Didymos Natural Hemp India (NHIndia)

 Perfect for a newborn or a toddler. Somehow that sentence gets worked into every single wrap review I read these days and I don't get it. Not every wrap can work for every size baby. It just doesn't. But, with NHIndia it DEFINITELY does!

This wrap. Wow. I'm impressed and also slightly embarrassed that it took me so long to try another Didymos. I caught this wrap on a little travel around the country and although visually it was not love at first sight, the wrapping qualities are just awesome.

In hand the wrap is heavy and thick, in a spongy not dense sort of way. This is also a size 7, so picking it up means you are holding a LOT of wrap. It defines marshmallow, in my wrapping dictionary. It is smooshy on the shoulders, feels like a warm hug when wrapped around me, and there is a perfect (read:slight) amount of bounce while still being supportive. I think this may be what some people mean when they describe Pavo's Marble, but to me NHIndia is the epitome of marshmallow.

I took the little guy out for two nice morning walks with this wrap. We literally glided down the street as one, and even though it was halfpasttoofreakingearly in the morning and my wrap job was not the best, I adjusted nothing. My shoulders felt like clouds were placed on them, even if the babe was not even high enough it didn't seem to matter. This is a very forgiving wrap.

Downsides to this wrap: You know I always like to list the negatives, right? Well, as much as I think this wrap is totally squish worthy (I would LOVE to snuggle a new baby in this) it wouldn't be my first choice for a brand new wrapper. Let's say, ideal for a second baby wrapper. ;) It's thicker than many people might like and not the easiest to wrangle, especially in a long size.

Another thing I didn't love is the design. Wait. That's not what I mean. I actually really adore the India design, I've always had a thing for these elephants and peacocks. They remind me of the souvenirs my grandmother would bring back from her travels; a little necklace inside an intricately designed little bag with golds and purples and reds woven in. This natty wrap just does nothing for this amazing design (which was designed by Pavo's Erin Arnason- a little geekery tidbit that pretty much everyone knows, but for some reason makes me more in awe of her). You need to really squint to examine what exactly is woven onto this wrap, otherwise it just looks like a bunch of random squiggles.

Lastly, I wouldn't consider this a great hot weather wrap. Even though it's July, I wrapped with this inside or in the morning and I found it cozy and warm. On a hot day this would be at the bottom of the list for me. It would just be way too much. There are hemp wraps out there that would be as supportive, maybe not as cushy, but definitely lighter weight.

I'd recommend this wrap to almost anyone. I'd say skill level of intermediate to expert, and from 3-50lbs. I'm sad this isn't mine, but I will be on the lookout for a smaller size...and it would make a really great dye blank!!! Bring those animals out to play!

Didymos Natural Hemp India
50% Organic Cotton , %50 Hemp
Natural
Size 7

Oscha Japanese Knots Ooki Cora

The beautiful coral colour was catching my eye every time it came up on the swaps. I'd originally wanted the Rei Coralline, but it was always too pricey at the time. So when I was offered JKOC in a trade and I was pretty excited and I'm so happy I accepted.

First off- the colour. This is not a wrap for someone hoping to blend in. This wrap jumps up and down saying, "look at me!! I'm bright and I'm happy and I'm here for a good time!" Well, maybe not, but that's how I feel when I wear it. These days, with spring barely even here at the end of April, wearing Cora makes me feel just a little bit warmer. She is a bright coral colour, with an ecru hemp contrast. The hemp gives off a bit of shimmer, which just makes the wrap even more beautiful.

This is a tightly woven wrap- thinner, but solid. It doesn't have much stretch or bounce but that is what I happen to love about this. If I use a thinner wrap I want it to wrap easily and stay in place. JKOC does exactly that. There is no adjusting needed, this wrap grips and holds precisely where you want it to. That means- if you wrap like a slob, you will be stuck with a sloppy wrap job. But, if you take the time and wrap each strand perfectly, then you are good to go for the rest of the day. It is a hemp blend, so I think that definitely adds to the supportiveness of this wrap.

