Category Archives: Woven wrap reviews

All the Small Things custom dyed Pops, Firespiral Slings Cirrus review

All the Small Things, Firespiral Slings, Other reviews, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

IMG_20160115_104634207_TOP

Manufacturer – All the Small Things with Firespiral Slings

Design – Base wrap is Cirrus

Colour – Dyed in the Pops design

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 250gsm

Width of wrap – 65cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – £201

Provided to me by – All the Small Things

Website – All the Small Things and Firespiral Slings

IMG_20160119_160858181

IMG_20160119_160640935IMG_20160119_160657749

IMG_20160115_123546864

Lindsay from All the Small Things is an amazing dye artist, specialising in tie and ice dye. I’ve got several of her creations myself, and have also been lucky enough to try one of her dyed wraps previously – see my review of the Yaro La Vita dyed by All the Small Things here. So when I heard that Firespiral Slings (who are well known for being incredibly soft and lovely to wrap with), had woven some special plain wraps just for her to dye to her customers specifications I was very interested. The plain base wrap is called Cirrus and the specific dyed wrap that’s currently travelling around the country (along with it’s own little passport!), has been named Pops for the distinctive dye style which is one of Lindsay’s specialities (she’s very versatile so check out her page for other designs and inspiration). Pops took 10 hours to tie before dying, so there really is a lot of love and effort that goes into these wraps. When you order, the wraps are cut specifically to your requirements as well as being custom dyed to your specifications, giving you a truly personalised wrap and service. Prices start at £106 for a custom ice dyed size 2, and if you’re dreaming of one of these beauties but can’t afford it right now, payment plans can be arranged (contact All the Small Things for their terms and conditions on payment plans).

IMG_20160117_150455424

IMG_20160112_151149252IMG_20160117_141953310IMG_20160115_092614238_HDR

So with all this in mind, I was really looking forward to Pops’ holiday with us. We were third in line for the travelling wrap itinerary and therefore Pops was pretty new when it arrived with us. This wrap is beautifully soft, so smooth and floppy and I can only imagine how dreamy it is by now with even more use. These really are soft out of the bag and practically wrap themselves, perfectly moulding to the contours of yours and your child’s bodies. Something I particularly liked with the weave structure of Cirrus is that it maintains the softness and floppiness that Firespiral are so well known for, but because the weave is a tighter structure and is uniform throughout (the designs being dyed on, rather than woven in which would lead to some longer threads to form the design), the fabric didn’t feel like it would pull very easily, if at all. I’ve got a couple of Firespirals in my personal stash and while I love them and they are wonderful to use, I have had to fix a few pulls from the more open weave structure. I feel the Cirrus weave gives you all the benefits which Firespiral are known for without the downsides.

FB_IMG_1452893839990FB_IMG_1452893836240

IMG_20160119_160825973

I enjoyed wrapping with Pops so much that it was the only wrap I used during its week holiday with us. We took it to a local Natural History Museum, to a local sling meet (where everyone who tried it loved it), shopping in town, to a consultation workshop (one of the attendees has subsequently ordered one for herself!), to Reu’s Hartbeeps class and used it for a lovely slingy nap while working at home. So we definitely put it to the test! It provided a lovely level of support for 2 year old Reu and I, and felt really soft and cushioned on my shoulders especially. The weave is lovely and supportive and I got some of the most supportive carries I can remember with it. At 250gsm it’s a medium weight wrap, making it a good all rounder. I also cannot praise enough the beauty and the complexity of the dye work. I’ve tried to show this in my photos but it really is a piece of art and the colours work beautifully together. This is definitely on my shopping list when funds allow!

IMG_20160112_151207970

IMG_20160115_123359533IMG_20160117_150500687_TOPreceived_554348366496

IMG_20160112_152150896IMG_20160117_145356939IMG_20160115_105702166

So if you’re looking for a super soft yet really supportive wrap which is a joy to use, Cirrus could answer your desires. I personally adore the pops design (and have ordered something very exciting featuring it), but if it’s not your cup of tea, you can pretty much let your imagination run wild and get your dream wrap design, with the wonderful Cirrus as the base wrap. And when your babywearing days are over (let’s pretend this won’t ever happen), your personal design could become a meaningful keepsake to remind you of that lovely close time carrying your little one.

