WALKER CARRYALL

A friend of mine asked me to make this walker carryall to use as a demo in a class she was giving. It was so much fun and generated a lot of positive comments on my Facebook page, so I was asked to post the instructions. I did my best to explain it but I have to say, it's a lot easier to make than explain!! I hope these instructions are easy to understand but if not, please use the YouTube link at the end to watch the excellent video to learn how to make one. This is a great idea for groups looking to make charity projects, or if you know of someone who uses a walker, it might be a nice gift for them. Just remember (and I cannot emphasize this enough), please keep it small. You only want them putting lightweight and small objects in this (like a cell phone); you do not want someone overloading a carryall and then falling because it's too cumbersome!

Supplies:

* 2 pieces of fabric, approximately 15" x 25"-This can be 2 pieces of the same fabric or coordinating fabric; be creative! One yard of 45” fabric will do the whole project

* 2 sets of 3” sewing Velcro (no adhesive on back) and by this I mean 2 hook and 2 loop pieces

* Thread

* Ruler for measuring fabric and Velcro

* Pins for holding fabric together while sewing

* Basting spray (I used Spray’n Bond)

* Washable fabric pen for marking center

* Scissors for cutting fabric

Instructions:

Measure your fabric. For the carryall pictured here, I used the same fabric for both sides, but you can certainly be creative here. If you are a quilter, use your scraps and make a scrappy carryall. You could paint a design on fabric, embroider; the possibilities are only as limited as your creativity. Have fun with it! The carryall pictured was made using fabric measuring 15” x 23”; I think that I would increase the size to about 25” so that the pockets would be just a bit deeper. You do not want the carryall to be too big; it is meant to hold small items, like eyeglasses and cell phones; otherwise, the individual using the walker may be tempted to place too many items in the carryall, causing it to become heavy and cumbersome.

Once measured, pin right sides together. Sew around all 4 sides, leaving just enough space on one side so that you can turn the fabric to right sides, approximately 5” or so. I used a ½” seam. After sewing, press, clip the corners to ease fabric bulk, and turn to the right side. Press again. Do not worry about closing the ‘turning gap’; you will close this later when you are finishing up the pockets.

this is what it looks like after sewing the 4 sides together and turning it

To place the Velcro strips, fold the short side of fabric in half to find the center point. Measure about 3” or so from the center and down 1.5” and place a piece of Velcro. This is where I used the basting spray; just a little spray, and the Velcro stays in place while you sew (much easier than pinning).  Place another Velcro strip, the same dimensions (3” over, 1.5” down) on the bottom; the same side of the fabric. You will do the same measurements on the other side of the center line, using the other sides of the Velcro. Make sure you will be able to fold the fabric over and have the Velcro stick to itself. This is how the bag will fasten over the walker. You can also get creative here: I've seen carryalls with ties, with buttons, with snaps; it does not have to be Velcro. Again, this is a personal choice. I used the Velcro thinking it might be easiest for an elderly person to fasten rather than tying or buttoning. Here’s a tip with placing the Velcro so that your two sides match for fastening: once I had my first Velcro pieces in place, I stuck the other pieces to the Velcro, sprayed a little basting spray on the back, then folded the fabric and pressed so that the Velcro stuck to the opposite side. It was then exactly in the place it needed to be to work correctly, and I just carefully peeled the fabric back and sewed the Velcro in place. Works perfectly!

By now, you should have a rectangle that folds in half and sticks together, and it will look like this:

Lay the fabric flat, unfolded, Velcro side down. The Velcro will be on the left and right side, and you will turn the end of the fabric nearest you up towards the Velcro (remember, the Velcro side is down), about 5”. Do this on both ends and pin. This will become the pockets, which are on the outside. Find the center point of each pocket, and stitch down that center line, so instead of one big pocket, you have two pockets. I reinforced the top of the pockets just so they would hold up better. Once you have done this, sew a ¼” seam along both sides of the entire piece (the outside edges). This will finish the pocket as well as close the ‘turning gap’ that was still open.

The Velcro is underneath, on the left and right sides, so when you fold this in half, it will fasten securely.

Your finished carryall will be around 8” long on each side, with 2 pockets on each outer side, and Velcro inside to attach it after you hang it over the walker bar.

now does it make sense?

This is not my original pattern. If you look online, you can find all sorts of patterns and ideas, as well as videos, on making one of these. It is simple; even a beginner sewing student could make one. It cost me under $10 and took less than 2 hours to make and would be a great charity project. Here is the link to the video I watched to make the one you see pictured. It's a great video and will make my explanation easier, too. Send me pictures if you make one!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqfmuXQ_moc