Conversion Corner: Bibetts

As Taxmas approaches (i.e. the time when we get our taxes back and treat ourselves to a little wrappers' delights!), and we consider how to spice up our stashes, it's important to have a strong converter in your back pocket for the perfect ring sling conversion. Enter, Bibetts Baby Carriers. This conversion company known for being "affordable, beautiful, and safe" provides gorgeous ring sling conversions that are for a cost that allows anyone to get the ring sling they desire without breaking the bank. 

Recently, I was offered the chance to play with a Little Frog Carnelian converted ring sling with a pleated shoulder. Not only was it comfortable as all get out, the shoulder was pleated to perfection and I felt gorgeous every time I wore it. Also, Millie loved snuggling against me in the comfort of this ring sling. It was perfect for quick ups to the grocery store, but also withstood the test of a long Catholic mass with my family of six. Bibetts has definitely become my go-to for ring sling conversions, so I got in contact with Ashley (owner and seamstress of Bibetts) to learn more about how Bibetts began and how to get started with your own ring sling conversion...

What is your favorite part of converting an item?

Getting to work with new items and hearing the backstory about the wrap and its meanings.

Does your husband babywear?

Oh yes! Sometimes I think he enjoys it more than the kids and I do.

How long have you been in the ring sling business?

We just reached the 3 year mark in January!

What inspired you to get started?

Children are our most precious gift and when I became a mommy I wanted to keep my babe close always. I struggled to find a carrier that was both affordable and comfortable for us. I needed something versatile and beautiful as well. Many ring slings were overpriced and with my seamstress background I decided to try my hand at making a DYI ring sling. After a lot of research and careful planning, I created a ring sling that was not only beautiful, safe and comfortable, it was super affordable! I wanted to use my skills to pass this wonderful product on to other mommas with a budget in mind and so, in 2012, Bibetts Baby Carriers was born.

So, let's move on to some more general questions about Bibetts...

How big is your company? Is everyone in your company compliant?

The company consists of me and my fabulously devoted office assistant Sara. 

Yes, we are CPSIA compliant. (And soon to be ASTM compliant once the sling standard of testing is finalized this year).

What sets you apart from other converters?

I believe my good reputation along with the great prices and quick turnaround time is what attracts most people to my products.

What is your sizing chart?

We have 3 sizes available.

o   S/M (70 inches) recommended for shirt sizes XXS-M

o   M/L (80 inches) recommended for shirt sizes XXS-XL

o   L/XL (90 inches) recommended for shirt sizes S-XXL

*Custom sizes are also available on request.

What size rings do you use?

We use only SlingRings brand rings in sizes Large and Medium.

What color rings do you offer?

We offer every color available from SlingRings.com

Where do I go to get started on a custom conversion?

You can read instructions on how to get started here.

What is the cost for a custom conversion?

$20 per sling and this includes the cost of the rings. Shipping is additional. (Any unused fabric is always returned to the customer.)

What options can you get from chopping different sizes?

There are so many options available that I always encourage the customer to contact me to discuss all the possibilities for their specific wrap.

For the brand new babywearer, do you help walk them through the conversion process?

Yes, we are always available to help in whatever way needed. We also have a list of questions posted on our Custom Conversion Listing that goes over all the details we need to know before the conversion begins.

-          Email: Bibetts@Bibetts.com

-          Phone: 512/660-BABY

-          Etsy messaging

-          Video Chat too!

How much length is required for ____ size or ____shoulder style?

We need at least 5 inches to create most any shoulder so, for example, if you want an 80 inch sling your fabric should be 85 inches long. (If the sling is tapered, we take the measurement down the shortest side.)

Are you willing to hem the extra piece once the ring sling is made?

Yes! Rehemming/tapering and moving the middle marker back to center is just $10.

What types of shoulder styles do you offer?

Currently we offer Pleated, Gathered & Hybrid. If you are unsure what will work best for you, just contact us and we can provide some guidance.

Are you willing to take a photograph of ring colors with wrap?

Of course! Since the rings from SlingRings.com can vary in color tone we are very happy to send pics before we begin the conversion so you can make sure it will be perfect.

How do you choose which side of wrap to face outward on the sling?

We let the customer tell us which side they prefer but are always happy to provide some assistance too.

What is the anticipated timeline once the wrap is received?

In most cases, our conversion will be ready to ship back to you one week from the time we receive the wrap.

How do you ship the converted ring sling back to its owner? Do you provide insurance for high market value wraps?

All items are shipped back via USPS Priority mail. Insurance always is available upon request.