IMG_20160112_151438027IMG_20160117_145418914IMG_20160115_105717794

IMG_20160115_092636218IMG_20160115_123339383IMG_20160112_152156771

Daiesu Octagram Night Sky review

Daiesu, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

IMG_20160101_133759523_HDR

Manufacturer – Daiesu

Design – Octagram

Colour – Night Sky

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 260gsm

Width of wrap – 70cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – £61.95

Provided to me by – Koala Slings 

Website – Daiesu

IMG_20160106_131140141

IMG_20160101_133818723 (1)

We had Daiesu Octogram night sky stay with us over Christmas, and the design felt really appropriate for the festive season. It’s also a lovely thickness so felt like wrapping with a lovely soft and cuddly blanket. The design is lots of diamond shapes running top to running along the wrap width, and interlinking with each other. Every other row contains a flower design inspired by traditional Malaysian and Indonesian handweaving techniques (this is a machine woven wrap), known as the flower of eight-pointed stars. It is this flower design that made it feel festive to me, as in the depths of winter they reminded me of beautiful snowflakes. As with Daiesu’s other designs, Octagram is available in a variety of different colours so you’ll likely find one to suit your tastes.

IMG_20151204_121726926_TOPIMG_20160105_075138952

IMG_20160101_133808076_TOP

We’ve tried other Daiesu wraps in the past (read the reviews for Sakura Spring here and Jigsaw Mustard here) and have always been impressed with them and found them very comfortable to use. Octagram lived up to previous experiences and was a very welcome visitor. Although the GSM (grams per square metre – the weight of the wrap), was very close to the other Daiesu’s I’d tried, Octagram felt thicker and more cushioned on my shoulders than the others. It is impressively soft and floppy, and was very easy to wrap with. I wrapped over a wooly cardigan on one day which with some wraps could have caused too much friction and made wrapping harder, but Octagram wrapped over it with very little catching on my clothes, but still has enough grippiness to hold a knotless finish securely. It felt very supportive with 2 year old Reu and is certainly a toddler worthy weave, while also being squish worthy soft and floppy. Reu clearly approved as he fell so soundly asleep in it on one walk that I managed a now rare sleeping wrap transfer to the sofa!

IMG_20160101_133910833

IMG_20160101_135439945IMG_20160106_130941141

Overall I enjoyed using Octagram, especially on our cold wintery walks. As with all the Daiesu wraps I’ve tried I’ve been impressed with the level of support and comfort it provided, and how soft they are from new. It’s nice to see that Koala Slings are now selling these in the UK, making them easier for European buyers to get hold of and raising the profile of this lovely wrap brand.

IMG_20160101_133809656

IMG_20160101_133904042

IMG_20160101_133845458

Almitra Tattva Aruna review

Almitra Tattva, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

IMG_20151207_131508465

Manufacturer – Almitra Tattva

Design – Tattva collection

Colour – Aruna

Blend – 100% cotton

Width of wrap – 69cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – 80 USD (approx £55 at time of writing)

Provided to me by – Almitra Tattva

Website – Almitra Tattva

IMG_20151127_145000584

IMG_20160202_103217783

Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

Aruna arrived from India in a lovely matching bag, made from the same wrap material, which is a lovely touch and a great way to safely store and transport your wrap. There are several different colourways of the Tattva collection and Aruna is a lovely deep red and black. The design is beautifully delicate and I can see ferns and flowers interlaced with swirls, separated into columns by widthwise bars. The most striking thing for me when I first handled the wrap was how soft it was, straight out of the bag, and it is one of the softest new wraps I’ve used. It lost a little of this softness after its first wash but regained it quickly after a couple of uses. It’s also a very thin and lightweight wrap so is very floppy and flexible, and is so thin that when you hold it up to the light you can see the light shining through it. This would make it a great warm weather option, for holidays or hotter climates than a UK winter (I popped a coat over the both of us when walking outside as we tested in December and January). It is a blunt ended wrap (no tapers), but thanks to the flexibility of the wrap there was no issue tying knots. The edges are selvedges like many handwoven wraps, rather than hemmed as with most machine woven wraps, although Aruna is Jacquard machine woven, so this adds a nice individual touch to the brand.