This is a size 6 wrap and it's my favorite double hammock wrap when I'm out and about. I can easily get the chest pass super tight, so there's no loose top or bottom rail (a very common issue I see with DH's). The passes slide up easily, so I'm not struggling to get up and over my little guy's back. There is minimal cush and I wouldn't say there is a ton of support on the shoulders, but if you wrap carefully the grip should help with that. You know the "wraps like an ace bandage" saying? Well I think this one wraps like a waterproof plastic band-aid. You know, the one you need to literally pry off after a week and it hasn't budged at all? Yep, to me that's Cora.

This wrap also shines in a FWCC because it does it's job of keeping baby supported, without me needing to take into account all sorts of extra thick wrap fabric. I can spread the passes or keep them bunched under the bum and it's cozy and looks nice either way. 

It has somehow also become the wrap my husband chooses anytime he wears, so I'm not sure if that makes it a "manly wrap" but the pattern is certainly cool enough for him- whatever that means!

I think this wrap would be great for someone who enjoys the actual wrapping aspect of babywearing. (Not that I'm always that person - sometimes I'm the sweaty, swearing type...) It's not a thick beast that will just "wrap itself", instead you can strand by strand tighten and then be rewarded with all day support. If you enjoy feeling like you've been duct taped to your baby- this wrap's for you! (It's a good thing, I swear!)

Yes, here I am pretending to pick a dead flower, for the sake of the blog.

You should skip this wrap if you are scared by bright colours, if you prefer thick, smooshy, cuddly wraps, or if you want lots of stretch.

What are your thoughts on JKOC? Have you tried any of the other Japanese Knots? Do they wrap similarly and would you recommend I give another one a try? Let me know in the comments!

Japanese Knots Ooki Cora
50% deep sea cotton, 50% hemp
Coral/Ecru
Size 6

Didymos April Hemp Indio

I scored a great deal on a Didymos April Hemp Indio (AHI) from a retailer here in Canada. I'd been dying to try out a hemp indio, and I had been looking for something in a green colourway so when I saw this beauty and the gorgeous contrast of the lime green and royal blue I jumped at the chance to own this wrap.

My first impression as I took this wrap out of the box was that of a strarched tablecloth: stiff, crunchy, and thin. It did, however, practically shine and the striking boldness of the colours was simply amazing. The freshness of the green mixed with the bright royal blue were the perfect mix. This wrap is sophisticated, and would probably suit so many different colourings.

I immediately put April into a nice warm wash, followed by a warm toss around in the dryer and immediately she softened up. A fluffy, hempy layer sprang up from the once sleek weave and she was ready to go. If I remember correctly, this was the first size 5 wrap that I owned, so it took a while for me to figure out what carries would work best with April. I immediately noticed that the wrap seemed a little thin for my tastes. The rails were tight and a bit diggy, so even in a FWCC it was a bit uncomfortable tying off. I actually found this wrap difficult to adjust on the passes, but they definitely stayed put once I got them where I wanted them.

Enjoying some April snuggles!

After a couple of braids, and spending some time with my boys in the living room, AHI softened up quite a bit. I think hemps in general need some attention and love to reach their full potential.
They just seem to get softer and more moldable the more you use them.

After a few weeks at our place, April moved on to another home. I simply found I wasn't reaching for this wrap as much as I expected to. Maybe it was the dark, cold Montreal winter that didn't allow me to fully enjoy this wrap or maybe it was because it was simply not smooshy and cuddly enough for what I wanted at the time. I am very much looking forward to trying out many more hemp indios, there are so many colourways and I have heard they all wrap so differently.

I'd recommend this wrap to someone who looking for a thin, supportive wrap. Hemp is known to be more supportive than a simple cotton blend and Didymos is known for their great hemp indios. The colour (as usual, I am raving about the colour!) is amazing. The texture of the wrap is understated, but you can tell it's there. It helps keep a nice grippy knot and this wrap can rock many different carries without any trouble. I'd say it would be great for a newbie. Easy to care for, and with the usual hemp nubbies you don't to worry about babying this wrap.

I would probably not recommend this wrap for someone looking for "cush" or "stretch". I didn't find this wrap had a whole lot of either. If it came in a thicker version I'd be curious to try, as I think that might make it a perfect fit for me.



Didymos April Hemp Indio
55% cotton/ 45% hemp
Blue/Green
Size 5

Thoughts on April Hemp Indio? Did I miss out on a gem? What indio would you recommend I try next?