7/10 Monthly Meeting

I (Paula) was unable to attend this last meeting, but one of our leaders, Jillian, summarizes it here, complete with pictures!

This month our meeting was held at Nancy Lewis Park.  Our topic this month was pouch slings.  We also decided to start doing a carry of the month (COTM). Our carry this month is Double Rebozo Shoulder to Shoulder.

Marcia led the discussion on pouch slings.  In addition to a fabulous demonstration on how to do a front and back carry with one, she discussed the pros and cons.  Pouch slings are an easy, inexpensive way to venture into the babywearing world.  They are also very portable, they fold up very small and are great for keeping in the car or diaper bag.  They are also relatively simple to use.  The most frustrating thing about a pouch is that finding the right size.  They are also not very adjustable, although the shoulder can be folded over to tighten the top rail.



The carry of the month, Double Rebozo Shoulder to Shoulder (DRS2S) was very well received.  It is a nice back carry because it can be tied off almost immediately, making Little One more secure while the passes are being completed.  We had several brave mamas willing to give it a try and many have tried it at home too.  We would love to see pictures, please post them to our facebook group. :)

Trying out Ash

Stella is successful with DRS2S

Aris & Niki

Marcia assisting Melissa with the COTM

Isabel also has success

Melissa, another success

Melissa & Cora perfecting Double Hammock

Isabel and Laney

Enjoying the shade

More shade and babies

Babywearing Art

One of my favorite artists that I've discovered in the last year is Katie m. Berggren.  She makes these wonderful paintings that really encompass so many feelings that come with being a mother.  There are paintings of fathers and mothers cuddling their babies, breastfeeding, cosleeping and even babywearing.  If you haven't had a chance to check out her artwork, you really should!

Where We Wore in June

Jillian D. minigolfs with her daughter in her back in Didymos Black Hemp Pfau.

Jennifer P. takes her kids to their first baseball game at the Sky Sox Stadium.
She has her son in a KoKaDi  Glamour Stars ring sling.

Nicole R. checks out some books at Penrose library with her older son
while her baby snoozes in a  mei tai.

Dorinda B. carries her baby in a Beco Gemini while experiencing wheat
harvest with the grandparents in Kansas.

Amy S's husband looks out at the sky on a hike at Eleven Mile State Park.
Their daughter is asleep in a Boba 2G.

Emily C. takes her son to Castlewood Canyon State Park in a Baby K'tan.

Isabel T. goes hiking in the Sugarloaf area with her son in a Didymos
Indio Sun Yellow wrap.  

July Meeting

Due to the July 4th holiday, we will be meeting the second Wednesday of this month, the 10th.  The meeting will start 10:30 at the Casa Verde Commons common house.  The focus of the meeting will be "Pouch Slings."  Bring your carriers and bring your babies!  (Additional kids and fathers always welcome!) 

If you have yet to join us on Facebook, please do!  Now that it is summer, there is a playdate or two almost every week!

Meet Our Local Weaver: "Golden Thread Mistress" Marcia Stewart

Marcia models her wrap as a scarf.

For babywearers, woven wraps can be quite sentimental.  Apart from being gorgeous fabric, they hold our babies close as they grow.  There are memories made, memories of a sweet baby falling asleep, or perhaps gazing wide-eyed at the world from the safe place close to our hearts.

Local group leader Marcia Stewart understands this: "To us, wrapping a child is symbolic of that love. Closeness. Hold your child close to you in a wrap and dream of a world full of joy."

That's what it says on her Facebook page, Golden Thread Mistress.  A babywearer since 2010, she has recently taken the plunge into handweaving wraps.

Marcia has been enamored by woven wraps since even before becoming pregnant with her first son.  She had a full selection of woven wraps awaiting his arrival by the time he was born.   

"Woven wraps were my favorite from the beginning. I love that the fabric is endlessly versatile: blanket, fort, scarf, washcloth, and baby carrier all in one. I love fibers of all kinds, and the beauty of wraps really draws me in," she said. 

Last winter, Marcia enrolled in a weaving class with a friend.  "After the first day of class, I loved it," she said.  "Weaving felt like what I was supposed to be doing. I was excited to look for my own loom."

Now she is the proud owner of a Schacht 36" standard floor loom, with 4 shafts. 

It really should be no surprise to anyone who knows her that she has taken on weaving. Marcia, after all, loves anything artsy.  She makes jewelry, pottery, paints, quilts, knits and sews.  Buying a loom and learning to weave only seemed natural.          

There are a few differences between her wraps and the ones readily produced on machines by brandname companies. 

"A wrap I wove is more likely to have handmade touches and not be perfect," she said.  "I strive to weave quality fabric, but I'm also new to weaving and am learning my trade. I think that handwoven wraps are very moldable and stretchy from the beginning, so they're quite comfortable. They're also able to have unhemmed rails because the selvedges are finished as they're woven (as opposed to companies that weave their wraps double-wide and have cut edges that require hemming)."  

Furthermore, because they are handwoven, this also means that they are each unique.  