IMG_20151207_131520629

IMG_20151207_131454197

Carrying thoughts

Aruna is a very thin wrap and is very flexible, so it it wraps well around the wearer and child’s body, moulding to fit their individual shapes. The downside to this thinness is that if you don’t take care when forming your carry then I found it could be a little diggy in places. When testing I always try a ruck with just bunching the shoulder passes as this is where I find pressure points can occur if they are going to. Aruna did cause some pressure with bunched shoulder straps, however as with other thinner wraps this was easily rectified by sandwiching the shoulders to provide a wider spread and more even weight distribution. I have not found this to be uncommon with lighter weight wraps,, and you get benefits from the thinness so it just something to take into account. Personally I found Aruna was more suited to multi layer back carries such as a double hammock as this distributes the child’s weight over a greater amount of the wearer’s body. It is also worth mentioning that I put Aruna to the test with two year old Reu, so with a younger baby you may not find the need to take extra care in this way when wrapping. So, I can say this wrap is toddler worthy with a few extra little tweaks to wrapping technique. I also carried toddler Reu in a front wrap cross carry, and found it most comfortable to really spread the back passes for extra support. The open nature of the weave did result in a pull while I was testing it, but the openness also made it the easiest pull to fix I’ve ever done (if you’re worried about fixing pulls there are videos on YouTube and once you’ve learnt they really aren’t much of a problem to fix at all).

IMG_20151207_132317700_HDRIMG_20160103_152307007IMG_20151207_131505830_HDR

Overall thoughts

Overall, I think Aruna is a beautiful design, and the colours available are all lovely. The price makes this a more affordable option than many other wrap brands (although be aware you may have a customs charge to pay). The softness would be lovely against even newborn skin, and with a little attention this wrap could see you through to your toddler wearing days. This would be a brilliant wrap for hotter weather, to keep both you and your little one cooler than you would be in most other wraps, but is not restricted to hot weather use. Having had a look through Almitra Tattva’s website I was impressed with the variety of options from a relatively new company, and especially impressed by the look and price of their wrap conversion Mei Tais (sale prices start at 64 USD – about £45).

IMG_20160103_151801519

IMG_20151207_131436799IMG_20160103_152304696IMG_20151207_132312343

IMG_20160103_151738684

Nona Imagine Blue Ice review

Nona, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

12208451_1004889626199192_7206867680236915042_n

Manufacturer – Nona

Design – Imagine

Colour – Blue Ice

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 246gsm

Width of wrap – 68cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – £59

Website – Nona woven wraps

IMG_20151111_111728299

We recently had a Nona Imagine Blue Ice wrap visit us for testing. Nona are a new Dutch woven wrap brand started by two mothers who share a love of babywearing. They aim to provide stylish and dependable wrap designs for every budget. They have several designs currently released or coming soon and I think they all meet their aim for stylish designs, in fact they remind me of a much more expensive wrap company, with the simplicity and beauty of their designs. At £59 for a size 6, they are also more in budget for most people than many of the other companies available. 

IMG_20151109_17591092212072575_1004889662865855_2159272731406125408_n

The first thing I noticed about this wrap was quite how long the tapers are! I measured them at 70cm, and having compared to several other brands, that is over twice the length of most in my collection, and three times the length of some. Taper length is a matter of personal choice, but when using the wrap I actually didn’t notice much of a difference from other wraps, although with a size 6 I didn’t do any carries that involved tying into the tapers. As far as wrapping with Imagine goes, I found it a really sturdy wrap and was plenty strong enough for 21 month old Reu, and would easily support a much larger child. It’s not the softest wrap I’ve ever used, although I would expect it to soften further with more use, but it wasn’t stiff, so it was nice and easy to wrap with and held both front and back carries very securely. The texture to the wrap helps it hold knotless finishes well with no slipping.

received_10156262410725790

IMG_20151109_175443592IMG_20151109_175602148

Overall, I think this a beautifully designed and good all round wrap. You could use it with any age child and it will certainly be supportive enough for several years worth of carrying as your child grows. It would be nice if it were a bit softer but with a little bit more use it could be lovely, as this wrap was nearly new when it came to stay so it’s hard to judge. I think these are some of the most classically beautiful of the more affordable wraps that I have seen, they have the appearance of a high end wrap without the price tag and I look forward to seeing what other designs Nona comes up with and how their company develops.

