1. Cut two 30-inch by 40-inch rectangles of good quality polyester fleece. Plaid is easy to work with because you can use the lines on the fabric as guidelines for cutting. 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. Imagine a compass in the center of your 2 matched up fabric pieces. This will help you know where to line up, cut and move.
Match the short side of the top piece to the the long side of the other (the bottom right corner, SW, is matched up), like this:
Fabric pieces placed wrong side to wrong side, one horizontally and one vertically.
N
W E
S
(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 South side. Only cut as far as the short side; the bit left over on the long piece forms part of the collar.
5. Tie the fringes together in double knots, like this:
Tie the fringes on the South side.
N
W E
S
(You can see the bit left over on the long piece (South) that will become the collar.
6. Look at the photo below (from step 3). See the top piece of fabric, running horizontally? Slide that to the left and up. (Again, imagine a compass printed on top of that photo … slide the top piece of fabric to the West and then North, to line up the two Northeast coners.)
The top piece of fabric is horizontal.
N
W E
S
Below you can see the fringed South side has moved, as you line up the 2 Northeast corners.
This is how it looks when you've moved it.
N
W E
S
7. Now cut the fringe and double knot the East side. Again, only cut as far as the short piece of fabric.
The left over piece will become the collar. You will now have 2 flaps in the Southeast corner (the neck hole) that can be left as the collar, or trimmed off.
Ready to knot the fringe on the East side.
N
W E
S
Below you can see the collar/neck opening in the Southeast corner, and the two fringed and knotted sides (South and East), as the Northwest corner has been lined up.
Both seams are now tied. The neck opening is shown in the SE corner. It's time to fringe some more.
N
W E
S
8. As shown in the above picture, lay the poncho flat, matching the two corners together (to form the Northwest corner). Cut a fringe on both the North and West sides/pieces.
The picture below has been turned from the original compass layout, to show how you will wear the finished poncho. The neck opening is now at the top. The two fringed and tied seams run down from the neck opening – the fringed seams are angled, one is on your front and one is on your back. The fringed seams are not located directly on top of your arms; one is on your front and one is on your back, giving the poncho an asymmetrical look.
Rearranged to show how the poncho will be worn. This is now a finished poncho except for the extra neck opening for babywearing.
9. About 6 inches below the neck opening, cut a 10-inch horizontal slit in the top layer of fabric. That’s the baby’s neck opening. Like this:
Cut a slit for the baby's neck opening.
Closeup. Also, you can see the collar folded down at the top of this photo.
And here is how the poncho looks when worn:
Back carry with toddler.
[…] Susie STOP! We have revised these instructions to make them more clear. The new instructions are here. Use the new […]
Has anyone tried this w/ 2 layers of fleece?? or would that be too thick? I worry that one layer of fleece will not be warm enough. Thoughts?
I have never heard of anyone doing this project with two layers of fleece, whether knotted or sewn. My first thought is that if you need something warmer than a single layer of fleece provides, you probably also need a longer poncho, so you would want to adjust the dimensions as well. This project was developed in Alabama, where it doesn’t get very cold. ;-)
Hi! I just did a two-layer last night. It drapes “bigger” naturally, but is really warm and comfy! I may be doing a one-layer for not so cool days, now. :)
Hope you can see these. Thanks for letting me share!
I’m so glad I found this! Thank you for developing this project, will be the perfect thing for us in Texas this winter.
[…] Mamaponcho with arm cuffs, $221 at Slings I Love MCoat, $389 at UpMama PSNY Babywearing Down Coat, $305 at P-Sling NY and Mamaponcho without arm cuffs, at Slings I Love Babywearing Poncho, $98.99 from Etsy seller BabyEtte Peekaru Soft Shell, $249 at TogetherBe And for those who want to DIY, here’s a no-sew poncho tutorial at The Magic City Slinger’s Blog. […]
THANK YOU !!!!! Awesome project!! I made it today and it turned out great- can’t wait to try it out with my daughter!! :)
this may be a silly question, but with baby on your back, how do you get his/her head thru the slit? or does the whole thing just fall into place? thanks!
No, it doesn’t just fall into place, you have to pull the back of the poncho back and down until the baby’s head comes through the neck opening. Or ask for help. A mirror or reflective surface (car window, etc.) helps when you do it yourself.
I just made this last night–thank you SO MUCH for the revised directions. I had ruined two pieces of fleece trying to figure out the old directions–these were fabulously easy to follow.
I agree with a PP, though–I have a really tough time putting this on over the baby’s head. I can’t seem to do it on my own–taking off, either–which makes me uneasy about going out of the house with it on. I love it, though–just wish it was easier to get on and off!
Christina, I’m sorry you ruined some fleece. In fairness to the old directions, they do suggest making a small model.
