Walker Bag and Organizer - Gift for the Mobility Impaired

Looking for a handmade gift for a friend or beloved senior? If you've used a walker you know how hard it is to carry things around.

This gift makes it easy to carry lightweight items like pens, nail clippers, cough drops, tissues, photos, eyeglasses, or the TV remote.

This project will take a few hours depending on your experience with sewing. Most of the stitches are straight lines and there aren't too many pattern pieces to cut out.

Start by asking your loved one their preferences for flowers, plaids, stripes, solids or animal prints. The fabric store is a good place to get ideas.

What You'll Need:

• Simplicity Pattern 2300 - Try to catch a sale at the fabric store. Mine was 99 cents.
• A good pair of sewing scissors for cutting through the thicknesses of this polyester-filled broadcloth.
• A flat surface and good lighting. Try to set up a dedicated area for sewing that doesn't require everything to be put away after use.
• Practically any sewing machine will do. No zig-zag stitching is required.
• A good fabric marking pencil helps for marking the spots to be matched up. Or, a number two pencil or eyebrow pencil will work.
• A measuring tape helps keep the pattern even on the fabric
• Straight pins are essential.
• Notions needed are thread, double-fold bias tape, and sew-on Velcro for the straps.

The pattern will tell you how much fabric you'll need. This pattern calls for double-sided, quilted fabric. Be sure to buy enough to match designs if you choose a fabric with stripes or a  pattern.

Remember thread, Velcro tape, and double-fold bias tape in a color that matches your fabric. If you find the fabric and pattern on sale you'll save a bundle.

Begin by ironing the pattern pieces flat using a warm setting on the iron to get out the creases and folds in the paper. It really makes things easier.

Determine the pattern pieces that you'll need and put the extras in the envelope. Cut apart pieces that are printed on the same sheet. That helps in laying the pattern on the fabric.

Turning the straps after stitching takes a little patience and a keen eye. There are optional devices to speed this task along like a heavy-duty needle or a strap turner.

For Mom's walker, an extra strap was needed on either side of the center support Instead of just one strap in the center.

After the straps are turned right side out, Velcro is added and the straps are attached to the main body of the bag. Pictured above are the top straps and the side strap that holds the organizer to the leg of the walker.

Notice how the pattern of the fabric is matched to the pattern on the bag bodice.

The most trouble I had was the lack of directions for the side straps. It took a little improvising to cover the raw edges on the strap for the leg of the walker.

Notice along the side seam where the strap extends outward from the main body. The instructions say to encase the raw edges with the bias tape. That was hard since the strap is in the way.

I cut an extra strip of double fold bias tape about two inches long to affix to the unfinished edge left after attaching the strap to the main body of the organizer.

Attaching a short piece of bias tape along the edge of the pocket insert will cover the unfinished edge.

This organizer gets a lot of interest from the residents at the nursing home and I've been asked if I would make one for them.

The cost to make the entire project is around forty dollars depending on the fabric chosen, the notions, and the cost of the pattern. It's a worthy project to bring happiness to the receiver and the giver.