received_10156262410590790

IMG_20151109_175158958_TOPreceived_10156262410340790

Diva Milano – Diva Essenza Lago review

Diva Milano, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

12065739_987965647891590_282376413169037211_n

Manufacturer – Diva Milano

Design – Diva Essenza

Colour – Lago

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 250gsm

Width of wrap – 67cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – 99 Euros

Provided to me by – Diva Milano

Website – Diva Milano

11029507_953492921338863_5794891885972486788_n

11214289_953492951338860_6151249663651582975_n11737827_953493014672187_4553834062806905398_n

11745608_953492974672191_2225297396472428144_n

A little while ago we had a Diva Essenza Lago wrap here for testing (which was then given away on the Sling Sally Facebook page). Diva Essenza is a sub brand of Diva Milano, with Essenza being of a lower price range than the standard Milano range. As you can probably tell from the company name, Diva Milano is an Italian company, and I feel that comes through in their designs as they tend to have a very classic and sophisticated look. Lago is one of the 34 different colour and blend options available in this design, with linen and bamboo blends available as well as 100% cotton. The design element has a textured raised nature to it, so and the opposite is true on the reverse to there is an obvious difference in feeling between each side. The wrap arrived in a nice box with pictures of different carries and a little viewing window so you could easily see the colour of the wrap within.

12074899_987965511224937_5612386983716937022_n

11207291_976409575713864_1972591099135920808_n11113798_989954151026073_2607646037875649118_o11888001_966763203345168_899093923276187047_n

Over the time that we had Lago here we tested it with various front and back carries, and for various different occasions. It was the natural wrap of choice for a fancy event we attended to celebrate my aunt and uncle’s 60th wedding anniversary, as it’s such a beautiful and subtle design, and the colour matched my dress perfectly. It was also the obvious choice when teaching a French/Italian friend to wrap! Straight from new it was easy to use and within a short time had become lovely and soft and floppy, while still being nice and supportive for toddler Reu (about 19 months at the time of testing). It’s certainly soft enough for a newborn and is a good middle ground weight to be thin enough to easily wrap round a small baby, while still having the thickness and strength to comfortably carry an active toddler. The grippiness provided by the textured ‘back’ side and design held knotless finishes well, although did provide a little more friction than I’d have liked when tying knots. It didn’t however impede me when I was carrying out a double hammock with saltwater finish, which involves several spread and bunched passes close together, so the grippiness is not too much.

12109026_987965584558263_117065374856357305_n

11902539_965828333438655_3584550057291419810_n11259830_974453785909443_4812185810093360856_n11988639_976409562380532_4592145108117362666_n

Overall, I really liked Lago. The design would go with any outfit or occasion, and with the amount of colours on offer there’s bound to be at least one you like. If you can only have one wrap but want something that would work just as well on the school run as at a wedding, and that can take you from newborn to toddler, then this could be the wrap for you.

12112263_987965717891583_3013644229817958832_n

11866239_966764753345013_8864301419392817251_n11885346_966763860011769_7724893150529415063_n

               

Daiesu Sakura Spring review

Daiesu, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

IMG_20151104_144946476

Manufacturer – Daiesu

Design – Sakura

Colour – Spring

Blend – 75% cotton, 25% linen

Weight – 270gsm

Width of wrap – 66cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – 385 MYR (approx £58 at time of review)

Provided to me by – Daiesu

Website – Daiesu

IMG_20151108_143504777

Daiesu Sakura Spring (there is a Sakura colourway for each season), stayed with us for a couple of weeks testing recently. Spring is a really lovely bright pink and orange design, and certainly brought some cheer to our days. The tester wrap had been travelling for a while before visiting us and arrived (in a lovely sturdy Daiesu tote bag), feeling really soft and floppy. I didn’t realise it was a linen blend until I researched the wrap, as it was so soft and easy to wrap with. I can’t say if it required much breaking in as I’m not sure how many people it visited before me, but I can say that with some use it becomes beautifully soft, as was the other Daiesu wrap I’ve tried – Jigsaw Mustard which you can read the review for here.

