Didymos Copper (Kupfer) Cashmere Indio Size 6

While I was pregnant with Little Miss, I was consumed with finding the perfect "squish wrap". Beautiful, thin, soft and comfortable were my requirements. This led me to purchase Didymos Kupfer Indio in a size 6, which was described as incredibly soft. It had quite a journey from Russia to my house, and it arrived on the same day as a vintage size 1 black and white indio, so it was quite the exciting mail day!

 

 

Though it had been lovingly handwashed and well cared for, a previous owner had used a strong scented detergent on this lovely wrap, which took several handwashes for me to feel comfortable with the scent so close to me. The black dye ran a bit in the tub while washing, which made me wonder how many times in its previous 6 years this wrap had been washed, but not enough to stain anything. 

Once dry, I was able to say that this was the softest wrap I have ever felt. It was so thin it felt like tissue paper, and the colours were so rich and classy. It is a very difficult colour to capture on camera, so I've included a stock photo to show you how awesome it actually looks in case my photos do not do it justice.

When Little Miss arrived I took her on her first walk down the road in this wrap on a windy day. She was so snug and cozy. It had very little grip or texture for an indio, making the passes slide easily. The knot was so teeny tiny small because of the thinness of the wrap. However, this wrap is deceptively strong for how thin it is, it never felt saggy or uncomfortable. It always wrapped like the most delicious stretchy wrap, snug and easy to tighten. It is absolutely perfect for a small baby, and it brought a smile to my face to have it in Little Miss' early days. When we outgrew it, we sold it locally to another mama who wrapped her squish in it too, and I imagine it will wrap many teeny babies in the years to come.

The Verdict:
Pros: Soft, so soft. Thin and ace bandage-y. Glides in place easily.
Cons: Not supportive for larger babies
Recommendation: A luxurious first ride for teeny babies, this is a beautiful piece of Didymos history that I encourage you to try with a squish, or to wear as the most delicious scarf.

UppyMama Deep Waters Fuchsia weft 4.2m



When I first learned about wrapping, Uppymama was the epitome of luxury at the time. I drooled over these beautiful handwoven wraps, and was so excited when I won a ring sling by this amazing Canadian company (see: Uppymama Linen RS).

I stalked, and entered draws, and watched prices, and agonized... and finally I pulled the trigger and bought an UppyMama wrap in my base size from a swap page. This wrap is Deep Waters, which was a custom colourway for a small group of parents, and only five of these wraps were woven. Of those, mine is the only one that has a fuchsia weft, so all of the others are pre-dominantly blue, whereas mine has more of a purple hue to it.



My Uppy "stash" when Deep Waters (top) arrived, frosted rainbow cake (bottom)



At the time it arrived I was primarily wrapping my son, who was about 18 months old. We mostly did front carries with this wrap for bedtime walks and snuggles, as he was not much of a fan of back carries at the time. I did not find any digginess with this wrap at all, despite it being relatively thin. For back carries, I often used it in a ruck tied knotless, and found it comfortable for relatively long periods of time.

When Little Miss arrived on the scene, this wrap was immediately a favourite. It is soft and was immensely comfortable for front carries at the ittybitty stage. It is the perfect colour and length for us, even at over a year old now. We still use it nearly daily for fwcc and double hammock tied at the shoulder with a candy cane chestbelt (our fave!).

Squishy, tiny, Little Miss... oh my ovaries.

This is an older Uppy, and they are known to be slightly heavier weight than newer Uppys. This wrap is strong, thin, and resilient. It has the perfect amount of grip, glide, and cush. I do not worry about wearing it on any occasion, as it is easy to wash and comfortable for any period of time, with any size of child. It has comfortably rucked my now three year old son in parking lots, and dragged its tails along wilderness paths. We will keep this wrap until our wearing days are done, and at that time might even keep it as a cherished momento of all of the snuggles it gave us.


Prices have significantly declined and rare unicorn Uppys such as this one pop up all the time at insane prices, under retail most times. If you see an old cotton uppy and are on the hunt for a versatile wrap that can take anything you throw at it, then I strongly encourage you to buy it!


Little Miss is all smiles in our fave carry



The verdict:

Pros: Beautiful, comfortable, classic, and fun

Cons: None, now that prices have dropped

Recommended for: Everyone. Seriously. Buy the old Uppys.

