Artipoppe Made in China Jamin'

I had the chance to try out this stunning Artipoppe wrap courtesy of a wrap fairy (hi wrap fairy!!) At first, I wasn't quite sure what to think about this. The design is way outside of my comfort zone and the colours are very dramatic. Technically, they are probably both exact matches for an autumn like me, but I don't tend to gravitate towards such rich colours. The design, which is reminiscent of an Asian textile that you might see in the home of an avid traveller, is quite beautiful but for me, a tad fancy.

I must admit, I am slightly hesitant about trying APs. First off, I generally can't afford the price tag on most of them, especially this one!, but the fibres used are often too high maintenance for the way I like to enjoy my wraps. This particular blend is cotton, silk, merino and cashmere. I just....don't even know where to start. I barely wanted to wrap with this for fear of getting food on it, or using it outside, or god forbid, any small child doing any small child like things to it. So, that is a serious negative for me.

On a more positive note, it does wrap quite beautifully. I do love blends, and this one didn't disappoint. It is quite thin in hand, with a very tight weave. It reminds me of 2 birds or JKOC- a taut feel, with minimal stretch, but extremely supportive when wrapped. One must be careful when wrapping with these types of wraps, because it's very easy to bunch up the wrap in the wrong spot and be left with diggy shoulders or a tight spot under the baby's legs.

I used this in a few different carries. Although I rarely do FWCC anymore, I put the little guy up and it was quite lovely. Not much cush or snuggliness to it, but we felt very secure, and since he is bordering right on 25lbs, it's definitely a plus to feel zero sag. In a DH, it was the same. We felt very tight and secure, and although you must pay attention to your tightening rail by rail, the passes are easy to glide over the bum and this was an easier wrap to work with. There is no texture to speak of with Jamin, and I would describe it as a thinner wrap.

I'd recommend it to those with the cash and desire to own fancy wraps with lovely blends, who also enjoy supportive, thin wraps.
This is not for those who have messy children, or small budgets, or those who desire lots of cush, bounce or grippy texture.

Artipoppe Made In China Jamin'
Size 6
50% cotton, 30% merino, 15% silk, 5% cashmere

Artipoppe Two Birds Ink

Two Birds is a design that I have seen in countless stash shots, and all over the internet wrap world. I think you can't really exist in the online wrap groups without recognizing this pattern. So, I was pretty excited when Ink, an Egyptian cotton and linen blend, came to visit me recently.

First thoughts- I love linen blend wraps, so I knew that we would probably get along. There is something about linen that has a sturdy, taught type of support that I really like. Most linen blend wraps that I have tried have not had as much stretch as other all-cotton or other fibers do, so I find you need to be more careful when wrapping, to ensure that the rails are tight and the tightening is done well so that you end up with a comfortable wrap job. Two Birds is no different.

The size 2 that I was trying measured a bit long, which I tend to like. The added length means that I don't need to break my arm to get a rebozo pass around my back. One issue I had with this wrap was the width- it is very narrow, measuring in at only 25 inches. I find this entirely too narrow for me. I much prefer a width closer to 30 inches, that way I have plenty of fabric to make a proper seat. This caused a lot of issues for me and I can imagine it would be for anyone with a seat popper, or older baby who moves around a lot while wrapped. I HAD to do unpoppable carries or I would start to feel the seat sliding out from under my little guy's bum. Even in a rebozo carry inevitably the seat would start creeping out.

On a more positive note, I found this wrap very supportive, and even though it is what I would consider a thin-medium wrap, there was no diggyness and even with a chest belt I felt comfortable. Ink is the kind of wrap that holds in place very well. Despite almost no real texture, there is a great grip. This is a major plus for when using a shorty, as I tend to do carries like rebozo or tied-at-shoulder variations where any slipping at all can cause serious issues.

Pros: supportive, passes glide well and stay in place, colour is awesome (is it purple, is it blue?), great grip, and in a longer size would definitely be toddler worthy (25+lbs)

Cons: too narrow, linen requires constant ironing and care so as not to cause permanent creasing (although, if you find ironing therapeutic like I do, then by all means!), if you love thick or textured wraps this is not for you. Might be newborn worthy, but I'm going to say this would make a perfect wrap in a mid size with a 3-18 month old. ;)

Artipoppe Two Birds Ink
50% ecru cotton, 50% indigo linen
Size 2

Artipoppe Supernova Eos

Ah, the joys of having babywearing friends who generously lend me wraps to try out! I very happily borrowed this AP Supernova Eos to see what the AP craze was all about. I, unfortunately, (fortunately? I'm never sure) can't BUY all the wraps, hence the title of this blog, so I'm sort of stuck to churning within a certain price point when it comes to my own wraps. I am, however, open to trying wraps at any price. ;)

First impressions: Aesthetically, I really liked the subtle star pattern. Stars can be overdone sometimes (see: Kokadi stars) but this is a simple, sparse pattern. The colour of Eos is also more muted and sophisticated, which is works well with this design. It's like the wrap version of a J Crew cashmere sweater. I have no idea how to explain what I mean by that, but I'm sure someone reading this will understand. This wrap is a blend of 47% egyptian cotton and 54% wool. In hand it reminds me a little of Oscha's Braid Mallo- you can tell it's a wool wrap as it feels dense with a slight scratchy, wooly texture. This wrap has a medium stretch on the bias and I'd say, without knowing the weight, that it's about 270g/m2 but that's just a guess. I would describe it as medium weight, fairly tight weave and not nearly as soft as I wish it was.

I think it would be better if I never knew the price of a wrap before wrapping with it, because it's hard not to have high expectations for a higher priced wrap. I have to be honest, this doesn't wrap as well as I would have expected. There is literally no bounce in this wrap, which I don't normally mind, (check out my review of Oscha JKOC) but on top of that I find this wrap a bit saggy. If you look in the photo below you can see what I mean. I can wrap a pretty mean DH and this one just did not work. I had to undo and bounce the little guy back up and re-tie but even then, sag city. I think this wrap needs to be very carefully tightened. There's no getting away with a sloppy wrap job. That is sometimes a benefit with certain wraps, but with this one I find it a negative. The wrap has a dry feel, and although the passes move easily into place, it just feels a bit stiff. When you add that to the texture of the wool blend it isn't a clear winner for me.

I think this wrap would be great for a precise, experienced wrapper who is carrying a baby under 25lbs. Those who like a tight, sturdy, bounce free wrap- this would probably be a good choice.
I wouldn't recommend this wrap to a newer wrapper or someone going for a cuddly, cushy, forgiving wrap for their bigger baby.

I'm definitely looking forward to trying another Artipoppe because I'm sure this company must have a wrap I will love... Right?? What do you guys think? Have you tried an Artipoppe Supernova Eos? Any other AP wraps that I should try?

Artipoppe Supernova Eos
Ecru/Rosewood brown
47% Egyptian cotton/ 53% wool
Size 4