How to Make a Ring Sling

Read the Four Rules of Fabric Selection before fabric shopping to be familiar with what kind of fabrics are safe to use. The page even has a printable copy to take shopping with you, along with specific fabric suggestions.

To summarize, the four rules a fabric must pass are:

1. FIBER CONTENT - Natural fibers; no spandex, polyester, or acrylic
2. WEIGHT - bottomweight; sturdy like jeans or a tote bag; 185-220gsm or 5-7oz per sq yd
3. WEAVE - no stretch; thicker threads; tight weave
4. CARE INSTRUCTIONS - machine washable If your ring sling is going to be used in the water, you'll want to follow the guidelines for picking a safe athletic mesh fabric.
   A popular choice for ring slings is using a cotton tablecloth. A 60" wide tablecloth that is at least 84" long (ideally closer to 100"+) can be cut in half and will only need one raw side hemmed before sewing the rings in for the shoulder. Another good option in the USA is to go to Walmart and look for Waverly brand duck cloth in the upholstery fabrics. It will look a little canvassy, and the bolt tag will say "wv dk" on it. If you are already a member of our Facebook group, check out this poll in the group to see real members actual opinions and experiences on their favorite materials for a ring sling.
   
   

For a ring sling, length is simply a matter of how long you want your tail to be. A minimum length of 12" of tail beyond the rings is recommended for safety, but anywhere between this and knee-length is safe. A longer tail can be used as a nursing cover, sun shade, or burp cloth, or can be wrapped around the rings as a cushion or rolled into the top rail as neck support.

The chart below shows FINISHED length from rings to tail, which does not include shrinkage (typially 10%-20%) or the amount of fabric turned under for the shoulder (which can range from 3" to 16".) The last column indicates the yards needed in order to account for 20% shrinkage, 5" shoulder depth, and 1" for the hems. Keep in mind that fabric like duck and most tablecloths will only shrink 10%, so you could get away with less fabric, but some shoulder styles like floating gathered may require more fabric. The "total yards needed" is just a ballpark.

Do not agonize too much about what size ring sling you need. Aim for the approximate size you think you are. As an example: I am a US size 8-10, 5'7" woman. I wear a small unisex t-shirt and vary between medium and large womens sizes and I can safely use anywhere from an XSmall to an XXLarge sling safely. The usable range is extremely flexible.

When in doubt, buy enough fabric for a size up. You can always hem the tail shorter later.

A properly sized ring sling can be used easily for either newborns or large toddlers. A ring sling is sized for the wearer, not the child.

Ring Sling Size Chart	Finished length rings to tail in meters	Finished length rings to tail in inches	Finished length rings to tail in yards	Total yards needed (includes 5" shoulder depth & 20% shrinkage)
Width	70cm-80cm	26"-32"	0.7y-0.9y	n/a
XSmall	1.7m	65"	1.8y	2.4 (buy 2 1/2y)
Small	1.8m	70"	1.9y	2.5 (buy 2 1/2y)
Medium	1.9m	75"	2.1y	2.7 (buy 2 3/4y)
Large	2.0m	80"	2.2y	2.9 (buy 3y)
XLarge	2.2m	85"	2.4y	3.0 (buy 3y)
2XL	2.3m	90"	2.5y	3.2 (buy 3 1/4y)

A key part of the ring sling is the rings. Never use rings from the craft store, as these have not been weight tested and can break under weight. The best source for sling rings in the United States is Slingrings.com. If you are not in the US or have questions about rings (such as other sources and substitutions), read this page about safe sling rings.

If you are ordering official sling rings, you may have the choice between nylon or aluminum sling rings. Both are equally safe and rated to a minimum of 250lbs. The difference is mainly aesthetic, with most people prefering the thinner aluminum rings. Aluminum rings also tend to both be easier to adjust and yet grip the fabric better.

As far as size goes, refer to the chart below.