 

Didymos Lisca Sambuco

I bought this Lisca used from a local mama, as I wanted to try a Lisca for myself to see what all of the hype was about. My first impressions were that it was incredibly soft, and the colours were lovely. It was also much more thin than I was expecting.

I really enjoyed the purple and orange colours together. These are two of my favourites, and they made for a delightful Autumn blend, which was especially lovely close up. I don't have any photos handy from our time with this wrap, so here is a lovely stock photo.

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This wrap was a size 6, which is a bit long for me, but for how thin these are, I think it is good to have a longer wrap. I tried a ruck in this and it felt very thin and diggy, but in a double hammock it was much more comfortable.

I think this would be a really great newborn wrap. It has the stretch that would hold a tiny squishy baby in place solidly, but is very soft and has a slight cush to it that a stretchy wrap would not have. Unfortunately, we got it when little man was well over 20lbs, so it left quickly.

The Verdict:
Pros: Super soft, lots of stretch, lovely colour
Cons: Too thin and stretchy to be super supportive for larger babies
Recommendation: This would make an amazing newborn wrap, and does fine in multi-pass carries for larger babes, but wouldn't be my first choice for a larger babe.

Update: Found a photo!

Oscha Strato Aequus Lambswool Blend Size 5

I have been in love with Oscha's Strato pattern for the longest time, and have been a lover of wool also. I was ISO Aequus for a long while, and managed to find one while perusing the Canadian Swap one day for an amazing deal. 

When it arrived, I could tell it wasn't very broken in, it was much more scratchy and thick than the Didy wools I have grown used to, so I worked on it a bit with some steam and love. I don't think it helped that I received this beauty in the summer, when it is definitely a cooler-weather wrap.

I wrapped my toddler with is a few times for short outings, he was not wanting to be up long at the time, and it was quite a warm wrap. I found it very supportive, but a bit hard on my shoulders. I don't usually mind itchy wool, but this was even a bit itchy for my tastes. I ended up selling it very quickly, as I still couldn't find the Oscha love, even after lusting over this beauty for so long.

Blurry park ruck

The pattern is just so lovely though, I wish I could have liked it better. I thought it would have been more of a blue colour, but it was very purple, which I tend to be drawn to.

Stock photo to show beauty

The Verdict:
Pros: Beautiful pattern, beautiful colour, great warmth for a cold weather wrap, super sturdy.
Cons: Itchy and beastly new, not enough give and bounce for my taste.
Recommendations: If you don't mind itchy wool, and are looking for something to keep you and bubs warm during long winter walks, this beast is up to the task. This is not a light wrap by any means, and not my recommendation for new wrappers or summer heat.

Didymos Sambia Size 8 --> Long size 4 and ring sling

As part of the wonderful mystery box I received from Birdie's Room, I owned a size 8 Didymos Sambia. This wrap felt a lot like Orient fresh out of the box, and I believe it was a prototype using the same weaving techniques used to create Orient. The colours were much more earthy than those of Orient, so it was more understated. I really liked the colour on the "right" side, but wasn't too fond of how the "wrong" side of the wrap didn't show a reverse pattern, as was seen in Orient. 

As size 8 is clearly too much wrap for me, I sent it off to be chopped into a long size 4 and size medium gathered ring sling by the ever-talented Tanja at SewFunky.

My lovely trio of mystery box wraps.

This lovely stock photo shows the "right" and "wrong" sides of the wrap better.

I wrapped with the wrap portion of Sambia only once, but found it to wrap nearly exactly like my Orient, which I already owned in a size 5. Since they were so near in size, I decided to sell the wrap and keep the ring sling.

Sambia made an AWESOME ring sling. I paired it with bronze rings and had a gathered shoulder. I took it on trips to the beach and around town. It didn't seem to pull quite as easily as Orient did, which was nice. I found the material supportive enough for my 27lb toddler, but thin and light enough to be a great summer-time option for wearing at the beach. The colours were also perfectly beachy. 

Sharing an ice cream

The Verdict:

Pros: Light, airy weave, easily washable, beautiful colours

Cons: "Wrong" side doesn't have full pattern

Recommendation: If you like Orient, you will like Sambia! It is a great, all around, light-medium weight cotton wrap, with nearly the identical wrapping qualities of Orient. I really enjoyed this sling while it lived with us.

