Getting What You Wish For - Design Suggestions

I have been talking lately with the babywearing crew in Phoenix, AZ. I got in touch with them because they are hosting this year's International Babywearing Conference (more on this later). Like many babywearing chapters, they have a lending library, and I offered to send them a carrier for it. I was pretty excited when they accepted my suggestion of choosing one of my new Linen deLuxe carriers, and I asked for any feedback, "wish-it-had...", and "don't change this" thoughts about it. My carriers have been updated many times as I thought of tweaks, and have changed further as I've heard from the mamas using them. This was a great opportunity for "Gracie and Sam" to learn from the women who teach other women how to wear their babies!

There's always something that can be improved. And when you send your carrier to not just one babywearing chapter leader but a whole group of them, you're bound to get some comments back.
Boy, did I ever. It. was. AMAZING, the depth of comments and suggestions they returned to me.

First of all, I'm thrilled to share that none of the feedback was structural or safety-related. As far as the overall body of the Gracie and Sam carrier is concerned, they felt it was "solid."

A few changes I've started implementing based on what they said, which should make these carriers even more comfortable are:

Suggestion: Make the headrest padded or reinforced to be a bit stiffer.
Gracie and Sam: The Linen Luxe line now has a padded headrest as a standard. The "Refined" line of carriers has it as an option to add on (some mamas still prefer getting the folded carrier as flat as possible, so it's been made optional there).

Suggestion: Change how the hood attaches (to the outside instead of inside, reverse the snaps, make the base a bit wider, and have the toggles anchor through a loop instead of around a button (pretty, but too attractive to the baby who then tries to pull it off!).
Gracie and Sam: done, done, and done! The hood is a standard in the Linen Luxe line and more and more wearers are requesting an add on hood with their Refined mei tai order. This change in design applies to all of these.

Suggestion: Make the pocket open some other way so it's easier to get into even when baby is in the carrier
Gracie and Sam: done! It now has a top opening, but remains pleated so you can fit even slightly bulkier things in there (cloth diapers, anyone?)

Suggestion: The top-stitching on the inside of the shoulder strap bothered some ladies where it rubbed on the neck.
Gracie and Sam: I've modified how the top-stitching is done and reversed how I attach the shoulder straps. The inside edge of the padded area of the shoulder straps is now without any seam or top-stitching. I do continue to top-stitch the rest of the entire perimeter of the full length of the strap to help keep it tidy and laying flat, though!

Suggestion: The shoulder straps and waist strap could be a bit longer for doing a wider variety of wraps (ie, Tibetan or over/under legs before tying off).
Gracie and Sam: The straps on Gracie and Sam Refined and Luxe carriers are already on the longer side, and I've heard from some who are only interested in the basic carries that they wouldn't want the straps much longer. For those who know they're going to want to explore various "carries" or are already experienced, there's an "add-on" available for additional length. This has always been available to custom orders, but now it can be added at the time of purchase by anyone without getting in touch for a special listing!

There was one suggestion I will not be working with just now, but want to share here in case you'd like to request a customization. Some of the ladies who tried out the Luxe with my standard 4.5" wide padded strap felt they'd like it either wider to fully cup the shoulder or narrower. I'm leaving it as is for now because I've received a lot of feedback on the comfort of the straps as they are. But I'm happy to make any adjustment if you think you'd like yours narrower or wider.

I love feedback. I love hearing from people that they love their carriers. I also love hearing suggestions on what could make it even better. If you have a Gracie and Sam carrier and have come up with an "I wish it had..." thought, let me know!

Diversification and Amplification

I love the Mei Tai carrier I make. I designed it through lots of trial and error, trying out other carriers, and refining it all into something that was exactly what I was looking for. After several suggestions and requests, I am now going to expand the shop's offerings to reflect the spectrum of and variation that makes up the contemporary understanding of the Mei Tai. Three new lines will be added over the next few weeks as part of this effort:

The Classic. This is the traditional mei tai as it's been used for centuries. No padding in the straps, a simply shaped body, and straps that are still one-size-fits-most but a bit shorter. It is extremely compact, gets the job done, and is a great match for the very budget conscious.






For a bit of extra excitement, I've also added children's Doll Mei Tais as part of this line! No more leaving Teddy by the swing set because two hands were needed - now tag along loveys can be carried along with the same hands-free joy you've found through your own carrier!







 

The Refined. The Gracie and Sam signature Mei Tai with its longer straps, padded shoulders, shaped body, buckle waist option, and a wide variety of fabric choices, with a focus on custom-printed fabrics found through original textile artists.



The Artisan. The full-feature carrier for the discerning baby wearer who would like some of the bells and whistles of the well-known, mass-produced, made-in-China carriers while getting the care and attention to detail that comes from being handcrafted.


 

And then there's the line that reflects the textile artist in me, The Gallery Mei Tai. These are simply shaped Mei Tais with a gasp-worthy, foundation-pieced eye catcher of a body. High quality, non-fusible interfacing is used as the foundation to ensure these pieces of art are as sturdy as they are usable.

I can't wait to share these new additions with you! The pieces are ready*, the photo session set, and within a week or so, they'll be available for purchase!

*The Artisan will not be immediately available.