Review: Baie Slings Trowen Ebony/Stone

Brand: Baie Slings
Type: Trowen Ebony & Stone
Blend: 100% combed cotton
Size: Ring sling (converted by me from a size 2)

This beautiful wrap arrived a week or so before Christmas, and I've already used it such a lot. I bought a size 2, and converted it into a ring sling myself as I have plans for making something with the leftover wrap scrap. I stitched a pleated shoulder with black sling rings.
The colours  in this version of the Trowen pattern are really striking, yet elegant. It would be as perfect for a special occassion as it would for a walk in the woods. The thickness of the wrap is similar to the ebony/teal version, but the scale of the pattern is similar to that of the emerald/ecru version of Trowen. Once again it arrived feeling beautiful soft and cuddly, and despite being a thicker wrap, it is very easy to adjust, and would be just as lovely with a tiny baby as it is with my toddler. Even though it is fairly thick, the weave is fairly airy, so I don't get too hot whilst wearing it.
Another really beautiful, comfortable wrap from Baie Slings. I have to admit not many of my other wraps have been getting a look-in recently, since Baie Slings wraps starting arriving in this house!

Baie Slings Magma ring sling

I was lucky enough to try a beautiful Baie Slings Magma tester wrap just before Christmas, and loved it so much that when Baie Slings released Magma last Monday, I couldn't resist treating myself to a ring sling. It really is beautiful, and the tight weave works perfectly as a ring sling as it is very supportive, but still pulls though the rings easily. It arrived feeling beautifully soft and I took it out with us today for a walk in the winter sunshine.

(My full review of Baie Slings Magma can be seen here.)

A Review of 2013

I've been asked by several people about my favourite wraps from 2013, so I thought I'd do a little fun review. Bear in mind that this is simply based on the few wraps I have tried, and totally based on my own opinions and experiences.
I feel that 2013 has been quite an exciting year for wrap enthusiasts. The year began with a few front runners, with Oscha proving to be extremely popular, and old friends like Didymos and Natibaby very much going strong. As the year progressed, the market appeared to calm down a little, and new and exciting companies have emerged, mixing things up a little. The appearance of Artipoppe and Pavo Textiles this year have certainly added a bit of excitement into the wrap world. The handwoven wrap market has also significantly expanded this year, and I was lucky enough to buy my first Uppymama wrap, aswell as a Warped & Wonderful, making two of my wrap wishes come true. 
Here are a few of my favourite wraps from this year, with a short comment to explain why. I could honestly list almost all of the wraps I've been lucky enough to try, but I've attempted to be selective:

 Bebe Sachi Khadi, both Twilight and my ring sling.
These stunning, handwoven, ethically produced wraps are amazingly supportive and full of character. I feel so lucky to own these two unique wraps, and they have been my two surprise favourites of 2013.

Baie Slings Trowen & Magma
I'm so excited about this relatively new company, and have completely fallen in love with their Trowen wraps. I adore the fact that they arrive feeling so blankety soft, and are also supportive with my toddler. Having been lucky enough to try their stunning Magma wrap, I can see Baie Slings going from strength to strength in 2014.

Didymos Flamenco Hemp Indio (both versions)
So incredibly comfortable and supportive, and very soft and easy to wrap with when broken in, the two versions of FHI (both of which live here) are two of all time favourite wraps. 

Firespiral wraps, particularly Seafoam and Pomegranate Fractal Spirals
Firespiral are another very exciting company, whose wraps are unique and beautifully designed, arrive already feeling beautifully soft and are very easy to wrap with. I love all four of my Firespiral wraps, but I particularly love my Seafoam as it wraps into place so easily and is very supportive, and my Pomegranate Fractal Spirals as I love its soft cush and texture. I can't wait to see what Firespiral has in store for us this year!

Pavo Textiles wraps, particularly Sylvan and Fuchsia
A lot of people have commented that they feel 2013 has been the year of the Pavo, and I can understand what they mean. These wraps are totally different from anything else I have tried, and are being designed amazingly well. I also feel that the way the lovely ladies behind Pavo Textiles are marketing and releasing their wraps is perfect, as they are obtainable (with a little bit of luck), yet not in such huge supply that they still involve the 'thrill of the chase' that many wrap collectors enjoy. They are constantly coming up with new designs, each of which appears to have slightly different wrapping qualities. Two of my favourites from 2013 are Parterre Sylvan for its amazing supportiveness - one of the first wraps I have ever tried that made my toddler feel weightless, and Etini Fuchsia, which also wraps beautifully, but I particularly love the Etini design in this colourway.

Artipoppe, Two Birds Akka and Silvester
Another company which has exploded onto the scene in 2013 is Artipoppe. With beautiful designs, and amazing/creative/unique wrap blends, and many little clues and riddles before new wraps are released, Artipoppe have had a huge impact. I have been very lucky to have tried three Artipoppe wraps this year, and my two favourites are Two Birds Akka and Silvester, both of which wrap so easily and are really supportive, plus the Two Birds pattern is my favourite of the Artipoppe designs.