Didymos Purple Love (size 3)

I bought a size three Didymos Purple Love from a local mama on impulse, after trying it on at a meetup. The cotton was very sturdy, and it felt lovely in a ruck with my son, who was about 24lbs at the time. The cotton felt thicker in hand than most of my other Didys I had tried, I believe it was the first all cotton jacquard woven wrap that was not in the style of Indio/Sambia, so it felt very flat in comparison.

I found this wrap felt similar in hand to the Pavo San Diego Stripes I used to own, though they wrapped differently. I didn't find the Didy as hard on my shoulders as the Pavo, though I am not sure what the difference in weave between the two is.

I did not keep this shorty in my stash for very long. Although I liked it, I also purchased Audrey around the same time, and two purple size 3 wraps were not necessary in my stash at the time. :) I sold it locally for the same great deal I received on it, I am not even sure if I have action photos of the short stint it had here!

Purple Love next to Harry's Love

The Verdict:

Pros: Beautiful, comfortable

Cons: None I can think of

Recommendation: If you like solid, cotton wraps, and you like to motif on this wrap, I would say go for it! It was a lovely, all around wrap.

Didymos Audrey Wool Blend (Size 7 --> Size 3 and ring sling) and MYSTERY BOX!

Every once in awhile Birdie's Room does this amazing "Mystery Box" sale/promotion where you choose from among their various Didymos blends (i.e.: Wool, linen, cotton etc...) and sizes (2,3,4 OR 4,5,6 OR 6,7,8 etc...) and you receive one 'premium' wrap in that blend, along with two other 'mystery' wraps, all at a significant discount from retail pricing, one of each size. The catch is, you can give comments on what your likes and dislikes are, but the three wraps are a surprise! The last time this promotion was available I took the plunge and ordered a XL wool box (sizes 6, 7, 8). I gave some examples of wraps I liked and didn't like, as well as specified some wraps I would love to receive.... I am very pleased to say all of the wraps I received were ones I listed as wanting to try!

I received a size 6 Harry's Love, which I gifted to a good friend who was ISO, a size 7 Audrey wool blend, and a size 8 Sambia. I sent Sambia and Audrey off to be chopped into ring slings and shorties. Sambia review will be saved for another day. :)

I received back a size 3.2m Audrey and medium gathered shoulder ring sling. For awhile I kept both, but didn't use ring slings as much at that point in our babaywearing days, so decided to sell it and keep the shorty.

BNIB you could definitely tell that Audrey was wool. She had a bit of prickle that lessened a bit after a bath with some wool wash. I steam ironed it also, which is great for settling down the more prickly wool fibres. I was surprised by how thin this wrap was in hand, it is one of the thinnest wraps I have owned by feel, though I haven't weighed it. The stretch and bounce this wrap offers is fantastic! I used this wrap mainly for rucks with my toddler who was 25+lbs at the time and we were so comfortable. We also wore this wool in the heat of the summer, and it was absolutely comfy and breathable in a ruck.

At first, I wasn't sure of the colours, but the olive really looks like a neutral brown in most lighting, and the overall effect of this wrap is very neutral and classy. This wrap molds like a second skin, and is one of my favourites thus far among everything we have tried.

The Verdict:

Pros: Mouldable, bouncy, no sag, cushy, beautiful, classy....

Cons: Definitely has a wool feel to it, if you are at all sensitive I would steer clear.

Recommendation: I would recommend this wrap to anyone looking for a classy, understated wrap that has great bounce and is breathable enough for all year round. I never hesitate to recommend this wrap unless someone is super sensitive to wool!

Didymos Indio Bordeaux Hemp Blend (Extra wide - Size 5)

I had wanted to try a Didymos Indio for a long time after hearing such great things from Indio devotees about the wrapping qualities of these beautiful patterned wraps. Didymos has a great little blurb on how these wraps are woven on their website :(http://www.didymos.de/en/Babywearing/DIDYSling/Indio/) "The INDIO fabrics are woven on a dobby loom. The dobby weaving technique is related to the Jacquard technique and it regularly alternates different weaves to create a particularly fine and graphic pattern. It is very similar on both sides, though one side being the negative of the other one. Our INDIO fabrics are particularly soft, fluffy to the touch and have good diagonal stretch."