IMG_20151104_145512828_HDR

IMG_20151104_145614147IMG_20151104_150807647_TOP

During our time with Sakura spring we tried it out in a few different front and back carries. As mentioned earlier, it was really nice to wrap with as there was no stiffness to it at all. It wrapped around 21 month old Reu and I really well and supported his weight easily, but would be equally nice to wrap a smaller baby with thanks to the softness and the way in which it moulds around so well. In one of the carries (a ruck), the shoulders felt a little diggy but that was rectified by sandwiching the shoulder straps, which is not an unusual requirement for me when carrying a toddler. At 66cm wide, Sakura is roughly in the middle of common wrap widths and I found it a good width to wrap with, as there was enough to form a good seat without having a lot of fabric bunched up.

12191613_1002468173108004_8448907672947198028_n

IMG_20151104_144424655_TOPIMG_20151104_144408460

IMG_20151104_144820834

Overall, we enjoyed our time testing Sakura Spring. It’s a really nice design and the colours are very vibrant and cheerful. The wrap was lovely and soft and really easy to use, and Daiesu are also very good value for money wraps with a variety of eye catching designs. Since reviewing Jigsaw a couple of months ago, I’ve bought myself one of their Sandbox wraps which had been dyed for a charity auction. If you fancy your own custom dyed Sandbox wrap, All the Small Things are working with Daiesu and have a supply ready and waiting to be dyed in whatever way you can imagine! Prices start from £55, click here to visit their website and here for my review of one of their other dyed wraps.

12042691_1001017379919750_8241141117404810422_n11693912_1001017396586415_8750963883206841613_n

12193337_1001017346586420_7161426598973575741_n

IMG_20151104_145503657_HDRIMG_20151104_144936492

IMG_20151104_144847176IMG_20151107_163054454_HDR

IMG_20151107_163132527IMG_20151104_144833087_HDR

Shire Slings Starling Murmuration review

Reviews, Shire Slings, Woven wrap reviews

12111956_995358907152264_3614196524162527832_n

Manufacturer – Shire Slings

Design – Starling Murmuration

Colour – Frosty Mist

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 228gsm

Width of wrap – 68cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – £128

Provided to me by – Shire Slings

Website – Shire Slings

11143502_982636441757844_3635568659658839586_n

11009895_982636538424501_8229515493783408798_n

Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

When Starling murmuration arrived the first thing that really impressed me was the improvements Shire Slings have made in their finishing process. I had previously bought brand new one of their original Love Geek wraps, and at the time they got a bit of a reputation for being quite stiff and taking quite a lot of breaking in. The Love Geek I bought was certainly stiff, although I sent it off for conversion immediately so can’t really comment on how long they take to break in as wraps, although my wrap conversion mei tai has certainly softened considerably in the last year or so. Since then Shire Slings have been working on the finishing processes that wraps go through after weaving, to make their wraps much softer straight away, without losing anything from their hard wearing and pull resistant weave. And I would certainly say they’ve managed it with Starling Murmuration. The wrap arrived already soft and floppy, wrapped in a coordinating coloured muslin, and paper parcel. Even before its first use it felt really nice and had a beautiful sheen to the ‘right’ side of the wrap, while the ‘back’ is more textured for grip. We were on holiday in Yorkshire (for The Northern Sling Exhibition), during our testing time and were lucky enough to see the starlings flying together in a stunning coordinated display, and this wrap design is equally beautiful with lots of detail on the birds. I also admired Shire Slings new sparkly labels!

12046747_982636405091181_9120846271376264885_n

12009773_982636611757827_5335353278954189939_n12002896_982636478424507_6221257613282232716_n

Carrying thoughts

We used starling murmuration over several weeks before passing it on to SlingDad Dom for him to test out prior to giveaway on the Sling Sally Facebook page. It further softened during the time we had it, even though it was really nice to use straight from new and would be lovely and soft for a newborn as well as being super strong for older children. We (21 month old Reu and I), used it for a variety of front and back carries during this time, and took it for walks, around Ikea, for lunch with friends, at the sling library and for sleepy cuddles at home. I’ve now tried a few Shire Slings wraps and I really like their quite dense weave structure, and it’s a definite bonus that it’s not prone to pulls – in fact I think you’d have to actively try to pull it!

