Back Carry, Ellaroo Jeri Wrap Conversion, originally uploaded by indiaeden.

I've owned this Ellaroo Wrap for several years, it's been on holiday with the Slinging In The Rain Library for a few years, but been back in my hands for the past few months.
I hadn't been reaching for it much, but am sentimentally attatched to it. It carried my chubby not so little Sid.

And carried him again when he was a toddler.

I thought I might make it into a ring sling, and then I pondered making it into a mei tai.
I've never really been fond of the idea of converting a wrap into a Mei Tai. I always thought it was odd to cut up a perfectly beautiful and adaptable wrap and make it into something else that in my opinion wasn't nearly so adaptable.
Never mind the expense of buying a wrap and then making it into something else.
I have made ring slings from wraps, and I've used wrap scraps to make Mei Tai body's before, I still miss my custom made Aqua Waves and wool Connecta.

Still, despite my general unease about wrap conversions, I thought I'd have a go at making one, just to see.
The Ellaroo was only a size 4.2, not really long enough for a regular wrap conversion, with wrap style straps and a sleep hood that I had in mind, but with a bit of creative cutting and adaptation of my Zidee pattern pieces I've made what isn't strictly speaking a true wrap conversion, but a Mei Tai made from a wrap.
Wrap conversions usually, and sensibly rely on the qualities of the wrap in question to provide support and comfort. (And a voice inside my head still says "so why cut up the wrap then?)
Ellaroo wraps are not really renowned for their support. They are great quality budget wraps, but do require care and skill to use compared to many other more expensive wraps such as Didymos for example.
With this in mind, plus the length of fabric available to me, I decided to support the body of the carrier with an internal layer of cotton canvas, and to pad the shoulder and waist straps just lightly.

I haven't made a baby carrier in a while, and it was nicely relaxing putting this one together this afternoon.
I had to wrestle Ernest in from playing football with his brothers to try it on, but for the few moments I had him up there on my back, it felt comfortable, and it's long enough in the body to support Ernest's head should he fall asleep, but I can easily shorten the body too, by folding up the waistband, as I have in the front carry photograph.
Not bad for an afternoons work.