Oscha wraps, particularly Eden Copper Beech, Roses Aphrodite and SN Marina
Although the hype surrounding Oscha has calmed down significantly this year, Oscha are still very much here to stay. Their wraps are beautiful, and the Okinami design appears to the favourite of many people. However, three of my favourites from this year are: Eden Copper Beech, which wraps so easily it was the first wrap that I could truly rely on for getting a perfect double hammock each time. Roses Aphrodite, which I was so thrilled to get in their Valentine's Day release as I had longed for red roses for a while and was certainly not disappointed with these. Starry Night Marina, which was a very limited release, but is the first thick woolly Starry Night wrap and in the most perfect shade of turquoise, making it a comfortable, beautiful wrap.

Monkey Mei Tai conversions
I cannot do a review of 2013 without mentioning my Monkey Mei Tai wrap conversions. I have gained three new conversions this year, and I have to admit that now my toddler likes to be up and down all the time, they are three of my most used carriers. They are beautifully made, with Helen clearly having an artistic eye, and are so incredibly comfortable, that I would have at least four of my other wraps converted if Monkey Mei Tai's waiting list wasn't well into 2015.

So these are some of my wrap highlights of 2013. In terms of babywearing highlights, there have been many. The European Babywearing Conference in July was wonderful, and Natural Mama's Big Camp was a huge amount of fun. Whilst at camp, having a photoshoot with Ali Dover was a bit of a dream come true. Working with Bebe Sachi to take the pictures for their instruction booklet was a privilege, as was testing wraps for two new companies. I have also made some really great friends through babywearing, and I love going to my local sling meets, sling walks and sling dance class. I also did the Race for Life this year whilst wearing Joey, and I loved seeing people's reactions! Although Joey is getting bigger, I really hope that I get many opportunities to wear him in 2014, and doing my consultancy training in February will mean that I will still be involved with the babywearing world even as Joey continues to grow.

I hope you've all had a wonderful year, and hope 2014 is even better for you. Thank you so much for reading my blog and leaving me comments in 2013. Happy New Year! x

Happy Christmas!!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas!!!!

We had a lovely Christmas Eve walk today, using my beautiful Artipoppe Two Birds Akka, which was so lovely and warm in this cold and windy weather. I hope you all have a lovely day tomorrow wherever you are in the world! More wrap reviews coming after Christmas!

Three pictures...

I thought I'd share this row of three pictures, each of which was taken on 18th December in 2011, 2012 and 2013. I love pictures like this, as it truly shows what a difference a year makes! I look back at the 2011 picture, and I wish I knew then what I know now, but I also remember how thrilled I was to have my son wrapped close to me, after an overwhelming few weeks. 
I wonder what the picture will look like in 2014...

Review: Baie Slings Magma Ebony/Crimson

Brand: Baie Slings
Type: Magma Ebony/Crimson (tester wrap)
Blend: 100% combed cotton
Size: 4

I am really delighted to have had the opportunity to try out Baie Sling's beautiful Magma tester wrap. I have very quickly become a fan of this relatively new company, and have really fallen for the softness and cush that their combed cotton Trowen wraps have in abundance. Before it arrived, I understood that Magma was woven in a slightly different way to the Trowen wraps, and had a slightly tighter weave. I was intrigued to find out how the tighter weave would affect the wrapping qualities of Baie Sling's newest wrap.
On opening the package, I was thrilled to find that Magma had Baie Sling's characteristic blankety softness, and yet the tighter weave gives this wrap a slightly denser feel. Magma is a slightly thicker wrap, but due to its immediate softness and drape, this does not make it a challenge to wrap with. It has a lovely amount of diagonal stretch, making it mouldable and the thickness gives it a lovely cush. I feel that the tighter weave gives this wrap a bit of extra support with my heavy toddler, and when wrapped in place, it held Joey's weight perfectly.
The colour and design are beautiful. The red is a deep earthy red, and the black feels like a very warm black when combined with the crimson colour. The rails are each neatly hemmed in a different direction, meaning that there is no wrong side, and I have to agree that I really couldn't decide which side I loved best! The pattern flows across the wrap in this bold yet detailed pattern, and I really loved the look of the spirals when wrapped. Magma really is the perfect name for this design!
Magma has a fair amount of grip, meaning it doesn't just slide into place, but it also didn't feel particularly difficult to pull across either, and when in place it stayed put amazingly well even with my very wriggly toddler.
Overall, I have really enjoyed this wrap on the few days I've had to play with it. I love the feel of the Trowen wraps so much, that I wasn't sure what I would make of the tighter weave, but I can honestly say that it slightly improves the support offered when carrying a heavier child, without compromising on the softness and cush that I love. This wrap would be lovely with a newborn baby and yet it would also last you right through to toddlerhood. I'm really impressed with Magma, and will be saving my Christmas money ready to bring home my own Magma wrap when they are released in the new year.