I saw that Didymos released an extra wide Indio, called Bordeaux, and decided to try it out, as I love width in wraps with Mr. Seat Popper. When I received it brand new in the box it was incredibly stiff, which I have heard is common with a new hemp blend. I washed and dryed it per instructions and it came out of the wash ready to be worn. The difference with that one wash and dry was fantastic!

I wore this wrap for both front and back carries with my son who was approx. 27lb at the time. It was incredibly bouncy and comfortable, I found the blend very cushy for how thin the wrap was. It felt a bit like shock absorbers on the shoulders because of the really nice bounce. There was no sag whatsoever to this wrap either. The width was a little bit too much, even for me. I think I measured it to be about 32 inches wide, which sometimes was a bit overwhelming if not wrapped carefully. 

I never had an uncomfortable trip in this wrap, and I wore it often over the hot summer months without feeling like the hemp was too hot or heavy. On Canada Day, my three year old 40lb son and I watched the fireworks late that night, and I rucked him home in this wrap in comfort when he was too tired to walk back. I ended up selling this wrap to be able to try more things, but I would buy another hemp indio in the future with no hesitation, as it was super comfortable.

The Verdict:

Pros: Hemp is bouncy and easy to care for, the pattern is neutral, the colours available for hemp indios are beautiful. 

Cons: The extra width of this wrap was a bit much for me, only truly appreciated when wrapping a very tall three year old.

Recommendation: I think everyone should try a hemp indio at some point in their churning life, this was a super comfortable and versatile wrap. It was lovely in single and multi-pass carries, for both front and back wearing. 

Pavo San Diego Stripes (Size 6)

I was ISO Pavo Stripes in pretty well any colour or size for awhile. I liked the simplicity of the design and how it was described as "like a favourite t-shirt" in feel. I missed out on a couple on the Canadian Swaps and finally found a great deal on San Diego Stripes in a size 6.

The sweet mama sent me a lovely thank you card with the wrap, which came in the original Pavo envelope also. The colours were absolutely perfect for me, and I likened it to a floppy beach towel in feel. It was very soft to the touch, but remarkably sturdy feeling too, as most Pavo wraps are.

I wore this wrap mostly in a double hammock or front wrap cross carry, although I did try a couple ruck variations with is also. I found the sturdie-ness (it's a word now) of the fabric led to it feeling hard on my shoulders, no matter how carefully I tied it. It looked super moldable and supportive, but to me it just felt HARD.

I tried really hard to like this wrap, because I really liked how it looked, and the colours were just right for little man and I. However, the wrapping qualities were not working for us, so I had to let it go to another local mama, who very much loves Pavo WQ. 

The verdict:

Pros: Beautiful, affordable, easy to care for, sturdy

Cons: Sturdy (yes I know I listed it as both)

Recommendations: If you need a solid, reliable, beater wrap that will hold up to whatever you can throw at it, while also looking cute, this is it. If you have picky shoulders, or generally dislike Pavo's WQ, give it a pass.

Cloth of Kin Secret Rainbow Alpaca Silk Blend (Size 6)

I saw a beautiful rainbow coloured wrap posted on the swaps one day and was too slow to snatch it up. It was a Cloth of Kin Secret Rainbow in linen weft, and I lusted over that wrap for several months before I finally had the opportunity to try one for myself. I traded with a lovely mama for her size 6 CoK Secret Rainbow in alpaca silk grey weft. When I received it I couldn't believe how ridiculously soft it was, more than kitten belly soft, it was absolutely divine. I wrapped my son with it for a short time in a ruck, and the bounce was lovely, though I did notice a bit of sag, as I wasn't used to wrapping with such a bouncy wrap at the time.

I used this wrap in double hammocks for longer walks mostly, and found it very warm and comfortable. This blend is on the warmer side, even though it is very thin, so I found it a bit awkward to wear in the summer heat in multiple layers.

I was very impressed with the weaving, as I had not heard the best things about the quality of Cloth of Kin wraps before this time. There were some small skips in the weave, but nothing major that could be seen without really looking for it. The colours were so beautiful, really having to been seen in person to appreciate. I also really enjoyed that this blend was machine washable, which made the fibre fluff up even more.

Being alpaca, it did shed a little bit, which wasn't a big deal for me, but did bother the mama who I traded for it from, as she had wool allergies and found this to be a trigger.

The Verdict:
Pros: Soft, beautiful, warm, affordable handwoven, Canadian weaver
Cons: Sheds, not the most supportive
Recommendation: This would be an amazing newborn wrap, in fact, I have a custom in the works in the same blend because I loved this one so much!