12112145_988912907796864_6557017784387550387_nIMG_20151023_151032797_TOP11218683_996103367077818_1465190174958277505_n

11694139_536056189886656_7598259023554588879_n

I found  starlings really supportive and sturdy for toddler Reu, but without being at all diggy, which I find can sometimes happen on the shoulders when carrying a larger child. It was easy to wrap with and formed itself nicely around us in both single and multi layered carries, and the second layers had a nice level of grippiness – not too much when making a second pass, but enough to hold the carry without slipping. We tried a double hammock with a centrally flipped chest pass and saltwater finish, to try and show both sides of the wrap and found it really comfortable as well as rather attractive. My favourite back carry is a ruck finished knotless tibetan so we tested starlings with this knotless finish on many occasions and it always held well, with no slipping at all, as well as being nice a supportive and comfortable.

11012642_1000029086685246_5452708059758592761_n

IMG_20151021_13331104319993_1000029116685243_5950805333365408627_n

As Reu is getting bigger and heavier I find some wraps are starting to pull a little when I front carry him, but I didn’t have this problem with starlings, thanks I think to the sturdy weave structure holding and spreading the weight well for me. He also has a tendency to bounce up and down when on my front if he’s not sleepy and in a wrap with more give this finds every tiny bit of slack in my carry and pulls it to the front, leaving a not ideally tight front pocket which can then pull on me. However with starlings the sturdiness of the weave meant that despite his best bouncing efforts during a rather stressful shopping trip (does anyone enjoy shopping in the lots of little breakables section of Ikea with a toddler?!), the wrap held up well, and none of the stress came from the wrap!

12108292_990461960975292_7617808484592205894_n

12065591_996339667054188_121314629460379626_n12049613_996103493744472_5801375470045401420_n

Overall thoughts

Overall, starling murmuration has been a lovely wrap to use. The improvements that Shire Slings have made in their finishing processes are very noticeable, and you could now buy one of their slings and enjoy using it straight from new. The design is really beautiful and works equally well using either side out. The shimmery softness to the ‘right’ side is really lovely, and I’m sure it will continue to soften even further and become super soft, as well loved earlier edition Shire’s that I’ve touched have become. It’s a good all round wrap for babies and children of any age and for wearers of either gender. The resistance to pulls is a great benefit as I have some wraps which are really beautiful but their penchant for pulling puts me off using them. With this wrap you can have a great hard working wrap, that you can take anywhere without fear of rings, nails or sharp objects! And surely that’s the point of babywearing, to enjoy adventures with your little ones close to you.

IMG_20151021_133758157_TOP12079116_995358917152263_16942038619742734_n12144868_988912977796857_8158137705986002448_n

12033022_996339647054190_8068167351993146699_n12108183_990461937641961_4489872070442577478_nIMG_20151021_133327543

12043083_988913014463520_3100333401323334438_nIMG_20151021_133316563IMG_20151023_151020338_HDR

                            

Little Fellows Boo review

Little Fellows, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

12187788_996972886990866_6711655153000410208_n

Manufacturer – Little Fellows

Design – Boo – wavy advancing twill weave

Blend – 50% mercerised cotton, 30% linen, 20% cotton

Width of wrap – 61cm

Size tested – 4m (long 4, short 5)

Retail price of tested design and size – £400

Provided to me by – Little Fellows

Website – Little Fellows

IMG_20151031_184002262

Firstly, I should start this review by saying this is one of my favourite wraps, of those that I have had the pleasure of trying, and if I had £400 spare I’d have snapped this up (I’m not even sure if it’s for sale after it’s testing tour!). Boo stayed with us for a couple of weeks after the Northern Sling Exhibition before moving on to Slingdad Dom for more testing. The overall appearance of the wrap reminds me of the night sky, dark, with twinkles of different colours coming through which catch the light brilliantly, and Little Fellows’ description – ‘A wrap to remind us that even when times are dark, there is always colour and light waiting for us’ – really speaks to me and reminds me of my ongoing journey with antenatal and postnatal depression. Little Fellows unique advancing twill weave gives it the stunning wavy design which travels the length of the wrap, adding another aspect of interest and beauty to the design.

