Learn to use any size wrap with this series of wrapping blog posts! This post will explain how to find your woven wrap “base size,” what “base size” means, and how to figure out what carries you can likely do with any size wrap. The post also links to all of my woven wrap carries by wrap size posts so that you can easily navigate to any size wrap and figure out what carries you can do!
The Full Series of Woven Wrap Carries by Wrap Size Blog Posts:
Woven Wrap Sizing Explained
If you aren’t sure what I mean by base size, base minus one, base minus two, and so on, Keep reading! Woven wraps come in different sizes and a wrapper can do different carries with each size. If you can find your “base size,” you can figure out what wrap carries you’ll be able to do in any size wrap.
Wrap Size
Any person can use any size wrap! Different sizes can be used for different carries. Shorter wraps (base minus 3-4) can be used for mostly single layer carries. Mid length wraps (base minus 2-3) can be used for mostly two layer carries. Longer wraps (Base plus one, base, and base minus 1) can be used for carries that have multiple layers of fabric over the baby. There are benefits to using long, mid length, and short wraps!
Wrap Sizes
Woven wraps come in the following sizes:
Size 2: 2.6 meters
Size 3: 3.2 meters
Size 4: 3.6 meters
Size 5: 4.2 meters
Size 6: 4.6 meters
Size 7: 5.2 meters
Size 8: 5.6 meters
Size 9: 6.2 meters
Size 10: 6.6 meters
Any person can use any size! Shorter wraps are used for single layer carries. Longer wraps are used for carries with multiple layers of fabric going over the baby.
Finding your Base Size
It can help to find your base size. This is a wrap that you can use for most multi-layer carries and is usually considered to be the size that a person prefers when tying Front Wrap Cross Carry (a beginner front carry).
Your base size depends on:
- Your size
- Your baby’s size
- The amount of excess tail that you prefer
Example of Finding Base Size
A wearer has a newborn and can tie Front Wrap Cross Carry in a size 5 wrap. With a size 5 wrap there isn’t much excess tail. If the wearer did not want excess tail, this would be the wearer’s base size. However, this person wants to be able to nurse in the wrap and wants to still be able to do this carry with a toddler. The wearer tries on a size 6 wrap and likes how much excess tail it has. This wearer decides that their base size is a size six.
Shirt Size and Woven Wrap Base Size
The best way to find your base size is to try on wraps in Front Wrap Cross Carry. Your local babywearing group or educator will have wraps in various sizes that you can try on. If you aren’t able to try on wraps, you can also use your shirt size to estimate your base size. This might not work out exactly right for you, because it won’t take into account the size of your child, the thickness of your wrap, or your preferred tail length, but it can give you an idea. This image from Babywearing International shows a shirt size reference at the bottom.
In case it is difficult to read, here is the base size reference:
Base size 4: XXS Shirt
Base size 5: XS/S Shirt
Base size 6: M/L Shirt
Base size 7: XL/XXL Shirt
Base size 8/9: XXXL+
What does Base Minus 1, 2, 3, etc Mean?
Okay, so now that you know what your base size is, what does base minus one, two, three, etc mean?
Let’s pretend you have decided that your preferred wrap size for Front Wrap Cross Carry is a size 6 woven wrap. If you subtract one size from size 6, you get size 5. Size five is your “base minus one” size. If you subtract two from size 6, you get size 4. Four is your “base minus two” size.
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Robin’s Hip Carry in a Base Minus 2 Woven Wrap.
Example of Wrap Sizes by Base Size
For example, if your base size is a size 7, these are the size wraps that you would use for base plus one, base minus 1 and so on:
Base Size 7
Base plus one = size 8
Base = size 7
Base minus one = size 6
Base minus 2 = size 5
Base minus 3 = size 4
Base minus 4 = size 3
It’s not exact!
The carries by size resource isn’t exactly perfect! The exact carries that you can do with any wrap depend on so many factors including your wrappees size, the thickness of your wrap, how deep the tapers are on your wrap, how experienced you are with wrapping, and so on.
For example, I put ruck tied in front (RTIF) on the Base minus 2 carries page. Most people can wrap a RTIF with their base size minus two. However with a thick wrap and a preschooler, I need a base minus one wrap to tie that carry. But with a small 6 month old and a thin wrap, I can tie it with a base minus three wrap.
To get the most out of your wrap, try the carries that I’ve put one size longer and one size shorter than the wrap you have. You’ll probably find you can eek out some of the carries that take a wrap one size longer and you can probably also do the carries for the next size down without too much excess tail.
What if you are between base sizes?
Some people are between base sizes. This means that they are fairly comfortable wrapping a Front Wrap Cross Carry in two different base sizes. This is pretty common! It’s just like being between shirt sizes. If this applies to you, try carries on more than one page and see what carries you really like in each size wrap. With some carries, you might want to size down on the wrap and with some you might want to size up!
Woven Wrap Carries by Wrap Size
I’d like to add a few words about the carries on these resources. I did not include every single possible carry on here. I tried to cover the most commonly used and well-loved carries, but there are so many carries! I think there might be nearly infinite wrapping possibilities. (Well at least – that would be an interesting math problem . . . if there are 7 possible wrap passes and carries can have one layer, two layers, three layers, four layers, or five layers, as well as a certain number of carry add ons – chest passes, chest belts, etc, how many carries are possible? I digress . . . isn’t wrapping fun?) If you think I’ve overlooked a wonderful carry, please leave me a comment and I’ll add it in!
Now that you’ve made it through the full explanation of woven wrap sizing, I’ll link the carries by size resource for you again so you don’t have to scroll back up. 🙂
I hope you have SO MUCH FUN playing with your woven wrap! There are so many wonderful carries out there and wrapping is so fun! <3