For an easier back carry cover, you could try the simple jacket re-do from this post: https://magiccityslingers.wordpress.com/2007/11/10/we-do-have-winter-in-birmingham/
Also, you can use a basic ruana-style poncho. Finally, the Gypsy Mama no-sew poncho directions produce a poncho with just one shared neck opening.
All babywearing covers with a separate neck opening for the baby will require skill and practice for back carries; this applies to expensive ponchos as well as DIY jobs.
A tip for all having issues- I put it over my little girls head prior to getting our carrier up- it is a bit tricky on my own but doable- best of luck all!
FAB!! Really easy peasy to follow the revised instructions!! I’ve just finished making this poncho and am busting to get the baby up to try it out properly – fits well without him tho using a cuddly spongebob as a baby sub!! x
i have made a two layers same sort of pattern but then from one..looks pretty good am going to try this one day for a gift..
bonieta
I have a silly question about this pattern. Can you use it for wearing a baby on the front? Or is this just for back carrying?
Either way I am excited to make one. Thanks for sharing the pattern.
Yes, Liz, it’s great for when the baby is on your front!
Just finished mine! Made it out of Leopard print fleece. It’s super cute. Thanks for the idea!
[…] No sew fleece poncho suitable for baby wearing Came across this link the other day, it's a link to make a fleece poncho that require no sewing Then you can cut a slot on one side for baby's head when wearing them. Wanted to share as tried it and is really easy and will be good for the upcoming autumn days. http://magiccityslingers.wordpress.c…ringe-revised/ […]
I just made and Auburn Tiger Polar Fleece one and it was a bit tedious with the cutting and tying but it is so awesome! I’ll share a link when I test it out with my baby girl. TY TY TY!!!
I have one question…how would you make the sides longer for more arm coverage?
Roberta, for a more generous fit, albeit a larger neck hole and a little asymmetry, cut the rectangles 30 inches by 45 inches.
Hey Heather,
I’d love to try the two layered poncho… I wish there was a way to make it reverseable… I’m not really handy with the sewing machine is this will be my first project… *crossing fingers*
*as this will be my first project… Sorry about the grammatical structuring… lol English what a wonderful language!
Kyra, I bet if you tied a top-layer fringe to a bottom-layer one, then turned the thing inside out and did it again, you’d have a reversible fringed poncho. The fringe wouldn’t be as rich as in Heather’s photo.
Hey Kyra-
I didn’t use a sewing machine. You just cut the fringe and tie together. Thats it! :)
Hi Heather,
I’m going to make the double-layered one as soon as possible, thanks for doing it so I know it’s possible before I start cutting!
I made the double-layered one and knotted the fringe inside and out to make it reversible. It’s great! Thank you!
I just made this and it looks great. Really quick and easy to do :)
Thank you so much for posting the instructions!
my name is Natasha, i live in the UK ive made this poncho and i think its fab, just sooooo easy to make and looks fab, it took me just under an hour and everyone says how lovely and comfy my daughter looks in it. i love wearing it and it solved a dilema of what to wear when using my carrier …..thank you for a fab pattern x
[…] developed a very popular and easy project a few years ago that fits today’s theme perfectly: The No-Sew Fleece Babywearing Poncho. All you need is a yard and a quarter of good quality fleece and some scissors. If you find some […]
This is awesome ! Can I have your authorisation to translate it in french ? I know a whole bunch of mums that would be exctatic to try this !Of course, I will give the link to your blog…
Thanks for the clear explanation in any case !
Sure, if it is on a noncommercial blog.
Also wanted to let people know that I’ve made this poncho for children to use (perfect for keeping safe and warm in carseats – just flip up the front and back to put straps on safely, the back can be a bit of a neck pillow and the front flips back down to keep warm).
For a 2-4 year old, I cut the pattern exactly in half. I also changed the pattern to 2/3 of the original measurements and it fit a petite but tall 6yo very well. Super cute gifts. :)
~Kelly
[…] can modify your existing coat with your knitting or sewing skills. You can also do a a knit or fleece […]
I don’t understand the measurements? If 1 yard equals 36 inches, how do you only need just over a yard of fabric? I got 1 yard and a quarter and there isn’t enough to make two times 30 inch by 40 inch rectangles. ????
Isn’t your fabric 60 inches wide?
I’m in Canada. The fabric is 150cm wide but it has edges on it that would need to be cut off which would reduce it down. 30 inches equals 76.2cm so it is short of being able to use the width for the two pieces side by side.
Oh yes – my fabric was 60″ wide, and because I’m in Canada, I bought a full metre (which is 39.4″); in fact, I may have bought 1.25m (49″), (which left enough for a scarf on the full sized poncho), just to be on the safe side (for me and my amateur scissors). ;)
The two 30″ widths lie side by side to make use of the full 60″ width. So you will use the full width and most, but not all, of the length. Typically the first cut would be to cut it down to 40″ long (or a yard and 4 inches of fabric). Then just cut the 60″ width in half and you have it.
