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Baby Carrier Review: Bijou Wear Stella Betelgeuse

Wool. I love wool socks. I love wool sweaters. BUT... when it comes to wraps, I shy away because hand washing three plus meters of fabric and then line drying that just isn't my cup of tea. Well, guess what? Bijou Wear's superwash wool comes along and I'm all like, "wait, you can seriously throw that in the washing machine?"

[Image of a maroon and ecru wool blend woven wrap patterned with a large star burst laying on a concrete ground with a fallen red autumn leaf on top and a crunchy greenish autumn leaf nearby. The many shades of red threads are so so lovely.]
Shades of Red

Superwash wool has been treated in two different ways to reduce prickliness and the chance of felting. Thus, it can go into the washer on the gentlest cycle with cold water and a little Eucalan, no rinse. Lay flat to dry or tumble dry without heat. Bijou Wear's Stella Betelgeuse is a 25% Merino wool/55% cotton blend (care instructions per tag on carrier).

[Image of a of a woman’s torso focused on a maroon and ecru wool blend star burst patterned woven wrap carrier. Woman has on a black and white zip-up fleece jacket. The wrap carries a sleepy toddler on the woman’s back-though toddler isn’t visible in photo frame. The wrap is spread across the woman’s chest and double knotted at a shoulder; the top of the chest pass is folded down slightly so the reverse side is apparent. It’s a gray drizzly day but this woolie wrap turns up the cozy.]
Double Hammock Tied at Shoulder
I can handle that. Oh yes. Yup.

[Image of a woman’s torso featuring a white sweatshirt with a Totoro drawn in black outline. A maroon and ecru star burst patterned woven wrap is used to contain and calm a child on her back who has big feelings that are all over the place this morning. The child’s previously flailing hand now rests on the woman’s shoulder. The child’s previously kicking legs now rest calmly at the woman’s sides. The wrap is twisted in a candy cane chest belt across her upper chest, showing off both sides of the wrap.]
Rucksack Back Carry with a Loop Candy Cane Chest Belt

So now that I've gotten over the care instructions, how are those wrapping qualities you might ask? Well, disclaimer. I haven't wrapped with any other wool wraps so I don't have anything to compare to for fiber blend. I can say it's lovely, more than lovely. The following are some stats so you know what's what:

Stats:
  • Carrier: Bijou Wear Stella Betelgeuse
  • Material: 45% Merino wool/ 55% cotton
  • Length: size 4 (approximately 150"/3.81m)
  • Width: approximately 28.5"/0.72m
  • Density: approximately 325 grams per square meter
  • Wearees: 
    • 4.75 year old (approximately 34 pounds/15.4 kilograms) 
    • 1.75 year old (approximately 23 pounds/10.4 kilograms)
Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair in a high pony tail wearing a sleeping toddler in a maroon and ecru retro star patterned woven wrap carrier on her front underneath a black and white plaid fleece jacket. They're outside in a winter wonderland with evergreens in the background.
Wool. Fleece. Snuggles.

The dense weave and signature woolie-bounce of this wrap makes it so supportive and snuggly for both me and my children. They literally "sigh" into the wrap and muscles relax instantly. It's cushy on my shoulders with pressing down on them and I've felt zero pressure points even when I don't take the time to really strand by strand tighten for even tension. Serious!

Image of a maroon and ecru retro star patterned woven wrap of the back of a sleeping toddler in the wrap with the image focused on the knot under toddler's bum. On the side is the Mama's black and white fleece with hand in pocket and white snow in the background.
Knot Under Bum

It's a base minus one here and we've loved it in front, hip, and back carries. I feel like it would shine in all lengths. If you don't love wider width wraps, in base or longer it may feel overwhelming with all the fabric so a shorter length may feel more manageable. That being said, Stella Betelgeuse was only released in sizes four and six so that limits your options. Another Stella woolie is Stella Stargazer; it was released in sizes four, seven, and eight!! So if cobalt blue is more your thing, keep a look out for that one.

Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair in a high pony tail looking off into the snowy distance while a toddler sleeps on her front wrapped in a marron and ecu retro star patterned woven wrap carrier underneath a black and white plaid jacket. Behind them is a winter wonderland and evergreen trees.
#GoesWithPlaid


Do you know how "Betelgeuse" is pronounced??? Take a guess.
It's "beetle juice."
Seriously?
Seriously.

Image of a tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair up in a high pony tail. She's looking over her right shoulder and wearing a sleeping toddler on her front in a maroon and ecru retro star patterned woven wrap carrier underneath a black and white fleece jacket with skinny jeans. They're outside in a winter wonderland with evergreen trees in the background and snow beneath their feet.
Winter Wonderland

Sooooo...what does "Betelgeuse" mean???

Be·tel·geuse
[ˈbēdlˌjo͞os, ˈbedlˌjo͞os, ˈbēdlˌjo͞oz, ˈbedlˌjo͞oz]

DEFINITION

  1. the tenth brightest star in the sky, in the constellation Orion. It is a red supergiant, and variations in its brightness are associated with pulsations in its outer envelope.

Thank you Oxford Dictionary.

[Image of a smiling tan skin bespectacled Asian woman with dark brown hair wearing a toddler on her hip in a maroon and ecru star burst patterned woven wrap carrier over a purple down jacket. She also has on a purple and ecru windmill patterned infinity scarf made from wrap scrap. The toddler is smiling up at twinkling lights above. Toddler has on a pink fleece and a crocheted owl hat. They’re outside at night surrounded by colorful light decorations.]
Perfect with Holiday Lights

Summary: Wrap It Up

Below is a summary of things that might make you go for Stella Betelgeuse, or not. Keep in mind that the list is subjective and you may love the wrap even if you check off more than half the things for the "not for me" list below.

This may not be love at first wrap if you're looking for:
  • airy
  • narrower width
  • thinner weight in hand
  • lots of recoil/ace bandage stretch
  • not wool (some people find wool prickly)



This might be your cup of tea if you're looking for:
  • fluffy
  • some bounce
  • cush on the shoulders
  • medium texture and grip
  • breathable denser weave
  • medium-ish weight in hand
  • machine-washable wool blend
  • jacquard woven with distinctive sides


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For more pics and commentary, check out my Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/wearingpluotandkumquat/! Search #StellaBetelgeuse.

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Images have descriptions provided in the alternative text accessible to screen readers.
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