Introduction
Every wrap I try from Pavo Textiles impresses me, and it’s never for the reasons I expect it to. As soon as I saw Sparkleberry Noir in a preview for their Spring 2016 Subscription Box, I was in love – monochrome gets me every time. One hint that made me think this wrap was made for me was the description given by Pavo: “…Sparkleberry is a heavyweight wrap and is not suitable for infants or inexperienced wrappers.” I love thick, heavy wraps – so much that I joke that I would wrap with a carpet if I could! In addition to the enticing description, I’d heard wonderful things about Sparkleberry’s wrap qualities, and I had even gotten to play with a Sparkleberry Veronica that visited briefly, but it was a short visit at a time that we weren’t wrapping much, so I really missed out on learning just how much I would love wrapping with SB Noir.
I jumped on the opportunity to get SB Noir, and I am so glad I did because it has become one of my favorite wraps. Pavo’s description of its weight is absolutely correct – it is dense and heavy. Mine arrived in loomstate, and it has definitely taken some work to break in, but SB Noir can become very moldable and blankety with thorough use & love.
Once my toddler reached around 27 pounds, I pretty much gave up on front wrap cross carry (FWCC) unless I spread the reinforcing passes so that it was a multilayer carry, since I couldn’t get it quite comfortable enough otherwise. That was ok, but it made front wrapping take a little longer while I figured out how to spread all of the passes evenly. We switched to Kangaroo carry because it was easier to tie and tighten properly than FWCC with spread passes. Then when SB Noir arrived, the density and thickness made it difficult to get a nice flipped shoulder in Kangaroo carry, so I tried FWCC tied under bum (TUB) – that means I couldn’t spread out the reinforcing passes, but I gave it a try anyway. For a wrap to really fulfill its destiny here, I need it to have at least one comfortable front carry and one good solid (unpoppable) back carry. Much to my surprise, FWCC TUB with SB Noir was a cozy, snuggly success! This carry has become our go-to front carry with SB Noir, and I am thrilled to have a FWCC variation back in my rotation since I used this carry so many times earlier in our babywearing days that it’s almost like second nature to tie.
Since I got SB Noir in a shorter size, and because of it’s heaftiness, I tried it in what became our first easy and comfortable Ruck carry! I think the texture helps a lot to keep the ruck straps from slipping off my shoulders, which is usually a problem for me with a regular Ruck carry using other woven wraps.
A wrap that does a comfortable and quick single layer carry well, both in front and in back, is unusual in my experience, and is likely to get more use in our wrap rotation, especially if I can easily throw it in my bag. SB Noir is all of those things, and is beautiful in addition to having great wrap qualities. I love monochrome wraps – no so much because I worry about matching, but because I don’t want the colors I am wearing to clash with my wrap! SB Noir is a perfect monochrome since it’s woven with black threads, but the weave gives it a charcoal look that I love.
I really wanted to try a chest pass with SB Noir, so I wrapped my big guy in a double hammock tied at the side (DH TAS). Since we have moved up into a size 5 for this carry, I was barely able to eek it out with a size 4, and I used a ring to finish. As predicted, the chest pass felt great, and the color & pattern on the chest pass made me feel very chic (the red lippie helped too). I have definitely noticed that as SB Noir breaks in more, the chest pass has increased in moldability. This wrap just keeps getting better and better!
If you have a chance to try this wrap, I recommend it in any size! A short can do an a amazing Ruck, FWCC, or DH TAS, while a base would be fabulous in any DH variation that requires a longer wrap, or a full FWCC. The dark grey color of SB Noir reminds me of a casual and classy “little black dress” that goes with everything, and its sturdy wrap qualities make it great for even very big kids that like to be up for a long time.
The stats
weaver: Pavo Textiles Guild
size: 4 (3.6 m as listed by Pavo)
width: 69 cm (27 in)
soft tape in hand: 3.64 m
weight: 340 gsm (as listed by Pavo for this wrap)
blend: 100% cotton
wrappee: 25-30+ lbs of toddler
carries tried: Ruck tied in front (TIF), a Ruck variation with twisted straps, Double Hammock tied at side (DH TAS) with and without a ring finish, Front Wrap Cross Carry tied under bum (FWCC TUB), Double Hammock tied under bum (DH TUB)
wrap qualities: sturdy, moderate recoil, supportive, cushy, not diggy, slightly grippy, slightly moldable and becomes more so with regular use, toddler worthy for single pass carries