 112ish stitches.
Note: if the pouch appears to be too small or too large, add or remove rows to your liking. Eyeball it as you go, using the baby for reference, if applicable
Strap:

I made this all one piece instead of two joined at the shoulder. This does mean that it decreases from the pouch up to the shoulder, then increases some, then decreases, then increases again. If you wanted to, you could stop at the shoulder, end off the yarn, and start again from the other side of the pouch portion, working up to the shoulder to join it (as in the Maka pattern). Personally, I prefer the look of the single piece, plus it's one less place I have to slipstitch.
The strap length will vary depending on your size. I would suggest, rather than counting rows, just holding the carrier up to you as you crochet. Keep in mind that your work will stretch rather a lot -- the first time you put the carrier on, it should be *very* tight, since your baby's weight will stretch it immediately.
To make the strap, I started at the point where the body had left off, and made 30 stitches. For the next row, I decreased at the first and last stitch, for 28 stitches. Then 26 in the row after that, 24, 22, and on down until I got to 12. Then I made a number of rows 12 stitches wide, until I was about up to my armpit when I "tried on" the pouch, holding the beginning ring at waist-level on my side.
At that point, I started increasing in the *middle* of each row. That gives the shoulder its shape, seen at right (click to enlarge). Once I had about 24 stitches across in the shoulder, I made a few plain rows (no increasing), and then started to decrease, also in the middle of each row. That made the shoulder cup-shaped, so it stays in place rather than riding up towards my neck.
However, in making it cup-shaped and then decreasing the width, I think I put the baby's weight *all* on my shoulder, instead of spreading it out across my back -- I had decreased to 12 stitches on the back strap, then increased again at the edges (not in the middle)as I approached the final length and the back edge of the pouch. I plan to try it again with the decrease/increase in front, but then keep increasing after it goes over my shoulder, so that the back strap is much wider than the front. I would suggest trying the same thing yourself, unless you plan to wear this pouch only for short periods.
Caren, a visitor to the site, suggested these directions for the strap:
(Optional: slip stitch 13. This puts the "seam" where the rows join on the side of the pouch, rather than off center.)

Row 1: Ch 3, Do NOT turn, Dc 29 in spaces below.

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, work decrease in next two spaces, dc in next 25 spaces, work decrease in last 2 spaces.

Row 3: Ch 3, turn, work decrease in next 2 spaces, dc in next 23 spaces, work decrease in last 2 spaces."

And so on until you define a row of 12 stitches total, then repeat until about up to your armpit when you "try on" the pouch, holding the beginning ring at waist-level on your side.

Then you can restart your count for the "shoulder" section of the sling:

Shoulder row 1: Ch 3, turn, dc in next 4 spaces, increase in next two spaces, dc in 5 remaining spaces.

Row 2: Ch 3, turn, dc in next 5 spaces, increase in next 2 spaces, dc in 6 remaining spaces.

And so on until the shoulder is complete (I kept increasing until it was 30 stiches wide) and then give one row of plain old 30 dc across, and repeat until desired length is acheived.

[Lavender]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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I have seen that! I think I even asked Sheryn about it.
I will make you one when you are pregnant! If I don't have RSI

[monique]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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LOL you work to hard oh and thanks for being possitive about futrue conceptions LOL im not

[Lavender]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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Originally Posted by monique

im not

That is your perogative, but I know there are more babies for you on the way
The highs in life are only high because of the lows

[monique]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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thank you I gusee i just feel a little beaten up I have said to A that if nothing happens by years end then we are a willow only family Im getting to old and i dont want a newborn at 40

[spiralgirl]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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wow that bub looks cute in that pic in the hanging down sling bag!

Monique - I know how hard it can be ttc ( 6 years has sooooo many periods in it!) its really hard to stay positive and I think that is why my IVF worked - because I was so sure it would and I had the positive vibes and prayers and thoughts of so many people being projected to the bub that it just HAD to happen

Just know that because so many of us are sending thoughts prayers and wishes for your baby dream to come true, its just gonna happen xx

[monique]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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oh thank you so much spiral that almost made me cry

[spiralgirl]

Re: Hey LAVENDER

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big kisses and hugs from us darlin!