Magma with the Trowens

Colour comparison (top to bottom):
Magma Ebony/Crimson
Nouveau Ember
Eden Copper Beech
Roses Aphrodite
Firespirals Pomegranate Spirals
Eden Caprica

Review: Lir Slings Realt Aodh

Brand: Lir Slings
Type: Realt Aodh
Blend: 50% Irish linen, 50% cotton.
Size: Ring sling, gathered shoulder.

I am always intrigued when I hear about a new wrap company, so when I read about this new Irish company and saw their debut design, I couldn't resist ordering a ring sling from Lir Slings, especially as its pretty snowflake design is perfect for using during the winter/festive season.
Lir Slings are designed and woven in Ireland, and are cut and stitched to order, so I had to wait a few weeks for my ring sing to arrive. It was totally worth the wait! The design is really beautiful and the gentle grey and white colours are perfect for the snowflakes, and in some lights there is almost a slight shimmer, giving the grey a silvery look. The weave on these wraps is very dense and has just a little bit of diagonal stretch. The linen blend needs a bit of breaking-in, but my ring sling is already beginning to soften up. I wouldn't say Realt Aodh feels particularly thick, but with the dense weave and use of linen, it is incredibly supportive. The seams and ring sling conversion have been neatly stitched, and the whole things feels like a luxurious, quality item.
The only thing that I would change about this beautiful ring sling, is that the taper is incredibly steep, meaning that even though the long taper measures just over 2 metres, the short taper is only 1.55m. Once the ring sling is adjusted and in place, the shorter taper is absolutely fine, but I'm finding it slightly more difficult to adjust the shorter rail, as there is less fabric to grab hold of and pull. A parent who is bigger built, and carrying a larger child may struggle a little with this. However, this does not particularly detract from how much I am enjoying this beautiful ring sling, and the steeper tapers would not be a problem on a wrap. 
Overall, I am very impressed with Lir Slings' debut design, and have already received compliments when out and about wearing Realt Aodh. Having seen pictures of a couple of the beautiful and unique designs they have in the works, I would say that Lir Slings is going to go from strength to strength.

My new venture: Sling Solutions

I am really excited this week, as I've just signed up to do the Babywearing Consultancy training course in February! I can't wait! I've been working on a business name and logo this week, and after a lot of thought I have decided I will be 'Sling Solutions'. I've got lots of ideas of what I would like to do when I've qualified, but for now I've been working on my logo and Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/slingsolutions

Joey's 2nd birthday!

My little boy turned 2 last week! Its been a busy few days having a couple of family celebrations. I still can't believe Joey is 2 already - time has gone too quickly!

Even though he is gradually getting bigger and more independent, I'm hoping we still have lots of slingy cuddles to come, and I'm currently working on a couple of wrap reviews, plus I'm hoping to get the opportunity to try out a brand new tester wrap fairly soon - I can't wait!

Review: Baie Slings Trowen Ebony/Teal

Brand: Baie Slings
Type: Trowen Ebony/Teal
Blend: 100% combed cotton
Size: 5

I bought a beautiful Trowen ring sling from Baie Slings back in September from their debut release, and that beautiful ring sling has quickly become one of my most favourite, most used and comfortable ring slings. I adore the pattern and how snuggly soft it is. I was thrilled when I saw the preview pictures of this beautiful Trowen in ebony and teal, and couldn't resist adding a Trowen wrap to my collection. I was particularly excited about the fact that this one is a heavier weight fabric, at about 270gsm.
I must have been one of the first to order this wrap, as it arrived quickly a couple of days later, and I fell in love with it immediately. The black and teal colour combination is really beautiful and very striking, and I was thrilled to find it was just as soft and mouldable as Emerald Trowen. This wrap is also finished to the same high quality and is absolutely perfect. The scale of the Trowen pattern is slightly larger on this wrap, and the bigger scale works beautifully.
I love the fact that the rails are each hemmed in a different direction, meaning that there really isn't a 'wrong' side on this wrap. It wraps easily, and pulls into place nicely, and the softness and thickness are amazing on my shoulders! I don't find many wraps comfortable in a simple ruck, but this one definitely was. It is very mouldable and has the perfect amount of stretch, meaning it is very supportive with my heavy toddler.
I have to say that Baie Slings is fast becoming one of my favourite wrap companies. I've only tried two of their wraps so far, but I have been so pleased with both of them. These wraps have such a high quality, luxurious feel, and don't particularly require any breaking-in. I can't wait to see what Baie Slings comes up with next!

Colour comparison top to bottom:
Trowen Ebony/Teal, SN Marina, SN Maya, Okinami Sia,
W&W Jade Storm, Roses Scarista, Trowen Emerald/Ecru.