11951379_996972953657526_285579301474953589_n12191393_998197166868438_1436090712822196827_n

As far as wrapping qualities go, I couldn’t fault it. It is strong and supportive while also being cushiony on the shoulders, and easily carried 21 month old Reu’s weight in both front and back carries. It moulded so naturally around us when we were wrapping that it was like a second skin, and held the carries brilliantly. There’s enough stretch to wrap easily but not so much as to introduce too much give and lead to any sagging. This piece of Boo was just long enough for us to manage a ruck with knotless tibetan finnish, and the texture of the wrap held the knotless finish perfectly, grippy enough, without being difficult to pass through. I even managed a kangaroo carry (previously a nemesis carry as I have struggled with it), with Boo and again, it was a joy to use and held really well, as well as looking stunning. Little Fellows wraps come blunt ended which I’m not very used to (this is only the second blunt ended wrap I’ve used), but I didn’t feel this was in any way a problem and because the wrap is so lovely and floppy, tying off was no problem, even with the full wrap width to pull through. At 61cm it could be considered a rather narrow wrap, but I didn’t notice this when using it, and at no point felt like I was struggling for width. Reu much prefers being hands in when carried and there was plenty of width for the wrap to come up to the nape of his toddler neck.

12065868_998197223535099_5222573225143318723_n

12193359_998197183535103_2527469540020634659_n12046671_996972920324196_5054580835375609423_n

You can probably tell I’m just a tad in love with this wrap (hint hint to hubby and family for Christmas 😉 ), but it was just such a joy to use. Really beautiful and subtle, and a true piece of woven art. It was fully supportive for my toddler, and would mould beautifully around even the smallest of babies. Massive thank you to Lisa at Little Fellows for letting us play with this beauty, and if you’re in the market for a handwoven wrap, do give Little Fellows a visit as they have recently brought out a more affordable range in addition to their higher end range.

12189778_996972996990855_2941573189167308029_n

12074914_993772807310874_7060063333850074179_n

Joy and Joe Cosmic Rainbow review

Joy and Joe, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

11855683_960348953986593_7111966940964076460_n

Manufacturer – Joy and Joe

Design – Shiver me Paisleys

Colour – Cosmic Rainbow

Blend – 100% cotton

Weight – 255 gsm

Width of wrap – 60cm

Size tested – 6

Retail price of tested design and size – £149

Provided to me by – Joy and Joe

Website – Joy and Joe baby

11703220_947422711945884_8466353332736576300_n

Initial thoughts on design, colour and feel

Joy and Joy have several colourways of the popular shiver me paisleys design (a fun and decorative skulls design). with both cosmic rainbow and its predecessor midnight rainbow having graduated rainbow colours. Cosmic rainbow has a light cream weft while Midnight has a darker weft, giving these similar wraps different looks that would appeal to different people. I really like the skulls design (do check out all the other beautiful colours available in this design!), and while it feels a little bit edgy, thanks to the decorative elements it’s not a hard or confrontational feeling design at all. The light weft colour gives the rainbow a lovely gentle and almost pastel feel, and you can use it ‘wrong’ side out for an even more subtle effect. The weave of cosmic rainbow has a really sturdy and slightly textured feel, which I like in a wrap, so that when you put it somewhere it stays there, but without being stiff. It has also softened in the time I’ve been using this wrap for review. The graduated design also makes this an ideal teaching and learning wrap as you can easily see which rail is which when you are demonstrating, learning and tightening.

11988744_972876932733795_9069481991933713260_n11836884_960348933986595_3819424161415629670_n11008606_947423118612510_2993704022723597515_n

Carrying thoughts

Reu and I (21 months at the time of this review), have been using Cosmic Rainbow for several months now and have used it with a variety of front and back carries, as well as using it for demonstrations when teaching friends and at sling library sessions. It started off easy to use while still being sturdy, and has softened further with use without losing any of the supportive nature. It moulds itself nicely around Reu and I, but I don’t find that it sags even when I’m rushing, as it doesn’t have much stretch to worry about tightening away. The weave design adds a nice level of texture which helps the wrap to grip in place, and when doing knotless finishes such as a ruck finished knotless tibetan this texture helps it to grip really well, so that there is no slipping in the finish. With front carries I have also found Cosmic Rainbow to be lovely to wrap with and really supportive and comfortable, as well as beautiful! It’s very much supportive enough for toddler Reu, and would also be supportive enough for bigger children, as well as good to use for even the smallest of babies.

