Onbuhimo

Onbuhimo is a style of baby carrier that seems to have its roots in Japanese traditional babywearing.  It's alot like the more commonly used Mei Tai but instead of having a waistband strap it has 2 rings or loops of fabric, which you thread the shoulder straps through.  I've been off the Ergo lately because I want to have F riding up high on my shoulders as it causes fewer back problems that way, and he can see better.  This carrier has the added advantage of not having a waistband, which I find nice.  
I knocked out this version in just a few hours (after loads of research), and it really came out much better than I expected.  I used a couple of old pillowcases for the decorative panels and there is a hidden inner layer of duck canvas to which the straps and rings are attached.  The curve part at the top seemed like a better idea than it felt like while I was sewing, but it could have been worse.  There are definitely things I'd improve, mostly in my construction techniques to streamline the process, but I'm satisfied with its safety, functionality, and looks...at least from a distance.   The straps were grad dyed linen, but only a couple of inches wide.  Apparently wider is better.  The rings are size medium, too big and too far from the panel corners, thus creeping up my sides awkwardly.  The body panel itself was actually pretty good.  

...

Well... I have since taken apart the onbu, since the straps were too thin and diggy, the body panel was not very knee-to-knee, and I needed the too-big-for-this-project rings to put to better babywearing use.  Plus I found directions for how to tie mei tai waist straps into loops to use the MT as an onbu, so I figured I should just make a mei tai.  So I did.  See the previous post.  

Here's a shot of it during the onbu's maiden voyage:

onbu

Mei Tai

Before I get started, I feel I should put in a disclaimer.  First, please only use this for personal use.  I deliberately did not include a scaled photo or pattern so that you have to figure out your own pattern/measurements.  That way it will fit you and your baby perfectly.  Secondly, if you use this recap to make a baby carrier, use common sense.  You are responsible for the safety of your child and you are the best gauge of your sewing skills.  Make sure you are using the right materials, techniques, etc to reduce risks.  Overengineer where your baby's safety is concerned.  Test along the way!  Once you sew on the straps, give them as hard a pull as you can.  You want to find out now if they will hold weight, not once you're carrying a baby.  If there's something you are in doubt about, search  for answers/ask me before moving on!  Jan Andrea's site is incredibly valuable: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/index.html  

For this mei tai I used the onbuhimo I made a few months ago as a basic pattern, modifying it where I felt necessary.  If you don't have a carrier whose body shape/size you like, you'll want to wrap your baby on your back or front, making sure you get a good seat.  Using a soft tape measure, measure between the knees curving along the baby's bottom at the lowest point.  Also measure from the bottom rail (or where your seat is really tucked under, between the baby and you) to the height you'd like the carrier to go up to.  (I'm planning on adding the waist straps at an angle, so the carrier will be tied "apron style" which means you tie the waist with the carrier hanging down like you would an apron, and then when you bring it up over baby's back it creates a nice unpoppable seat by definition.  The other waist tie style is like that used for the Ergo.  Anyway, it's something to take into account when measuring.)  I can tell from my explanation that some diagrams would be nice here.  To give you a rough idea: I have a really tall, long-torsoed toddler and my numbers were knee-to-knee: 19" and height 21".  And you can always add a bit extra for seam allowance.  The advantage to doing the canvas inner layer for me was, in part that I don't mind cutting that up and having to chuck it and start over if it was totally wrong.  So for your pattern use something cheap like newspaper or muslin if this step daunts you.  But then make the actual inner layer out of something sturdy.  I strongly recommend using an inner layer of canvas (aka duck cloth), even if your two outer layers of fabric are strong, and it is absolutely requisite if your outer decorative fabrics are not too sturdy.  While I would use a single layer of medium weight linen fabric to wrap a baby in a rucksack carry, that is a fabric with no stitching compromising its strength.  So here I have used 2 layers of medium weight linen plus a canvas inner layer.  And of course you want your straps to be of good quality sturdy fabric, too.

how to measure: click for larger image

After obtaining my measurements, I laid the onbu out on the canvas layer, and this time I decided not to add a seam allowance for this layer, since it adds unnecessary bulk when sewing and then topstitching.  I traced out my new idea, only halfway around, and folded the fabric along the center line (vertically) to cut through both layers more symmetrically.  I then wrapped the baby again and held up the canvas to make sure the size was more or less correct.  I then traced the pattern onto the pretty fabrics, adding in a generous seam allowance.  Next I cut strips of linen to become straps.  The dimensions are all up to your preference and body type.  I wanted mine wide to distribute weight better and long to allow more tying options, you can always cut down later.

onbu laid out on canvas fabric

canvas folded in half and cut

Next I hemmed then pleated the strap fabric to fit into the width of the strap spaces on the canvas.  I pinned them within an inch of their lives using those nice long quilters' pins.  Tacked them down.  Here's where safety again rears its complicated head.  You have to use either X box tack method or bar tacking.  I started out by using X boxes because that's what I'm more familiar with, but noticed when I pulled the straps that they were coming unpleated and looked stressed.  So I threw down a bar tack, too.  I liked it better, it's really easy and pretty.  You won't see it, but pretty is always pretty.  It also seemed to keep the pleats more in place.  I did the rest of the straps with both these methods for consistency's sake, praying it wasn't like the heinous act of using both seatbelts and LATCH.  Another pull and they seemed much sturdier and stabler. 

pleated straps pinned down

pleated straps with X boxes and bar tacking

Next I laid out my outer fabrics in sewing order.  Put the two outer fabrics right sides together and  then set the canvas on top.  I pinned them together to keep them from misbehaving while I sew the next step.  Tucked all the straps in...piled them up on top of the canvas so they aren't hanging in the way of the edge of the canvas.  Rolling up each strap and using rubber bands to secure it is a clever idea that I did not come up with.  