WANNA WIN A BIBETTS CONVERTED RING SLING? ENTER HERE!

Win this Little Frog Carnelian Ring Sling!

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The Underground Review: Bijou Wear Royal Blast

Wrap: Bijou Wear Royal Blast
Size: 3
Wrappee: 6 month old, 22 month old, 3 year old, & 4.5 year old!

Our first uppies in Royal Blast were by accident. I had checked the mail to find it had arrived just before arriving at the pediatrician to realize I had forgotten a wrap! So, I quickly thanked my lucky stars for good timing and pulled the mystery wrap from its packaging. Immediately realizing it was a shortie, I tied a quick rebozo and plopped by six month old in it for her check up. I was instantly amazed by how comfortable this carry was, how content my daughter felt (despite her shots that day), and how unwavering the slipknot was throughout the visit. If you've tried slipknots before, then you know how often wraps can fail at holding a solid slipknot, despite re-tightening and re-tightening. This was a whole new level of wrap. Solid from the start, it stood strong throughout the 2 hour event. This was the beginning of getting to know the Slipknot Tester.

I nicknamed Royal Blast as such because it has the perfect amount of grip to hold a solid slip knot. In fact, I loved it so much, rebozo become my favorite carry! (You know a wrap is good when it causes you to rethink your favorite carries.) The strength of this wrap makes it a true workhorse. Comfortable for your baby, as it feels lighter than its density would suggest, but solid enough to handle any test you give it. If you are in need of a wrap that can handle a slip knot like a boss, then this is a must have. It has the grip you need with some of the glide that forgives. But alas, I am getting ahead of myself. Because I haven't begun to discuss my favorite part of any wrap: the design.

Royal Blast is named for the gorgeous icy blue coloring and the design that mimics blasting fireworks. If you are like me, and desire wraps that are unique and beautiful, this is definitely a wrap to add to your stash. In darker lights, it boasts of a true royal blue. It sunlight, it shines like a winter ice. And the design allows for beautiful right or wrong side wearing (which is my favorite part of any wrap!). My daughters loved this design so much that even my 37 lb, 4 year old begged to be carried before I sent it away.

So, what do I think? Is this a wrap everyone should have in their stash? If you are like me and have an older baby or toddler in your wrappee group, then YES! Snatch this wrap up! I am already missing my tester greatly, and might have to snatch this up myself when it goes on sale this morning. So don't miss it! Grab your Royal Blast today!

5 Things Toddlers do that Lead to a Better Life

As a mother of four, I have experienced a lot of those unbelievably funny, gross, frustrating and overwhelming moments in life. I've had those days when I wonder what I was thinking. But I have begun to realize that my children have a LOT to teach me. The thing is, since having children my life has been filled with more joy, laughter, and love than ever before. (Don't worry, this is NOT a post about how people with kids have fuller lives than those who don't.) It just got me thinking, how has acting more like my children changed my life for the better? Well, here are five of the things that have changed my life--and maybe they could do the same for you!

1) Laugh when they fall down. This is one of my daughters' favorite games. Yes, I said game. They fall down, laugh hysterically, and get back up again--only to fall down in laughter! This is the complete opposite of an adult's normal reaction to a fall. We adults tend to react to our trips and stumbles with tears and self-loathing and maybe even a ton of binging on wine and chocolate (not that I would know anything about it).  Yet as a parent, I have found that the bigger of a deal I make a fall, the harder my daughters will take it. If I laugh it off, so do they! And you know what? Most falls in life really aren't as bad as we adults make them out to be. Laughing more and self-loathing less....the affect is instant and priceless!

2)  Announce when they poop. Oh, I don't mean calmly  and privately letting me know so I can assist them with wiping. I mean running into the living room, undies in hands, and screaming with pride, "I made a big poopy!" Oh yes. This happens. And why not? We all poop. And to be honest, I can't tell you the number of times I've had a particularly wonderful #2 experience and felt weird wishing I had someone to tell. The truth is, we have been taught to feel shame for a bodily function we ALL experience. By letting go of shame over a ridiculously normal act, we can learn to let go of shame for other things too...think periods, farts, snorting laughs, love of Lady Gaga--whatever happens to be on your blushing list.

3) Applaud everything! And I do mean everything. Every song, every twirl, every pouring of a cup of tea or pretending to be a horse. They applaud themselves. They applaud me. It may be something I have done a million times, but to them it is a task I should be proud of--even if it is loading the dishwasher or mooing like a cow. So why don't we adults applaud ourselves--and each other--more? Could you imagine the change in your attitude if you received cheers every time you turned in a report or folded a load of laundry? What if we said a (sincere, excited, high energy) thank you and congratulations every time someone we love did something positive?  How quickly would we change the course of our lives, and the lives of those around us?