11702940_947422798612542_6174403186764862645_n

11813463_961871010501054_2144551365356437563_n11825130_960348913986597_8456923034403015620_n11951288_972876886067133_7987950132683983192_n

Overall thoughts

I’ve enjoyed using Cosmic Rainbow, and as with some of the other Joy and Joe wraps I’ve used (Luceo non Uro and King of the Birds), I really like the sturdiness of this wrap. I always find when I use these wraps that I get a lovely tight and secure carry, and when back carrying in a ruck I’m always pleased with how comfortably high I manage to get Reu. Wraps with more stretch and floppiness to them have other benefits, but I always find myself pleased with my wrap job when using a sturdier wrap, such as Cosmic Rainbow. This could also be of benefit to someone new to wrapping, who may not yet be proficient in tightening strand by strand. It’s also proved to be a great teaching and learning wrap thanks to the variable stripe colours, making it easier to distinguish rails and to be able to follow a stripe around the carry to tighten and remove slack, or to be able to notice if you’ve accidentally gone wrong somewhere. Overall, Cosmic Rainbow is a great all round wrap.

11825740_961870790501076_3529309691037954664_n

11822423_961870950501060_1583117497406674429_n

11986504_972876899400465_7626722429110145321_n11659497_947422911945864_5167916800530578859_n11145212_961870910501064_8969458184925447327_n

11709573_948295735191915_3167942950481414154_n

11745530_950070745014414_1645051750226266924_n

Little Fellows Let’s Get Fizzical review

Little Fellows, Reviews, Woven wrap reviews

12075030_990737564281065_7060661442066517230_n

Manufacturer – Little Fellows

Design – Let’s Get Fizzical – pebble weave

Colour – Pastel rainbow

Blend – 50% silk, 30% cotton, 20% linen

Width of wrap – 68cm

Size tested – 3.6m (long 3/short 4)

Retail price of tested design and size – £345

Provided to me by – Holidayed from a friend

Website – Little Fellows

IMG_20151008_172741275_HDR

A lovely friend recently sent her beautiful hand woven Little Fellows wrap on holiday and I was lucky enough to host it for a couple of weeks. Let’s Get Fizzical is a pebble weave pastel rainbow and is a silk blend. The pebble weave gives it a good texture, which counteracts any slipping you might anticipate from the high silk content. The colours are really rather gentle and shimmer as the light catches them, but aren’t at all bland. Little Fellows wraps come with raw selvedges (the top and bottom rails aren’t hemmed as there’s no need with the hand weaving process), and blunt hemmed ends, rather than tapered.

12140846_988543731167115_7406861198281887770_n12039349_988543711167117_7448398394583978785_n

I used Let’s Get Fizzical for a few back carries during its stay, including a double hammock tied under bum, and a ruck tied at shoulder with candy cane chest belt. I found the wrap lovely to use, and thanks to the open style of the weave and the handwoven nature, it really moulded itself around 20 month old Reu and I. There was some stretch to the weave which helped it to mould so well, and a little slipping with the silk, but the weave texture helped to hold the wrap in place, and as long as I tightened properly strand by strand this wasn’t a problem at all (and let’s face it, all wraps do a better job if tightened carefully). Despite being quite a thin wrap and with the open weave, the silk added lots of strength and it was plenty strong enough for toddler Reu, even in single layer carries. So it would be a lovely airy wrap to use on a hot day, for a baby or toddler of any age. I even played horsey (I pretend to be a horse with Reu on my back and he tells me when to trot up and down the road), with Reu in a ruck, trotting up and down our road! Despite all the movement from me ‘trotting’ so much, and Reu jumping up and down with excitement, the wrap held well. I hadn’t used a blunt ended wrap before and was curious as to how this would affect tying, but was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t really feel any different to a tapered end, probably thanks to the looser weave structure. The candy cane chest belt was lovely and soft and didn’t dig at all, which can sometimes happen with a thicker or tighter weaved wrap.

12144893_988543754500446_7528761770088176504_n12119153_988543794500442_4439808829222969572_n

Overall, we really enjoyed our time with Let’s Get Fizzical, especially how well it contoured around us, and how comfortable it was to use. It’s a beautiful piece of art as well as a lovely way to carry your child and be close to them.

The picture bellow is blurred because I’m ‘trotting’ at the time!

IMG_20151008_172629007