"In addition to wrapping differently than a commercially-made wrap, a wrap I wove is smaller-scale, one of a kind, and can be customized for the intended recipient. That's one of my favorite things about weaving a wrap," she added.

"Painted Sunset" sits on the loom.

Weaving a wrap is more than simply putting thread on a loom and passing the shuttle back and forth.  It takes many hours to measure out the thread and there are variables that have to be taken into account, such as weft yardage, wrap width, shrinkage and other variables, which are used in mathematical formulas.  Then there is actually preparing everything on the loom.  The weaving, she says, is actually the easiest part.  

As a weaver, Marcia gets to be creative.  She can pick out what type of thread to use and of course, a beautiful color scheme.  So where does she get her ideas?

"My inspiration has been from pictures I've seen, other wraps...and photos of special places. Nature scenes are great inspiration, (my current project is a sunset-inspired one), and artwork is, too," she says.

To learn more about Marcia's gorgeous wraps and her weaving process, check out her Facebook, Golden Thread Mistress.  Unfortunately, she is not taking customs at this time, but if you are lucky, you may have a chance to try out one of her wraps at a local meeting.  

**This post was written by Paula R.

Why we should be concerned with fake carriers

Fake Prada bags, fake Gucci glasses, fake Rolex watches, fake...baby carriers?

Yep, they're out there.  There are fake Ergos, Becos and even Freehand mei tais.  But should we be concerned?  I mean, they work exactly the same, don't they?  The buckles will stay locked, the straps will still tie.  It'll work just fine!

Except, we don't really know that.  We don't know if counterfeit carriers are safe or "just fine."  They may look almost exactly like the real thing, but they aren't held to the same standards.  The materials may be sub-par or they may have traces of unsafe chemicals left on them.  We know that real Ergo carriers are tested for the safety of carrying children; we can't say that about the knock-offs.  So in cases like these, isn't it better to err on the side of caution?  

Yes, you can get fake carriers for cheap!  A counterfeit Ergo may run only $40 while a real one runs over $100.  But at what PRICE?  It's more than just money; could the price be your child's health?  Supporting illegal operations?

Let's talk ethics.  Ergo created a popular design.  It is theirs; they worked hard on creating it and they own it.   You buy a knock-off carrier because you like the way the Ergo looks, but you aren't paying homage to them; it's actually a bit disrespectful.  The people who deserve to be paid aren't being paid.  Instead, you're giving money to design thieves!   

But maybe you don't care and you're going to buy a fake Ergo carrier through a co-op anyways.  You're just going to use it for yourself and you're smart enough to make this decision for you and your baby, yes?  But what about the other people participating?  Do you trust them to do the "right thing" with their carriers?  Can you be sure that they aren't going to illegally resell them under the guise of them being real?  You can't.  And by taking on a "we're only responsible for ourselves and our own actions" stance, you are ignoring that this exact situation happens all the time.  I've seen mothers in online groups, lamenting that they bought an Ergo off of Craigslist, only to find out it was fake.  

There's also always the chance that your carrier won't even make it out of customs.  Customs has the right to seize counterfeit merchandise.  They're even cracking down online.  Just last year, Denver Immigration and Customs Enforcement seized over 15 websites that were selling fake baby carriers!

So how can you avoid buying a fake carrier?  Well, while eBay is a great place to buy HSA (highly sought after) wraps, it's notorious for having fake Ergos, Becos and Freehands (the latter of which is labeled "Minizone").  You know what they say, if the price is too good to be true, it probably is.  
If you are buying in person, ask for the original purchase receipt, if possible.  If you have any reason to suspect that yours is fake, don't hesitate to contact Ergo with the serial number.  If you bought a counterfeit one on accident from a secondhand store, ask for a refund.  It was illegal for them to sell it to you.  

I accept that we are all adults and we each make our decisions based on what we consider risk factors.  However, as a group, our stance is that, for a variety of reasons, people should absolutely avoid buying and using counterfeit baby carriers.  

**This post was written by Paula R.

6/5 Monthly Meeting

Our monthly meeting was held today!  With Elizabeth C. moving away, meetings will no longer be held at Casa Verde.  We thank her for hosting us for this long.  :)  Future meetings will likely be at local parks if the weather continues to stay nice.

This meeting's topic was "Carrier Safety."  We talked about the "Cradle Carry" and while it is a valid carry, carries that hold the baby upright with their faces visible and kissable are the better option, as you can be more aware of the baby's airway.  (Vigilance about a baby's breathing while babywearing is important.)  We discussed forward-facing babies (wearing babies with their backs against our chests, facing out), and how there are also options such as hip and high back carries. These carries allow babies to get a good view and tend to more ergonomic for both the parent and the baby.  We also talked about narrow-based carriers.  These carriers are not considered unsafe. While there are more comfortable or ideal options out there, it is still safe for parents to wear babies in these kinds of carriers.

June Meeting Group Photo

Courtney K. tries out a wrap woven by group leader Marcia S.
(Photo provided by Courtney K.)

Rechelle B. checks her baby's seat. She is using an Ellevill Tri-green woven wrap.

Gretchen M.'s daughter rocks a torso carry.