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 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. 

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!

Anaira WCMT - Inda Jani Fular Sara

I have always loved the comfort of a wrap conversion mei-tai, but have never been able to bring myself to chop a wrap up to make another carrier out of it. As such, I usually end up purchasing my WCMTs second-hand, or pre-made from a store. I found a beautiful looking Anaira conversion of an Inda Jani wrap (now called Antama I believe), Fular Sara, on the website for 5 Minute Recess and the beautiful photos persuaded me to buy it.

It arrived quickly, and the package was huge! This wrap was a serious fatty, I would have been interested in trying it out in wrap form. The weave was diamond weave, with very thick looking threads, but the weave was quite loose. This made it super pull-prone, which you may know by now is one of my pet peeves. I was able to overlook it for awhile though because the was such a deliciously comfortable carrier.

Adorable package.

The carrier was heavy in hand, but super stretchy and mold-able when worn. I wore my son, who was about 16 months at the time, for extended periods of both front and back wearing. We wore this WCMT to the beach, on hikes, and even adventures with dinosaurs!

Dinosaur walks

 I ended up being bitten with the WCMT bug, and became overstashed, so I sold this carrier, but I miss it sometimes. It was so very comfortable.

Forest adventures

The Verdict: 

Pros: Affordable, beautiful, comfortable, stretchy

Cons: Heavy and bulky, not very portable when not in use. Super pull prone. Anaira no longer works with Inda Jani wraps, so you would have to find one of these on the second hand market. 

Recommendations: This was a great price for a great WCMT. If you are interested in trying one, and don't mind a little extra bulk, this was a really comfy bet!

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.

Woven Alabama Purple Bananas (Size 6)

I found this wrap on the swap while searching for affordable handwovens and purchased it from a lovely mama in B.C. It was my first experience with twill in a handwoven, and I was expecting a fatty fat wrap.

I was not disappointed! This wrap was so fat she had to put it in a grocery bag as the second layer of protection when shipping, as it did not fit in a ziploc.

It was soft and stretchy, I put my littlest up in a quick DH to try it out and this wrap was like pillows on my shoulders. The colours of this wrap were so vibrant. I wasn't sure at first if I would like them, but they somehow worked together. The custom mama who created it said these were her little one's favourite colours. The tails had a tartan accent on them, which I really enjoyed.

We used this wrap as our main long walk / double hammock wrap for awhile. I wasn't as fond of the stretch of this twill in a fwcc, I found it got a bit saggy after awhile. For whatever reason, the stretch really worked in a dh though. 

The boys had many a snuggle in this wrap, as it was very soft and comfortable. I traded it for a DISO, and miss the cush of this straight twill, which I haven't found replicated yet.

The Verdict:

Pros: Crazy cush, nice stretch, small amount of grip.

Cons: Saggy in some carries unless tightened well.

Recommendation: If you are looking for cush, here it is. Jessica is an awesome weaver, and I would recommend trying out her wraps if you are looking for a cozy handwoven that won't break the bank!

Alison Addicks - Winter Sunset (Size 6)

I was late-night cruising Etsy one night and came across a new shop of a woman named Alison Addicks, who was offering custom handwoven wraps for sale. I emailed her immediately and put down a deposit the next morning. I found a sunset photo that looked very similar to the colours of a Newfoundland flag, and decided to use this as my inspiration for colour. I was offered a couple of choices, and picked a colour grad with five colours, navy, yellow, white, light blue and a deep orange-red.

Alison was great with communication and told me my slot date was in February, which was about a month away at that point. She sent me a wound sample card in the mail to show me what the colours I had chose looked like IRL and suggested that I choose a navy blue weft to make the colours pop more, which I agreed to. I chose a length of 4.5m, which is approximately my base size.

Once she began working on my wrap, she kept me up to date the whole time and sent beautiful photos of the wrap on the loom to keep me excited while I waited. She wove the wrap quickly, and also created a sister piece without the navy blue edges, which another mama later had turned into a ring sling.

I received this wrap quickly once ready, and was so pleased at how soft the material was when it arrived. She had a simple tag middle marker, and the wrap was ready to wear right away. It was thicker in hand than most of what I had tried up to this point, but I had no issues wrapping with it right away. It is an incredibly supportive wrap, a bit thicker in hand than UppyMamas I have tried, and a little bit less stretch than them also. I had it made 30 inches wide for my large guys, and it does not disappoint. I comfortably carried my 3.5 year old in our snowsuits in a ruck tt for 20 minutes this winter.

This is my only truly permastash wrap at this time. Alison's weaving is wonderful, the selvedges are lovely, and I had a wonderful experience working with her on this. I love the tiny pinstripe detail she made between the grad colours. Everything about this wrap is my jam.

The Verdict:

Pros: Wide, lovely, one of a kind, supportive

Cons: Difficult to find - Alison is no longer in the business of creating baby wraps, so the second-hand market is the only place you will find these beauties.

Recommendation: I have seen some of these going for around $350 on the swaps lately, which is near retail. This is a wrap that lives up to the hype, and if you see one - snap it up!

UppyMama Frosted Rainbow Cake Ring Sling

When I first found out about the world of wrapping, the mythical wrap of legend that was sought after by nearly every wrapper was the UppyMama handwoven. Woven in Alberta, Canada, these wraps are handwoven by a small group of artists who have dedicated their passion to educating families about the benefits of babywearing to both the parents and baby.

At my very first babywearing meet-up through our local group, a mama brought her UppyMama wrap that she had been lucky to win a draw to purchase through UppyMama at retail. That's right, these things were (and are) so popular that they cannot keep up with demand and you must enter for a chance to buy one. Though the market value has come down substantially due to the introduction of a whole slew of amazing new weavers to the handwoven scene, these still often sell at or above retail price on the swaps. At the time I received my first UppyMama these beauties were selling second hand for nearly double the retail price.

I was fortunate to win my first UppyMama in a Dip (a whole other topic - basically a raffle). I was so excited, and drove to pick it up the same day the Dip closed. I won a UppyMama Frosted Rainbow Cake 20% linen blend ring sling with an original UppyMama floating shoulder. This ring sling was made from un-dyed cotton and linen, with a rainbow of pinstripes added on the tail only.

Us so excited for our Dip win - excuse the sloppy wrap job

When I picked it up, I could not believe how soft this piece of cloth was. As I've mentioned several times, I don't generally like linen. This linen was like nothing I had ever felt, you could not even tell there was linen in the blend by touching it. I wore my 24lb son in it right away, and could not believe how supportive and comfortable this was. The floating shoulder kept the fabric nicely spread, and the linen added the perfect support to this amazingly soft and thin fabric. 

We began using this as our main ring sling, wearing it through Church services and while shopping with baby happily napping for up to an hour at a time in nothing but comfort. This ring sling remains in my collection to this day, and it still the most comfortable ring sling I have ever tried.

My terrible photos do not do these beautiful pinstripes justice

The Verdict:
Pros: Soft, supportive, beautiful, Canadian
Cons: Expensive (though prices have come down substantially), some colourways are hard to find.
Recommendation: If you are looking for a luxurious, Canadian, handwoven masterpiece (and money is no object) that you can wear your baby in, this is your ring sling. 

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!