My jam

I have been giving reviews and opinions on carriers, but a post on Facebook yesterday has me thinking about how different we all are in terms of what we look for in a wrap. The question was, in a nutshell, "What is your jam?" i.e.: What do you like in a wrap in terms of wrapping qualities?

There were a lot of differences of opinion, so I thought I would share with you my response, so when you see my reviews, you know why I have reviewed something in a certain way.

•  I like medium thin with stretch, I prefer blends with wool, all types of wool. I also love all cotton. I prefer a bit wider and do not have a preference for hemmed vs unhemmed rails. I have 0 tolerance for "sturdy" wraps. I can't do linen, or any pavo or Oscha I've tried, as I find that the "awesome support" translates into them all being hard on the shoulders, which I can't stand. I would wrap with a wrap that has nice wq over pretty any day, but I've been trying to find pretty wraps that I like the wrapping qualities of more often now. I used to buy ugly wraps not caring as long as they were comfy. I like pin striping a lot, but I also get bored easy, so I like to have a variety of colours and patterns to keep me happy. I also hate critters, like so much. I tend to gravitate to Uppys and Didys, though I have a lot of other randoms also.
• I also really like pointed twill. The cush and thickness are just right 

When I say medium thin, I probably mean somewhere between 210-260g/m2, which woven wraps database classifies as medium. I know many wraps produced are currently on the thicker side of the scale now though, so this definition might be a bit outdated.

I have really enjoyed most of the wool blends I have tried, and truly think you cannot go wrong with wool as long as you are ok with buying superwash ($$$) or handwashing as far as wrapping qualities go.

I know Oscha and Pavo are favourites of a lot of people, but I just CANNOT wrap well with them. I've now owned/tried 6+ Oscha and 5+ Pavo wraps, and I have honestly not overly enjoyed the wrapping qualities of any of them.

A current stash shot in poor lighting

So anyways, now you know a bit about my biases, and I hope this helps you in deciding if my reviews are applicable to your preferences or not. Have a wonderful Monday!

AndalGo Carribean Pointed / Zig-zag Twill Weave (Size 7, size 3, rs)

I purchased this wrap from a mama in the U.S. after admiring how beautiful it was, with the justification that I wanted to try a pointed twill weave. It was long when I received it, and I wore it as it was for awhile before deciding to chop it into a ring sling and size 3 wrap. I sold the ring sling and have been loving on this short wrap ever since.

The weaver does semi-custom slots, where she chooses the warp but allows for custom wefts to be chosen. Her work is absolutely lovely, and she has a great variety of weaves and colours to choose from.

Photo courtesy of Sara McConnell Photography

From my first experience with twill, I was expecting this wrap to be thick. I would call it a medium thickness for a handwoven. It has a lot of support, feels dense in hand, and a nice bit of stretch and cush. It is supportive enough for use in a ruck with my bigger guys, and the length is great for quick ups and downs. I also like the texture of this wrap, as I can easily wear it in a short cross carry with a ring with no slippage, and without having to constantly re-adjust it.

Also makes a great snuggle blanket

Photo courtesy of Sara McConnell Photography

I chose this wrap to wear for a babywearing photo session I had with Sara McConnell Photography at a Babywearing Picnic our local group hosted. The colours really popped, and look just right for summer!

I've kept this wrap in my stash for a long time now, and have put it up for sale a couple of times that I have chickened on. I see AndalGos on the swaps all of the time, and wonder why they go for such a great price, this is a seriously underrated wrap!

The Verdict:
Pros: Affordable handwoven, super cushy and moldable, beautiful colour selection, nice texture, not too grippy
Cons: None I can think of?
Recommendation: I would recommend these wraps to anyone looking for a great, affordable handwoven that is easily obtained new or on the second-hand market.

Natibaby Nepal - 33% merino (Size 6)

After my first foray into wool with SweetPlace, I decided I had to try more. I saw Natibaby Nepal as one of the BOGO offers on Natibaby's website and snapped it up. The blend was 33% wool, which was slightly higher than the previous one I had tried.

It arrived and I gave it a wooly bath in the tub, then ever so not patiently waited for it to dry. Despite Natibaby's recommendations, I would not wash these in the washing machine. Felting is scary. Save your wraps. Once dry, I wrapped my youngest in a dh with it and noticed immediately that it was longer than a size 6, which is what I had ordered.

