D4E1 - Custom Walker Handle Sleeves

Not all walker users are satisfied with how their handles feel. This tutorial will teach you how to make custom sleeves for the most common handles used for walkers. As initiative for designforeveryone.howest.be . Made by Gilles Alossery, Phoebe Rommelaere and Axel Lenga. Students at Howest.

If you have different handles, go to the instructable for making your own handle pattern https://www.instructables.com/D4E1-Custom-Handle-Sleeves-Pattern-for-Different-H/

• two A4 sized textile area's in preferred textile. (one A4 per handle) (has to be a wear-resistant fabric)
• (two A4 sized textile area's in preferred textile for lining) (only if lining is wanted)
• sewing machine
• thread
• fabric scissors
• normal scissors
• 12cm velcro
• 30cm elastic fabric
• pattern to print out or SVG file to lasercut / plot the pattern
• printer / lasercutter / plotter
• pen

Print out the pattern (or lasercut / plot it into the chosen fabric)

Cut out the pattern with normal scissors.

Put the pattern pieces on the fabric and draw around the pieces. The rectangular shape needs to be drawn twice.

Cut the drawn pieces out of the fabric.

Take the cut outs and sew them onto the lining fabric with a sewing machine.

Don't sew the rectangular and circular shape onto the lining fabric.

Cut out the lining following the shape of the fabric patterns.

The patterns A1 and C need to be sewn together in the curve (dot) and onto each other.

Sew together B1 and A1 at the triangle.

Sew together A2 and B2. The straight seam XX and square and the curve with XX and square need to be on top of each other.

Sew together the parts you just worked on.

Fold D closed and sew the open side closed.

Sew pattern D together on the sides of the other parts with the side you just closed

Double sew the long sides of both D's

Put the soft and hard velcro on the D part and cut them so they fit.

Sew the soft velcro on the right D pattern close to the edge on the outside.

Sew the hard velcro on the left D pattern close to the edge on the inside.

Sew the circle on at the bottom from velcro to velcro. (close the bottom)

(option to first stitch a figure on the circle to recognize the left and right handle)

Fold the elastic band double and sew it on to the open part at the top

To make the left handle, flip the paper patterns when your draw them on the fabric and repeat all the other steps after that.