pin those layer together

pile the straps out of the way

Now I did a simple running stitch long the edge of the canvas, only catching the 2 outer fabrics and not catching the canvas or straps.  Or I could have used a pencil and traced the canvas exactly at the edge onto the top of these 2 pieces and I could have skipped the whole pinning and trying to sew carefully thing.  Hindsight is 20/20.  I made sure to leave a space at each strap location so I could feed them through later.  I took the canvas and straps out of the way--throw it on the floor, I mean really out of the way-- and turn the 2 outer pieces right side out.  Re-oriented my brain and stuffed the inner layer in between these layers like you are putting a pillow into a pillowcase.  Threaded the straps through their corresponding holes.   It's funny how the hardest things to describe by words, the things that would most benefit by having a picture to go along with, are often also the hardest things to get pictures of.

The next step is to tuck in the seam allowance where it is peeking out at the strap base and stitch them down.  This is non-weightbearing so I like to stitch by hand to get it really neat.  I think the stitch I use is called the ladder stitch.  I did this for all the strap holes.  It should be looking really good now.  The last thing is just to topstitch all the way around the edge, I use the presser foot as my guide, which will keep the inner layer from getting all twisted and impart strength to the carrier.  I went around a second time with the topstitching just to make it look a little nicer.  

topstitch using presser foot as spacing guide

I don't have a finished/action shot yet.  But I love the combination of comfort, ease, versatility!

 

Itajime

A clamped resist experiment.

Sorry folks, I've given up on wasting my time formatting these entries.  Apparently the only way to achieve concinnity (I hope that's a real word and M-W isn't hoodwinking me, the red squiggle's hanging around) throughout posts is just to leave things in default, which unfortunately means Times New Roman--gag.  Well if you want pretty, skip to the pictures like everyone else.


In this project I wanted to end up with some cool hexagonal--or at the very least triangular-- repeat pattern over the whole of the fabric.   So I folded it in half lengthwise, then in half again lengthwise, then a la paper football, only instead of a right isosceles triangle I did equilateral triangles.  Then I smooshed the fabric all down between 2 vitamin water caps and clamped them with this crazy easy grip clamp thing I found in the garage.  Only apparently I could have smooshed it more if I'd used it the right way.  It didn't make much difference anyway.  I then dipped the fabric in some leftover green dye from a tie dye project a couple weeks ago, added soda ash, and left it for a while.  An hour?  I dunno.  When I rinsed it out, it turned out that the dye had really only highlighted the edges of the folds, and due to my thoughtless folding, the folds that were more in the center hardly got any dye.  The circles I was hoping would appear were nowhere to be seen.    End of round 1.

Round 2:  I basically folded it exactly the same except I tried to be conscious of which direction of folding would allow more raw folded edges to be accessible to the dye.  I had figured out how to get the clamp tighter and thought that was going to help.  I soaked in soda ash then dipped in a concentrated mixture of royal blue for another couple of hours.  I still wasn't satisfied--I wanted circles, by golly!  So before my dye exhausted I folded it up one more time for another round.

Round 3:  I folded this time just into squares because I was hungry and dinnertime and whining toddlers are hardly conducive to repeating the same time-consuming fold for the third time.  This time I let it just sit overnight, and when I rinsed in the morning, voila! there were my circles.  Of course that wasn't really the effect I was going for, but still totally cool. 

Round 1: clamped fabric football

Round 1: green dye soak

Round 1: results

Round 2: results

Round 3: square fold clamped

Final product

Ice Dye Experiments

In this facebook group I'm in we have seen a lot of ice dyeing since it's fun, easy, beginner friendly and ideal for summertime.  People have been wondering what effects temperature and therefore melt speed has on the pattern that emerges.  I had ice dyed in the summer last year and the pattern came out very much like watercolor and I also did some in the winter which came out crisper, which led me to believe that cooler melt temps would give colder looking patterns.  Boy was I wrong!  I also wanted to find out if ice size had any effect, so I crushed up some ice in our mortar/pestle.

I presoaked for an hour or so in soda ash solution, squeezed out excess water.  Crumpled onto draining trays set in drip-catching trays.  Covered in both regular and crushed ice.  Sprinkled dry dye powder on top, and set in their respective temperatures.  The one I set outside was inside a clear plastic box with lid in direct sunlight when the shade temps were around 100 F.  It melted almost completely in an hour.  The fridge temperature was apparently too cool for the ice to melt at a decent rate, and so after 4 hours, I brought it out into the house temperature, so maybe 80-85 or thereabouts, and it melted by 2 hours later.   A rinse and a soapy hot wash and hang to dry.

to melt outside

to melt in fridge

iced

iced

t=0

dyed, t=0

t=1 hour

t= 4 hours

t= 4 hours

rinse

L->R: itajime; fridge; outside; outside

The itajime is from another project and another post.  Maybe later.  Maybe if blogger's formatting didn't suck so much I would have had it done today too.

Paste Resist Experiments

For this project, I tried out different combinations of different ingredients to see which makes the best paste.  I used rice ground into powder, quinoa ground into powder and diatomaceous earth mixed with water.  For reference I also did a bit of glue resist which I know works well.

materials

drying

dyed

 Left to right:
a. 1:1 rice: water
b. 1:1:2 rice:quinoa:water
c. 1:1:1.5 rice:diatomaceous earth:water
d. 1:1:1:2 rice:diatom.:quinoa: water
e. 1:1:2 quinoa:diatom.:water
f, g: 3:1  diatom.:water (these don't really show up at all)
h, i: Elmer's clear gel glue


Ok that's all I feel like writing about on this.  It's probably all I'll ever do with it, but sometimes you just gotta test your theories.