ring sling with overlapping pleat shoulder

Today's message: I will be closing the store starting on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 25, since I won't be sewing or shipping over the US Thanksgiving weekend (25th-29th) as we will be visiting with family. Please plan accordingly and order earlier, or be prepared to wait a few days to order, if you will need a sling around those times. (Closing the store basically means I will be marking all the fabrics as "out of stock" -- they won't actually be out of stock, but I don't wish to take orders duing that time because I hate having a backlog. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.)

If you're looking at a product and can't see any swatches, click on the color selector for that product, pull down until you see the color you're interested in, and then let go of the mouse button. The photo at left will change to reflect the chosen color. If this doesn't work on your browser, please send me an email and let me know.

faq about ordering and shipping:

• I want to order a _____ sling. Do you have it in stock?
• Why don't you have pictures of finished slings instead of just swatches?
• How much is shipping?
• How long will it take to get my sling?
• I live in Canada, and I don't want to pay the customs fee. Can you mark the sling as a gift?
• What is your return policy?
• I'm ordering this as a gift, and I want it to be a surprise.

I want to order a ______ sling. Do you have it in stock?

The fabrics shown on the website are currently in stock. (A corollary to this: if it's not on the site, it's not available.) However, please keep in mind that it is the *fabric* that is in stock. I sew every sling individually as it is ordered -- unlike larger manufacturers, I do not keep a completed inventory on hand, as there are so many variations possible. Every sling is a custom sling!

Why don't you have pictures of finished slings instead of just swatches?

Because I sew everything to order, I've usually got just enough time to do the sewing and shipping each day. If I had more time, I could probably take a picture of each sling that I sew, but I'd still need to process each picture and add it to the site, which is not a trivial undertaking with as many fabrics as I offer. I know a lot of the other well-known manufacturers have pictures of completed slings, but their slings are sewn in large batches and (not to put too fine a point on it), they charge a lot more, and some of the price includes things like photography. Not many people realize how much it costs to hire a good photographer and models with babies, and scope out a good shooting location, not to mention cropping and color-correcting the photos once they're taken. What it boils down to is that I'd need to raise my prices in order to include photos of each sling, and I'm just not comfortable raising prices for that reason.

How much is shipping?

Please read through the shipping page.

How long will it take to get my sling?

All slings are sewn to your specifications after I receive your order. While I work from home, I prefer to keep regular business hours in deference to my family's needs, so I do not make it a practice to sew or ship on the weekends. Unless I am completely overwhelmed by orders, I will have your sling out on the next business day after your order. (This does mean that if you order on Friday, I won't have your order out until the next Monday). Occasionally I receive more orders than I can sew in a single day; in that case, I will ship as soon as I can. Barring unforeseen or extreme situations (like the birth of a child, spraining my ankle, or being hit with a 9-day power outage...), I have never had an in-stock order take more than a few days.

I ship via USPS Priority Mail. The PO claims this takes 2-3 days, though your mileage may vary. Californians may find that shipping takes more like 4 days, while those on the East coast may receive their slings within a day of shipping.

All told, once I receive payment, you should have your sling within a week, assuming there are no complications. In Canada, this can be as long as 2-3 weeks -- Canada Post being notoriously slow.

I live in Canada/Europe, and I don't want to pay the customs handling fee. Can you mark the sling as a gift?

No. Marking a purchased item as a gift is mail fraud, and I would be the one breaking the law (and hence, the one who would be punished if the package were opened -- further information is available on the shipping page). I will mark the package with the value of the sling alone (without the shipping costs). The amount you will pay will depend on your province; if you dislike paying taxes on purchased items, I would suggest contacting your representatives. If you prefer not to pay the customs handling fee on your purchase, you might want to order from a Canadian sling maker or distributor: Mother's Helper, Up! Mama, Milkface, Honeybunch Baby, The Extraordinary Baby Shoppe, and Hip Bundles are all based in Canada, and shipments from them within Canada will not incur a customs handling fee, just your provincial tax.

What is your return policy?

It's here. Please understand that the $5 restocking fee is added not because I want to be difficult or take your money, but because as a very very very small business, every moment and every dollar counts.

I'm ordering this as a gift, and I want it to be a surprise.

I know it's nice to have a surprise gift, but a sling is a pretty personal item. I think it's best to let the recipient pick out the size, color, and other options -- pockets, rings, etc. Returns and exchanges are possible, but difficult. I think it's better to get it right the first time, even if that means spoiling the surprise. I am now able to offer gift certificates, which might be a better option for you.