I had a lovely local seamstress chop and hem the wrap to a 4.5m, which is my favourite long length. She made some adorable elephant stuffies for the boys out of the scraps.

I found this wrap amazing for back carries, but a bit too rigid for long-term front wearing. It didn't have the same amount of bounce that SweetPlace had. It was very soft, and I loved the neutral stripe pattern. It was a bit more slippy than SweetPlace also, which I found nice mostly, but was sometimes challenging overtop of a winter coat. There was no sag at all in this wrap, which was lovely for longer wearing of my big guys.

The Verdict:

Pros: Soft, supportive, neutral

Cons: Handwash, a bit slippery

Recommendation: This would be a great first foray into wool, and a wonderful year-round wool wrap. With careful wrapping, this would be comfortable for even larger babies on front and back. 

Mama Minnow Wild Rumpus (Size 4)

I saved one of my very favourite wraps, by my very favourite weaver to be posted on this special day... today is my birthday!

After staring at a longer version of this wrap on the swap, hemming, hawing, and eventually missing out on it, I vowed that I would buy a Mama Minnow Wild Rumpus wrap should I ever see one again. Thankfully, one came up in a size 4 (3.8m), and I snatched it up. 

The inspiration for this amazing neutral wrap came from the book "Where the Wild Things Are", specifically on the photo (below) of the Wild Rumpus that Max and the Wild Things had while he was on his adventures. Having loved this book for a good long time, this wrap called to me from the moment I saw it.

Chandra, the amazingly talented weaver, is Canadian, and has based a line of her handwoven wraps on children's literary classics such as WTWTA, calling it her "Wrap & Read Literary Lineup". Other inspirations include Freight Trainbow and Pete the Cat.

When I received this package in the mail, I was shocked at how small and light the package was. This wrap is without a doubt the thinnest handwoven I have ever tried. I could nearly see the writing on the envelope of the package through this wrap in the sunshine. I was a bit worried, as my boys are chunky monkeys, but thankfully, this wrap proved that thin doesn't have to mean diggy!

I took a look over this wrap with a fine-tooth comb, and Chandra's attention to detail is just amazing. The colours melded together so well, there were no mistakes in the weaving that my human eye could see, and her selvedges were the very definition of razor sharp.

I was able to eke out a front wrap cross carry with this when my son was a bit younger, and wore him for naps in it, and on downtown adventures with no digging or sagging. This wrap was delightfully supportive and comfortable! I also loved it in a reinforced ruck, and could squeak out a Christina's ruckless with it, with some careful tying. The colours were so lovely and neutral, it was such a classy wrap.

I was so very fortunate to win a "Golden dibs ticket" for another Mama Minnow wrap, and sold this lovely piece of art to a mama in my local babywearing group, as a legacy wrap for her son. I definitely would have held onto it if I didn't know I was secure in owning another Mama Minnow in the future!

The Verdict:
Pros: So thin, Canadian weaver, amazing neutral, amazing weaving, beautiful all around.
Cons: Small batches make it difficult to score a Mama Minnow, so if you see one BUY IT!
Recommendation: This lovely mama is a very talented weaver, and I would recommend her wraps to anyone looking to try a well-made, Canadian handwoven.

Natibaby SweetPlace Merino Wool Blend (Size 6)

For a long time I was scared of blends, mostly due to the beastly linen blend Natibaby Nature of America experience I had as a new wrapper (http://wrappedupwithyou.blogspot.com/2014/12/natibaby-nature-of-america.html). I stuck with cotton because it was a sure thing.

However, an awesome sale from Tadpoles and Butterflies led me to purchase my first wool blend wrap, a Natibaby Sweetplace merino blend in orange (one of my fave colours). It arrived quickly, and was so soft, straight out of the box. I handwashed it and laid flat to dry, then made a hammock out of it to break it in some. From that first hammock I understood the bounce of wool that was so highly raved about on message boards and Facebook. It was such a comfortable seat for me.

It also made a great stroller blanket :)

I took it out for a spin on a longer walk while front wearing with my youngest, who was about 25lb at the time. It was very comfortable, though it had a bit more support than I like for a front carry. I tend to like stretch for front wearing, and support for back wearing, as it is easier to adjust in a front carry. Regardless, I really enjoyed our first long outing in this wrap. It was so soft and not at all woolly feeling.

