No-sew fleece babywearing poncho ver. 2.5

November 27, 2007 by Susie

STOP! We have revised these instructions to make them more clear. The new instructions are here. Use the new instructions!

OLD INSTRUCTIONS:

Why are you reading these?! Go to the new instructions. Seriously. Same poncho, better instructions.

Scram.

Shoo.

Get outta here.

Ta-da! We made some very slight modifications to the Hancock’s project from a few posts ago to make this super-easy babywearing poncho with just over a yard fabric. (Buy a yard and a quarter and use the extra for a matching scarf.) Plaid is great to work with, because the lines serve as cutting guides.

Here’s what we did:

1. Cut two 30-inch by 40-inch rectangles of good quality polyester fleece. Sizing note: The original Hancock’s pattern uses two 30-inch by 45-inch rectangles. We found the neck hole to be a bit big, and the symmetry was a bit off. However, it does provide a more generous fit than is achieved with our 30 x 40 rectangles. If you experiment with other dimensions, leave a comment telling us about your results!

2. Cut 4-inch squares out of each corner. These are scraps.

3. Lie one rectangle right side down on a flat surface; lie the other rectangle right side up on top of the first one, matching the side of one to the the long side of the other, like this:

(The two rectangles will have their wrong sides touching.)

4. Cutting both pieces at the same time, cut 4-inch long by 1/2 inch wide fringes along the side where you matched the short side to the long side, like this:

5. Tie the fringes together in double knots.

6. Look at the photo in step 3. See the top piece of fabric, running horizontally? Slide that to the left and up. (Imagine a compass printed on top of that photo … slide the top piece of fabric to the west and then north.) The short side of the bottom piece of fabric (the edge that’s shown at the very top of the photo) will be matched up to part of the long side of the top piece of fabric (the edge that’s parallel to it in the photo and about a third of the way from the top of the photo.) When properly arranged, the notch in the corner of the piece on bottom will match up with the notch in the corner of the piece on top. Fringe and tie.

(Some people have made a model of paper or fleece scraps before completing this step.)

7. If you want, trim the flaps from around the neck hole … or leave them there for a collar.

8. Lie the poncho flat, matching the two bottom tips together. About 6 inches below the neck hole, cut a 10-inch horizontal slit in the top layer of fabric. That’s the baby’s neck hole. Like this:

That’s it! Any questions?

ETA: N.B. The fleece shown here was $5.88 per yard and is thick but not the thickest fleece available; I experimented with some cheaper, thinner fleece that was $2.88 per yard, and the results were not satisfactory because the fringes stretched when tied.

ETA: We made a one-page printable instruction sheet for this project. It’s located in the green “Box.net widget” on the right side of the blog.

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Posted in Babywearing, babywearing accessories, Do It Yourself | 19 Comments

19 Responses

on November 27, 2007 at 5:45 pm | Reply kristen

No questions, just awe at you crafty ladies
on November 29, 2007 at 12:00 am | Reply Fleece Poncho Done Right at eager little mind

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on November 29, 2007 at 8:52 am | Reply Andrea

Hm, I have a question. Can you clarify step 6? I don’t know which are the “other short side” and the “other long side.” Would it be the two sides that are perpendicular to the ones that you tied first? (i.e. the ones that are at the top of the poncho, as you look at it in the picture for step 3?) I really want to make this but feel like I need to practice first on some scrap material.
on November 29, 2007 at 9:05 am | Reply Susie

Here are the Hancock’s directions from a few posts ago: http://www.hancockfabrics.com/jump-12/CONTENT/597.shtml

I’ll work with some bits and pieces so I can give more exact directions related to our pictures! Back soon!
- on September 22, 2011 at 2:31 pm | Reply Conni
  
  Maybe it would be easier to understand if you used a contrasting Fleece so you can clearly see where it starts and stops. It all looks like it runs together otherwise a great Project!!
  - on September 22, 2011 at 3:45 pm Susie
    
    I think if you read the post, you will see that we have updated the instructions. Perhaps I should delete this post except for a link to the new instructions?
on November 29, 2007 at 9:15 am | Reply Susie

OK, in the picture showing one piece placed on top of the other piece, you’ll match the very top short edge (the one at the very top of the photo) to the one that’s parallel to and immediately beneath it in the photo. Rather than simply folding it down so that the left ends (the ends on the left in the photo) match, you’ll actually match the right ends (that is, the sides that are on the right in the photo).

You can mock this up with two 5 by 7 pieces of paper. You’ll end up folding one 5-inch side of each rectangle down one inch.
on November 29, 2007 at 10:28 am | Reply Andrea

Thanks, Susie, that makes sense now. I was able to make a little bitty poncho out of some scrap fleece I had, just to see how it all goes together.
on July 28, 2008 at 3:13 pm | Reply Suburban hiking with babies and toddlers: Boulder Canyon! « Magic City Slingers Blog

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on October 10, 2008 at 11:25 am | Reply Beth

I have a simple question

to make one so you can carry two do you just cut a whole in both sides or is there a trick??
on October 10, 2008 at 1:15 pm | Reply Susie

Beth, I haven’t tried it with twins, but I would think you’d just cut a slit in both sides. Let us know!
on November 23, 2008 at 3:47 pm | Reply Debi Gerhart

That really was awesome.
on December 22, 2008 at 12:18 pm | Reply rachel

Thank you so much for the tutorial. I made it this morning. It works great! I think there might be a learning curve to getting the baby’s head through the baby head hole with a back carry–or maybe it’s just me.
on January 11, 2009 at 5:26 pm | Reply “No -sew” ponczo dla dwojga - Klub Kangura

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on March 15, 2009 at 12:52 pm | Reply Carrie

I used this idea and made 2 panels of 20″x30″ to make a great poncho for my 4 year old. The neck hole is a bit big but does not fall off and will fit 4-6 years old. I did not cut the slit for baby wearing on hers
Just in case some of you are crafty and want to make one for your daughter….
on September 30, 2009 at 9:55 am | Reply Candy

Very hard to follow instructions. The one comment helped but more pictures would help more.
on October 7, 2009 at 10:42 pm | Reply kelly

Ack!! I sooooo want to wear this tomorrow and I’m stuck at step 6. I’ve read both set of instructions, but I’m at a loss.

How many sides are fringed and tied?

How many sides are just fringed?

Is there a way to get more pictures?? I’m a visual learner apparently!

Thanks for the neat idea!
on October 8, 2009 at 6:52 am | Reply Susie

Apparently I will have to buy more fleece and shoot a video of step 6. In the meantime. I am considering removing this post since people are having trouble with it. Sorry about all the trouble this project has caused, folks. Please try the idea of making a paper model before you give up.
on October 18, 2009 at 2:29 pm | Reply Links to DIY winter baby wearing apparel! - London Moms

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