I’m sorry your fabric isn’t cooperating well. I think I would try it anyway with the slightly more narrow rectangles. We’ve never had anyone comment that the edges of their fleece needed to be removed, so, although this pattern has been linked to from many different countries and we’ve gotten comments from around the world, this is a new one on us.
OK, I’ve checked with my crafty Canadian babywearing friends, and the consensus is to remove that selvedge (which should only be about 1 cm, right?) and then use whatever width you have left to create two equally wide rectangles side by side. You should have enough fabric to have rectangles about 29″ wide. Fleece is stretchy, and although we found the 30″ by 40″ rectangles to work quite well, this is not an exact science, and rectangles that are 29 inches wide should work fine.
It has the Fabric stores name printed down the edges of each side of the fabric – annoying. And it’s only 150cm wide so it isn’t wide enough even if I didn’t need to remove the edges. That’s all right, next time I’ll do my metric conversions and go to the store and make sure I get enough material so I don’t have to make a second trip :)
Well looks like I’ll either make mine a double thickness or make one for a friend because I have two pieces of fabric now!!! Thanks for the info.
[…] can modify your existing coat with your knitting or sewing skills. You can also do a a knit or fleece […]
[…] Moby is stretchy so you don't really have to leave room for Kian. I'm think I'm going to try this :No Sew Fleece BW Poncho in winter. Otherwise dressing them warm and wearing an oversized coat withe the wrap underneath […]
Might be a silly question…does it have to be polyester fleece? Could it be made from wool for example?
Rebecca, I have no experience with using wool for no-sew projects. We have only tested this with polyester fleece, which is often used for this type of tying connection (a lot of people make two layer blankets this way). Would wool fray? In any event, it seems like wool would be fairly expensive, and for the amount of money invested in the wool, you could probably buy a piece of commercially available babywearing outerwear, whereas this project can usually be done for about $5-10.
[…] a DIY babywearing jacket or poncho. I completely lack sewing skills, but managed to pull off this great little babywearing poncho (don’t worry, it is a no-sew project). In fact, I made 2, one just for me, and one for me […]
[…] a DIY babywearing jacket or poncho. I completely lack sewing skills, but managed to pull off this great little babywearing poncho (don’t worry, it is a no-sew project). In fact, I made 2, one just for me, and one for me […]
[…] ponchos come in all shapes and sizes as well, from the 100% virgin wool Mamaponcho, to an easy no-sew DIY version. For practicality and ease of use I prefer one that wraps around both mama and baby versus one that […]
[…] interested in learning how to make your own “no-sew babywearing fleece” check out these instructions. Then, once you’ve made it, please take a pic and send it to […]
[…] learn how to make a babywearing no-sew poncho […]
I’m a bigger gal, size 18….will I still.need a yard and a half of fabric? What sizes does this.cover? Thsnks so much!
Phoenixrising702, for a more generous fit, albeit a larger neck hole and a little asymmetry, cut the rectangles 30 inches by 45 inches. Forty-five inches is exactly 1.25 yards, so you may want to get a little extra length so you can trim neatly (or if you want a matching scarf).
I’m a bigger gal, size 18…will I still need only a yard and a half? Thanks so much :-)
[…] just because I know how I am! If you aren’t doing a hat, the 1.25 yards should be plenty. Here’s the originating website for the fleece no-sew babywearing poncho with detailed instruct… Here’s the website for the no-sew fleece […]
[…] came across this great tutorial for making a no-sew babywearing poncho. That’s right, no sewing required! Here’s how […]
This looks great! I managed to buy a regular poncho and use it to cover us both whilst doing a back carry. Also without having to do any sewing! You can read how I did it in this post: http://slingbase.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/babywearing-in-winter-top-tips/
It is finally starting to get sunny in the UK though thankfully, although I still used it today when we nipped to play group :)
[…] happy and we didn’t look too ridiculous. Another way of making a new sew poncho can be found here I am not sure how my idea would work out with other store bought ponchos, maybe I just got lucky, […]
[…] No-Sew Babwearing Fleece Poncho (home made) […]
Hi Susie, I have read all the comments and I can’t see where anyone mentioned this… in Step 3 the 2nd paragraph says:
“Match the short side of the top piece to the the long , side of the other (the bottom right corner, SW, is matched up), like this”
The bottom right corner would be the SE corner. I am sure these other gals caught that. I sure am happy that I made a model from material scraps.
Am I wrong in this?
Thanks,
great poncho!! how does it work with a newborn… ie. face against my chest?
thanks!
Hi jenn, you just put the baby’s head through the opening. You can pull the inside part down between you and the baby if you need to.
Could someone post a picture of them using this with a front inward facing carry? :) Thanks!!
I don’t have one handy, but there is one in this blog post: http://kitchenclutter.info/craft/diy-baby-wearing-poncho/