Where this wrap really shone was for back carries. It was super supportive in multi-pass carries, such as double hammock, and made for a great extra layer of warmth for our cold winter. I didn't try many single-layer carries with it for long periods, as I owned it in a size 6, but I imagine it would have been pretty great in a ruck tied tibetan also.

Messy DH but happy baby

The Verdict:

Pros: Super soft, affordable, supportive

Cons: Handwash (Natibaby website says you can machine wash, but I wouldn't machine wash wool)

Recommendation: Don't let the wool scare you. It is so cozy and soft, the extra two minutes of effort and waiting for it to lay flat to dry are so worth the benefits of this awesome fibre. Natibaby wool is one of the softest wool wraps I have ever tried. You should try one!

Pavo Plume (Size 5)

I read a lot of reviews online and through Facebook, and had seen many amazing things said about a relatively new company (at the time) Pavo Textiles. I perused their website and was excited to see a size 5 Pavo Plume available for sale, so I scooped it up. Usually, most colourways and patterns of these wraps are sold out within seconds of being added to the site, so I was excited to be able to try one.

I received the wrap with a lovely tote bag from Pavo on the same day a custom handwoven arrived... one of my most epic fluffy mail days ever.

Epic fluffy mail day 

While waiting for it to arrive, someone pointed out on a chat board that the pattern reminded her of big blue vaginas. You can't unsee that. So, I affectionately referred to this as my lady bits wrap.

Out of the bag, this thing was burlap. No, cardboard. Cardboard mixed with burlap overlaid by burnt toast. It was beastly. I washed it according to directions and tried it out. It was certainly very supportive, and I could see right away the amazing stretch that people had been raving about. However, I found it very difficult to get a nice chest pass or to make my passes land in the right spot because of the grip.

I spent a couple weeks dragging this through rings, braiding it, and hammocking with it. It began to get much more malleable, and I began liking it a lot more. I took my two and a half year old for a spin in it also, and found the support to be great even for a heavier child.

However, the grip was a bit too much for my liking, and it was a bit too thick for a long wrap for us, so it moved along to another home. I've tried many Pavos since this first one, and have found the grip and weight of them to be too much for us, so perhaps we just aren't Pavo people.

Horrible chest passes

The Verdict:

Pros: Beautiful, great diagonal stretch, great support

Cons: Beastly to break in, difficult to obtain new

Recommendation: If you like thickness, support, and grip, you should try out a Pavo. If not, maybe Pavo isn't for you. I've felt a couple of their newer blends that had much less texture including some of the menagerie line, but I still haven't found the Pavo love.

Oscha Sea Breeze 100% Linen (Size 3)

As a part of a package I purchased off the Canadian Babywearing Swap (R.I.P.) from a lovely mama in British Columbia, I received my first short wrap, an Oscha Sea Breeze 100% linen size 3.

This was also my first experience with an Oscha, and first no-cotton wrap. The grad colours on this wrap were absolutely beautiful. The blues looked exactly like the ocean, which I believe was the intent of this wrap. This wrap was soft and shimmery, as it arrived very well broken in already.

I tried my two and a half year old in a ruck carry, and it was absolutely rock solid. In a sloppy ruck, this felt diggy on my shoulders, but when I took the time to carefully sandwich my shoulders I was able to wear him for 30 minutes with no discomfort.

Blurry selfies

As you've heard, linen isn't really for me, but I did appreciate this beautiful wrap for the time it was here. My only gripe about the 100% linen is that it wrinkled SO EASILY. When I went to sell it, it was the only time I've ever ironed a wrap on an ironing board. Once ironed, this beauty literally shimmered. I wish I had a photo, because the difference between the freshly ironed wrap and the wrinkly wrap was so dramatic.

All the smiles

The Verdict:

Pros: Supportive, Beautiful colours, Shimmery

Cons: Diggy unless wrapped very carefully, so wrinkly

Recommendations: I would recommend this as a great summer shorty for someone looking for something breathable and supportive. You must be ok with wrinkles, and must have the patience to wrap carefully.

Heartiness Ethno Red Linen Blend (Size 6)

One of my favourite mindless activities is browsing Facebook babywearing swaps to see what is out there. On one such occasion I came upon a fantastic deal on a package that included a size 6 Heartiness machine woven Ethno print red linen blend wrap. I jumped on the deal and was happy when it arrived from the lovely mama in British Columbia quickly.