4) Cheer and give hugs every time they see me. This is may favorite part of every day. I open the front door, peek around the corner, and witness the pure joy of my daughters running to greet me, screaming "Mama!" with arms wide open.  I know there will come a day when this does not happen. Every time it does, I hug them tightly and promise God not to forget this feeling ever. Yet, when we see those we love, we often take for granted their presence. We may see them everyday. We may have known they were on their way. Yet, I have known far too many people who had plans to see someone...that never arrived. Let's not take our loved ones for granted. Let's exclaim how much we missed them, how incredible they are, how much they mean to us. Don't leave any words unspoken or hugs left in empty arms.

5)  Say no. Ok, so I admit that this one is not often something I enjoy my daughters doing. When they don't want to, when they don't like it, when they think it's not fair or ok, the no's start coming out loud and clear! And while this isn't always the best thing for me (believe me, nap time was a struggle today), I have learned how easy--and important--it is to say no. How often do you say no to something you don't want to do? How often do you say no to something that feels wrong or not for you? Society teaches us to be agreeable, pleasing to others, appropriate in situations. Does that mean we should disregard our own feelings for everyone else's? Maybe it's time for us to admit when we need to say no, and stand up for our needs by stepping away when we need to.

There you go! Just five things my daughters have taught me to make my life a better one. I hope my sharing their little toddler wisdom can help you make your life a little better also.

The Underground Review: Natibaby Through the Looking Glass Again

Wrap: Paxbaby's exclusive Natibaby Through the Looking Glass Again (100% cotton edition)

If you'll believe in me, I'll believe in you.

Falling down the rabbit hole happened quickly and without much preparation. The Queen of Hearts must have planned for this, my confusion, with the hemmed rails facing opposite directions! Which way is right? Which way is wrong? Every direction looked oddly beautiful and entrancing as the patterns caught my eye and changed my mind with every pass.

Curiouser and Curiouser!

If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense...

The wrap felt thick like the haze of the caterpillar's smoke, enveloping me in this new experience and causing me to forget a world other than this. Millie teetered between giggles and yawns, a Jabberwocky's reprise found in her delightful coos. Relaxing in the embrace of the wrap, she found solace in this new place without a care for the cold reality she had left behind. The grip of this wrap was strong and comforting, allowing for us to stay or possibly demanding that we do. How many minutes, hours, passed as we rocked and swayed and snuggled in this woven world of wonderment?

I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then...

I'm not strange, weird, off, nor crazy, my reality is just different from yours.

She generally gave herself very good advice, (though she very seldom followed it). 

Alice had got so much into the way of expecting nothing but out-of-the-way things to happen, that it seemed quite dull and stupid for life to go on in the common way.

If this is merely a piece of fabric, then I am ever the fool. For as we unwrapped and folded up to save for another time, I grew cold in the mundane reality of the day and longed to wrap us again and travel back into the fog of fondness and forgetfulness. No wonder the rabbit is always late to somewhere. Time stands still there, I am sure of it, and I long to go back so I may cradle my little one in the curious state of love without worry of tomorrow.

The Underground Review: Risaroo Wovens Tetris Fog

Wrap: Risaroo Wovens Tetris Fog

This should be a blanket, I thought to myself as my hand gently grazed the woven fabric. This is too soft and smooth to be a wrap. I borrowed it anyway, because the gorgeous design and breathtaking fading charcoal to cream left me wondering--hoping?--it could work. (I'm a sucker for dark greys.) 

This is a wrap I'd like to take out for a latte. Not a pumpkin spice, because it is far from basic. It shimmers in its ombré progression of light to dark (or dark to light depending on your mood) and wraps you up like your favorite sweater. It breathes enough for the occasional ray of Sunshine through the cloudy day, and keeps you warm when the storm comes. 

This is not your baby's wrap. It's yours, from contemporary design to throw back name, this wrap is meant to keep you as comfortable as your little one. And boy does it ever. If a wrap could be too smooth, this would be it, not catching or clingy at any point in the experience. Yet it was supportive enough to handle a fancy finish without digging into my shoulders or losing the strong grip on my lil monster of a toddler. She gave it a pair of duck lips and a solid "Rock on!"

So, if you have a chance to try this unique and oh-so-comfortable piece of wrap fashion, do it. And don't forget to to enjoy your cup of coffee as it wraps you and your little one against those cool Autumn days.