Large Rings	Aluminum Ring Dimensions: Inner Diameter: 3" Outer Diameter: 3.5"	Great for ring slings made from osnaburg, duck, most tablecloths and purpose woven wraps. Great for beginners Makes for easier adjustment, less likely to get bunched in the rings.
Medium Rings	Aluminum Ring Dimensions: Inner Diameter: 2.5" Outer Diameter: 3"	More grip; less likely to slide and need readjustment, but more difficult to adjust. Better for ring slings from thinner fabrics such as 5oz linen or silk. Preferred by some advanced wearers for jacquard tablecloths and other medium-weight fabrics. Okay for water wraps; may slip, especially when dry. Good for ring finishes on most purpose woven wraps and some grippier DIY woven wraps like osnaburg or jacquard tablecloth conversions.
Small Rings	Aluminum Ring Dimensions: Inner Diameter: 2" Outer Diameter: 2.5"	Good for mesh water slings Perfect for onbuhimos, reverse onbuhimos, ring-waist meh dais, and SSC/MD hybrids with rings. Good for ring-waist pouches. Usable as toy loops on carriers or for doll ring slings.

If you bought osnaburg, is MUST be scoured before hemming and using! This is a non-optional cleaning step necessary because osnaburg is an unprocessed fabric full of a lot of leftovers from the manufacturing process, and it will be in direct contact with your baby's skin (and likely their mouth.)

For instructions on how to scour osnaburg, click here.

Always wash your fabric before you start in order to get any and all shrinkage out of the way up front. The general recommendation is to wash your fabric however you plan to wash it in the future, but I prefer to start with a very hot wash and hot dry to get any and all shrinkage out of the way in case someone were to "help" and wash my sling for me.

You'll want to use a wrap-safe detergent. In general, wrap-safe detergents:

• Are free of dyes and fragrances
• Have no added fabric softener
• Are liquid, not powdered
• Have no optical brighteners

Popular brands include Ecos (despite the label, there are not any unsafe fabric softeners in this detergent) or Seventh Generation.

If you have a washer with an agitator, I would recommend putting your fabric into a delicates bag or pillowcase to protect it from damage.

(Optional) Dye with a baby-safe dye. Read through the dye information in our files, and join the Facebook group Dyed Baby Carriers for more info. While it is possible to dye a ring sling after sewing the rings in, it is much easier to do and much easier to get an even dye job beforehand, especially if you are use a shoulder style with any pleats. If you choose to dye after the rings are sewn in, you will need to wrap the rings in plastic wrap and then cover the plastic wrap in duct tape (turning the rings to make sure you also wrap the part inside the shoulder as well) because the soda ash used in the dye process will destroy the finish on aluminum rings.

Cut the fabric width down to between 28-34” (for a finished hemmed width of 26”-32”.) If you bought a 57"-60” wide tablecloth or 57"-60" wide bolt fabric, you will simply need to cut it in half lengthwise to be (approximately, after shrinkage) 28” wide. If you bought 45" wide bolt fabric, do NOT attempt to skimp by cutting the fabric in half; this will be much too narrow. Some fabrics, including osnaburg and duck, will “snip and rip” straight. Simply snip about 1" of the fabric at the right width and then rip it down the length. If you aren’t sure, test near an edge. Otherwise, you can measure and iron a straight line and then cut along the crease.

As for cutting the length, I would personally suggest waiting until your sling has the shoulder sewn in so you can test it, then cut the tail to your desired length and hem the bottom at the end. You can always cut the tail shorter if it is too long, but you can't make it longer if you cut it too short.

Protip: If you have a narrow strip of "waste" fabric leftover after cutting the width, check out the babywearing accessories tutorials, many of which use much smaller pieces of fabric. One option is to make a coordinating doll sling for an older toddler or young child to wear a babydoll with.

Once your fabric is the correct width, hem the two long edges. You can hem the end of your tail at this point if you are confident in the length, or you can wait until the end when you can try it on. That way, if the sling is too long, you can cut the tail shorter and then hem it.