This wrap had a beautiful pattern of red, black, white, and cream colours. We received this wrap right around Christmas time, and I was happy to have it as a festive pattern over the holidays.

This wrap was my first experience with Heartiness, and I found it quite comfortable. The tag stated the blend as 50% cotton and 50% linen, but Sling-O-Fest lists it as 100% linen. I am not certain which is correct, as it certainly felt like a lot of linen to me.

The texture was a bit rough and grippy, but not in an unpleasant way. It came to me very well loved and broken in, so it wrapped very floppy and mouldable right away. I found it very supportive for both my two year old and 8 month old (at the time).

In general, I have found that I am not a fan of linen for longer periods of wrapping, as I need something with a bit more bounce and cush. The loose weave of this wrap made up for the lack of bounce by providing a bit of cush on the shoulders (as cushy as linen can be in a machine woven anyway...).

I could see how this blend would be prone to pulls, although I did not experience any myself while using it.

The fuzzy-headed boy in Ethno

The Verdict:

Pros: Affordable, weave structure offsets rigidity of the linen, beautiful pattern, sturdy, supportive

Cons: Loose weave prone to pulls, hard to find now

Recommendation: This was a great work-horse wrap. I enjoyed this as one of my first comfortable forays into linen. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a great all-around supportive wrap.

SLS Natty Ashton - CUSH (Size 6)

I had the absolute pleasure of trying on a friend's SLS Natty Ashton in a size 6 this past week. I figured I should jot down my thoughts before forgetting all about it.

The wrap is very dense in hand, but so soft. It looks and feels a little bit like your grandmother's old beloved white lap blanket. I can see why it would have the tendency to have pulls, but the texture the weave gives to this wrap is amazing.

I wrapped my friend's small baby with the wrap, so I can't yet speak to whether or not it is toddler worthy. I hope to try it again sometime with one of my larger kiddos to get a sense of the support of this wrap.

For how thick it is, it still isn't quite as thick to wrap with as I imagined it would be. When I think of thick, I think Pavo, where it can be a bit unwieldy. This was nothing like a Pavo. It was soft and mouldable even with only one wash prior to me trying it. It was floppy, and wrapped so easily in the FWCC I tried with it.

The amount of grip was lovely, I managed to tie off with just a single knot, and it didn't slip at all the whole time.

Though this was a size 6, it felt short to me. This could have been due to the fatty-ness (it's a word now), but whatever the reason, I would recommend sizing up. It was SO CUSHY on my shoulders. The tiny baby I was wrapping was lighter than air in it. I can't wait to try it again once one of my large guys is more agreeable.

The Verdict:
Pros: Cush, soft, squishy, good texture, good price
Cons: Natty (is this a con?), sold out everywhere and now sells for Market Value :P
Recommended for: Anyone. Seriously, you need to try this wrap! I can't wait to give it a test with a larger kiddo and some back wrapping. Thanks to my great friend for letting me try it out!

Natibaby Colorado (Size 6)

The wrap so nice, I've bought it twice!

Natibaby Colorado is an all cotton colour block wrap. It was a little stiff out of the box, but softened nicely after a wash and being hung to dry. The colours are so vibrant, a bright red, orange and hint of yellow that make me think of sunshine and summer.

This wrap is a great all-purpose wrap. I have owned it in a size 6 and a size 5. I have trekked through field and forest, cooked spaghetti, and caught fish while wearing this wrap. It has never had a pull, and doesn't show stains or wear easily. It was soft and cushy enough for a tiny babe, and was supportive enough in a double hammock tied at the shoulder for my 40lb three year old.

I first sold this wrap when I caught the churning bug and the urge to #BuyAllTheWraps hit. Since selling, I have tried nearly 100 wraps. I recently boomeranged this wrap and am even more in love with it now that I have the experience to know better. The cotton is so sturdy, the width is nice and wide, this one will live here as a beater wrap until the end of our wrapping days.

Catching some minnows

The Verdict:
Pros: Affordable, obtainable, soft, wide, colourful
Cons: Seriously, this wrap is the bee's knees
Recommendation: Whether this is your first wrap, your only wrap, or your beloved beater wrap, this is such a cozy and versatile addition to any stash.