Mei Tai's

If you click the link in the title, you'll come across a budding obsession of mine. I have made my 1 month old a mei tai, a baby carrier, and she loves it. I put her in it, and if she's not looking around checking out the surroundings, she's sleeping soundly. The site in that link is what I have based my pattern off of, though I am going to incorporate some other ideas from other sites into my next one. The first one was a test, which came out much better than I ever could have though it would, was pretty basic. I used some heavy-weight fabric I had lying around (I bought it on clearance for either 50 cents or a dollar, not sure which), and went from there. I didn't have anything big enough for the straps I thought, but found some sturdy woven fabric that I used for a skirt for faire clothing, and had enough to make straps. I cut them long because I really didn't know how long I needed them. I also am making the straps a bit smaller than the directions are saying to, mostly because of comfort, but also because it's much easier to tie a thinner strap than a thicker one.
Next time around, like I said, I'm going to add some elements. I definitely want a pocket on it. How to do it, I'm working on it...though a zipper is not out of the question. I also am going to pad the shoulder area of the straps. There hasn't been much in the way of pressure on that area, but if I wear it for longer periods of time, it might help. It can't hurt any. I also want to pad the head area. My baby has gotten into a habit of working the head area down to she can lay her head back. If I try to put it up, she wiggles it down again, lol...It's a losing battle with her. The last thing I'm trying to work out is a way of putting leg holes in the bottom. I have seen where the bottom was brought in to be narrower, but seeing as she's so little and I'm wide, it still wouldn't work well I think. I'm still working that out. I really need to go and buy some fabric...