For the shoulder end, the easiest and least bulky option is to serge, overlock or zigzag the raw edge to keep it from unraveling while you work the shoulder. A single folded hem (or the existing hem of a tablecloth) is okay for a gathered shoulder, but is too bulky if there are going to be any pleats involved.

Hem with whatever method you are comfortable with. A double folded hem of between 1/4”-1/2” is typical. You can iron and pin your hems before sewing, use a rolled hemming foot, or just pinch press them like Jan does in this video. Serging not preferred, but is okay (although the rails will not be as strong and more prone to damage, especially where the rings will constantly be rubbing them.) Hemming by hand is tedious but safe.

If you really want perfect mitered corners, this is my favorite video that shows how to do it (yes, the video is about dinner napkins. The technique still applies.)

It doesn’t matter too much what thread you use for the hems. Any all-purpose thread is fine. Just keep in mind that while polyester thread is stronger, if you plan on dyeing your sling later, polyester won’t take dye, so use a thread matching the FINAL color of your sling. Unless you are an experienced sewer, avoid “heavy duty” thread, as these can jam up your machine and cause all sorts of frustration if you aren’t used to adjusting the tension. Again, since hems aren’t “structural,” feel free to use a straight stitch, zigzag, or even a decorative stitch for your hems. The main point of the hem is just to keep the folded fabric in place.

Depending on the type of extra details (like pockets, or accent fabrics) you want to add to your sling, this may be a good time to sew them onto the fabric, as opposed to trying to add them after the fact.

Shoulder styles are a completely personal decision. What works for one wearer may not be comfortable for another, and vice versa. There are infinite ways to sew the shoulder, which further complicates the matter. That said, the three most popular shoulder styles are Pleated, Hybrid, and Gathered. A little about these:

Pleated	Hybrid (including Eesti)	Gathered (including Floating Gathered)
Shoulder is pleated evenly across the width to bring width down where it goes through the rings. It is then folded under and three lines of reinforcement stitching are sewn very close to the rings. Uses the least amount of fabric for the shoulder. Lays neatly on the wearer's shoulder - no bunching or tangling. Easy to get the shoulder portion spread evenly, but does not spread very wide. Less likely to have the edges dig, but also does not distribute the weight of the baby quite as much as a gathered would. Generally (but not always) preferred by very small, thin wearers who feel overwhelmed by the wide spread of a gathered shoulder.	A few pleats on each rail, with the center of the wrap left straight to gather naturally. The fabric is folded through the rings and the three lines of reinforcement stitching are typically sewn fairly close to the rings. A "floating eesti" shoulder can be done with the stitching 9"-16" away from the rings; in this situation, you can add stitches lengthwise along the folds of the pleats in order to keep them neat and in place. Qualities are typically a balance between pleated and gathered. Less potentially diggy and spread than a gathered, but better weight distribution than a pleated. "Eesti" is a specific style of hybrid shoulder developed by Karen Hoppis.	Shoulder is left to bunch/spread naturally. Fabric is pulled through the rings, folded over and can either be sewn straight across with three lines of reinforcment close to the rings (for a traditional gathered shoulder) or further away (9"-16") for a floating gathered. Easiest style to sew. Can be more finicky to adjust on the shoulder; floating gathered especially, due to the double layer over the shoulder, can get bunched and tangled. Floating gathered has two layers of fabric across the shoulder, which adds cush and padding. While a poorly adjusted gathered shoulder can result in diggy rails, a well-adjusted gathered will give the best, most even weight distribution for longer wearing.

Jan from Sleeping Baby Productions has a guide here that goes even more in depth. Once you pick out your shoulder style, check out Jan's tutorials on her YouTube channel. Make sure to use three lines of reinforcement, and use a 100% polyester all-purpose thread for strength. As far as the raw edge is concerned, you can either fold it under when you sew the first line across or you can serge or zigzag the raw edge before constructing the shoulder. In general, serging or zigzagging is less bulky in pleats, but either is fine.

