D4E1 Armrest Cover

A cover for people who experience the normal armrests of a walker as too painful.

We made this aid for Lutgardis. She walks with an aid with armrests. The armrests on her walker were too painful and she also has to pay attention because her skin is very fragile and cuts easily. At first she had put soft cloths around her armrests but this was not washable nor did it look pretty. Together we designed a soft cover that did meet these requirements.

The cover can be easily made by anybody who has access to the materials. The aid is specificly adapted to the walker of Lutgardis. Below you will find the instructions to make your own armrest cover.

Supplies:

• Fleece fabric (twice a piece of 29,5 x 28 cm)
• Cotton fabric (twice a piece of 29,5 x 28 cm)
• 2 Foam rubbers (27 x 25 cm, thickness 1,5 cm)
• 16 Buttons
• 139 cm Buttonhole elastic
• 76 cm Elastic
• 2 Push buttons
• Sewing thread
• Patterned paper

Gear:

• Hammer
• Scissors
• Fabric shears
• Needle
• Pins
• Button tools
• Ruler
• Sewing machine
• Cutter knife

Cut the foam in the right size with a cutter knife

1. Cut the right size from the patterned paper
2. Use the patterned paper to cut the fleece and cotton fabric at the right size (for both covers)
3. Use the zigzag stitch on the sewing machine for the edges of all the fabrics

4. Cut the elastic into four equal pieces and stitch one on the longest side of the cotton fabric and one on the longest side of the fleece fabric. Do this also for the other cover.

5. Place one fleece and one cotton fabric on each other (with the elastic on the outside). Use a seam of 1 cm and stitch the other three sides (not the side where the elastic is stitched on). Repeat this for the other cover.

1. Sew the four buttons on each of the short sides with the same stitching thread that you used on your sewing machine.
2. Use the button tools and a hammer to punch the push button
3. Do these steps for both covers as well

1. Cut the buttonholes elastics in the right size (10.5, 19, 20 en 20 cm)
2. Do this a second time for the other cover
3. Finish the edges with the zigzag stitch
4. Attach the four buttonholes elastics to each cover

Put the foam in the armrest cover and attach it to the walker. Enjoy the soft armrest!!