FIRST CARRIER SEWING TIPS

I remember my anticipation and anxiety over sewing my first baby carrier. In reality, it truly is a big project and it will be holding an actual child, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t do it, or do it safely.

If you’re about to begin sewing your first carrier —  here is a list of tips especially for you.

DON’T EXPECT PERFECTION

We’re not machines, we’re humans.  To this day I still make mistakes when I sew carriers. I’ll forget to lay my underarm straps down, or I’ll end up entombing a pencil inside of the carrier [this has happened more than I’d like to admit].  My point is this: the more you make the carriers, the better you’ll become. You’ll find your own rhythm and way of doing things and you’ll certainly take some time off of the clock.

FIRST CARRIERS TAKE THE LONGEST

I touched on this in the last point but I think it’s important to reiterate. If you’ve ever worked on a time intensive project and then made the same thing again, I’m sure that you’ve noticed that everything goes much more smoothly and faster the second time around. It’s like muscle memory.

DON’T USE EXPENSIVE FABRICS FOR THE FIRST GO

This is especially applicable because I know a lot of people are excited to create wrap conversions [for those of you unfamiliar with wrap conversions, woven fabrics used for baby wraps that are cut and repurposed as the fabric for a structured carrier].  It’s totally possible that your first carrier will look great, but I just wouldn’t recommend using the really good stuff until you’ve done a trial run.

GET ACQUAINTED WITH YOUR MACHINE

If you haven’t read up on your manual lately, this would be a good time to go over it.  Check out the 10 Things I Wish I Would Have Learned When I Started Sewing post for some extra handy tips.   But to sum that post up,  make sure that you’ve wound the bobbin correctly, inserted it properly and in the correct orientation, and that the top thread is seated in the tension discs along the upper thread path.   Those are common mistakes that can be a major cause for headaches.

 

SEAM ALLOWANCES MATTER

When I started sewing I would improvise a lot and occasionally ignore a pattern’s seam allowance. I was fortunate to not have any major blunders because of that, but when you’re sewing a baby carrier, it is really important to stick to the seam allowance to ensure that your carrier is safe to use.

COMPRESS, COMPRESS, COMPRESS

When sewing through the strap foam it is really important to compress the foam. Some people will use an object like a pencil or clips to keep the foam compressed. I feel more comfortable using my hands but sew very slowly to avoid catching any fingers when they are near the presser foot.

READ THROUGH THE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST

I can’t stress this part enough. It isn’t important to understand everything but it will help you to get a better idea of what’s going on. Some of the steps won’t make much sense until you have the materials in front of you and that’s okay. You’ll save yourself a bunch of questions by reading through the instructions first.

CELEBRATE SMALL WINS

The assembly process is broken down into sections. Feel free to give yourself a pat on the back when you make it through one and then be prepared to hear your baby waking up from nap time. I couldn’t help myself, but seriously, this is one of the most gratifying sewing projects ever in my opinion. It’s exciting to see things coming together.

BE PREPARED TO TROUBLESHOOT

There are a few thick sections which may require some people to troubleshoot machine issues.  Some of the common problems that pop up are skipped stitches, thread nesting [aka “thread barf”], breaking thread, or machine jamming.    I wrote a post on thread nesting here.  When sewing through the thicker parts, try increasing your upper thread tension and increasing your stitch length.  Also, always make sure that the presser foot is DOWN. It’s easy for it to get bumped into the up position when sewing in thicker sections; though you may not notice until you end up with a wad of thread coming out from the underside of your project. Those few tips will make a huge difference.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THE NEEDLE

I probably say this too much but seriously, change out your needle for a new denim needle.    Here is a great post by Superior Threads on the various needle types.  If you notice that your machine seems to be hitting anything or stopping–  change needles immediately to avoid damage. Don’t try to cheat and use whatever needle that’s been in your machine for the last, um, 30 projects.

USE A MARKING UTENSIL FOR PERFECT X-BOXES

Occasionally I get asked how my x-boxes turn out so nicely.  I’ve gotten good at “eyeballing” things, but sometimes I still take the time to mark my paths to ensure that everything sews up nice and neat.   If you haven’t run into it yet, I’ve created a free x-box printable for practicing this important reinforcement technique.

 

 

That sums up my advice as you begin your first carrier.  Feel free to ask questions in the exclusive groups along the way if you get stuck or you can always email me too (info@sewtootpatterns.com).  Happy sewing!

Have any tips I should add? Leave them in the comments for me!