Sleeping Baby Productions tutorial videos:

• Pleated
• Eesti
• Gathered/Floating Gathered
• Mesh/Water Ring Sling
• Original Maya Wrap style shoulder
  
  

Pockets and accents can be a good way to dress up a sling, encorporate a fun patterned quilter's cotton on top of a coordinating safe fabric, or decorate the tail (especially on a tablecloth or duck sling with a blank wrong side.)

Some ideas can be found here. If you are a part of our Facebook group, you can check the ring sling album to see some inspiration pictures.

A brand new sling is often very stiff and difficult to adjust, especially when made from certain fabrics like duck or printed tablecloths. "Breaking in" is a process that will occur naturally by simply using the sling, but there are a few things you can do to accelerate the process. Always be sure to be gentle with the area of the sling where the rings are sewn in; this area does not need to be softened anyway, and you don't want to distress the stitches.

Sit on it

Fold or bunch the sling onto the front seat of your car while you drive (mind the rings) or on your sofa while you watch TV. If you are sitting on it in the car, be sure to tuck it under the seat or in the trunk when you aren't sitting on it; exposure to sunlight can break down the fibers and weaken the sling.

Sleep on it

Lay it underneath your fitted sheet and sleep on it (mind where the rings are - don't want to lay on those.) This is an especially good method if you are expecting and have some time before you need to actually use the sling.

Steam iron

A good steam ironing can help soften many fabrics, but linen is especially fond of a good steam. Be especially gentle with rayon when it is moist, as rayon is rather weak and brittle when wet.

Run it through the rings

Put the sling on just like you were going to wear a baby. Thread the tail through the rings and tighten it all the way up. Then loosen it so just the very tippy tail is through the rings. Tighten it all the way back up. Repeat, repeat, repeat. The gentle friction will help soften the fabric, and this method will specifically target the portion of the sling that needs softening the most.

Make sure you are tightening effectively

If the fabric is bunched up in the rings, it will be extremely difficult to tighten and may add to the problem. Whenever you thread the sling, make sure to finger walk the fabric in the rings. Then, when tightening, don't just pull the entire tail straight down. Tighten the top rail by pulling the inside edge of the tail horizontally behind baby's back. Tighten the bottom rail by pulling down and slightly away from your body. This method of tightening will help keep the fabric in the rings spread neatly.

Current Babywearing International safety recommendations include wearing babies upright tummy to tummy (not in a cradle carry position) to help ensure a clear airway, and legs outside of the the sling in an M position from birth to make sure baby's weight is on their bum instead of their feet. Be sure to review the TICKS rules for safe babywearing before starting!

Print this card out and fold like an invitation for your own reference, or if you are giving a sling as a gift: HowToUseYourRingSlingCard.pdf

My favorite ring sling videos:

• "How to Thread a Ring Sling" by WrappingRachel
• "(basics) Newborn ringsling 'classic'" by WrapYouInLove
• "How to use a Ring Sling with a Newborn" by WrappingRachel
• "Babywearing (basics) : Ringsling (classic)" by WrapYouInLove (Same technique as above but with an older child)
• "How to do a hip carry in a ring sling with an older baby" by WrappingRachel
• "Ring Sling Troubleshooting: Getting a Great Seat" by WrappingRachel
• "Ring Sling Troubleshooting: Keeping the rings at corsage level" by WrappingRachel

Safety Note: Red marks under baby's knees after being worn in a sling are perfectly normal, just like the marks on your ankles from your sock elastic. Legs and feet turning purple, however, are a sign of a circulation issue. This usually stems from an overtightened bottom rail (the edge under baby's knees) and a too-loose middle third (the middle of the fabric supporting baby's bum and back) which causes baby to sag down and "hang" from their knees. When tightening the sling, make sure to tighten the top, bottom, AND middle of the sling equally to provide adaquate support. Keep in mind that wearing footy pajamas can cause the toes to become bunched, so sizing up is a good idea if footies are going to be worn while in the sling. In addition, the pressure on the bottoms of their feet from footie pajamas can cause a natural leg-straightening (and therefore seat-popping) reflex.