Wheelchair quilts... 36" or 42" better?
 

I am making a wheelchair quilt as a surprise for my aunt. She is in a power chair due to MS pretty much paralyzing her left side, and when she goes out they often use a transfer chair just because it is easier to deal with. With the weather turning colder I want to make a quilt for her...

I finally decided to just do an offset brick quilt using a jelly roll I had. I started cutting it last night, it will be 6" finished bricks, with 3" bricks on the ends of every other row to make up for the offset.

So... if I do a row of 6 bricks it would be 36" and 7 bricks would make it 42"... not sure which way to go! I don't want it to get caught up in her wheels or drag on the floor as it drapes over, so I am kinda thinking 36" ... but does anyone out there have any actual experience to know which would be the better width?

I read that wheelchair quilts should be 36-48" wide and all sorts of opinions on lengths. So, while I have you... what length (in multiples of 2" of course) would you go with?

It varies a lot-- people are different sizes, and chairs are different sizes. I will disagree (respectfully) with the suggestion that she can just tuck it under her -- for people who have mobility issues, having a wad of quilt under them can cause pressure points or sores, in addition to being just plain uncomfortable. And quilts come untucked and drag or get caught in wheels or doors when they're too big.

So -- ask your aunt. Having it fit right and be usable trumps the fun of a surprise, if that was your intent. And if she doesn't know, either measure her while seated in her chair, or ask one of her caregivers to do so.

Failing that, measure yourself sitting in a chair. I'm not tiny, and a 36 inch wide by 42 long would cover my lap, come up a bit above my waist, and drape over my knees to my feet, but not cover my feet or get tangled when I go to stand up.

Thank You for bring this up. I need to do a wheelchair lap quilt for my DN. He has been diagnosed with MLS and needs one now. He lives near San Antonio TX so I thought that I would use a silk or s/mix batting so he would be comfortable. What are your thoughts on this? He is not too tall so Maybe 48x42 for him too?

Actually, the previous person had posted, "I WOULD GO 48x42 SHE CAN ALWAYS TUCK IT IN AROUND HER LEGS AND BODY. BUT QUILTS JUST DON'T STRECH MUCH. Oh poo just noticed I had cap lock on! LOL"
There was no mention of tucking the quilt 'under' but rather 'in around,' which I took to mean to push down toward the seat, not under the person.

I also agree that it depends upon the size of the person being covered.

When we were making them for the local nursing home they requested 36 X 36 for wheelchair quilts

I don't know about the size, but I would make the back Flannel so that it will won't be too slick and tend to slide off her, otherwise, she will be fighting trying to keep it on her lap. I am not handicapped in any way and find that I have issues sometimes keeping a quilt covering me.

edited to add: Just saw the comment about the nursing home requesting 36x36. Why not make her a whole cloth...something with a pretty printed design as a test quilt? Then you could make her a fabulous, special one later.

Some are prepared with tie strings attached to two corners so they can be tied to the chair so they don't end up on the floor.

I made several wheel chair lap quilts for our Senior Day Center and made most of them around 40" x 44".

I just found this on pinterest the other day:
Recommended sizes
Hospice bed 63" X 80"
Neo Natal 36" X 36"
Crib 34"-36" X 48"
Wheel Chair 36" X 48"
Nap Quilt 40" X 55"-60"

No idea if those are universal or not. It was on the internet, so it must be true, right?

I do recommend flannel for the backing; it's not easy for some people to pull the quilt back up if it starts to slide. And while the ties are good for some people, not everyone will want or need them.

I have done some wheelchair quilts for our church group and I tired to stay withing 36" to 42". If you can't measure her because of a surprise, talk to someone (caretaker or assistant) who can tell you what size will work best for your aunt.

Can't help you with the size, but I saw these and thought it would be a great idea if the wheelchair quilt had a pocket for hands and tissues. https://www.pinterest.com/homesewn/unique-lap-quilts/

Fabulous idea! I'd want big, deep, flannel lined pockets ! Nothing too tight for a person with joint issue.

I have seen some lap quilts where the bottom 2 corners are cut at a diagonal about 6" from the corner...this keeps the corners from getting caught in the wheels and doesn't affect the functionality of the quilt...flannel backing sounds like a great idea.

What a sweet idea for your aunt...it might be nice to add a variety of textures...satin, fleece, etc near the area where her hands would lay, just to give her the ability to feel something soft and different.

I made one for my good friend who was a stroke patient. It is 37"x37" with a large outside pocket. I planned to put a large button and a cord loop on the bottom ends to be fastened behind the legs. Unfortunately she passed away before it was finished, so I can't tell you if it worked well.

I agree with talking to someone close to her that could furnish you the right size but I agree with the two ties so you could tie it to the back braces of the chair. Good idea.

You could even fold the bottom about 8" & sew up the sides to make a pocket for her feet to slip into. Wouldn't have the problem of it slipping onto the floor or getting caught in the wheels. The pattern tesspug posted would be fantastic with the pocket for her hands & tissue. You could even put a few extra pockets for books & such.

Ask the nursing home first. They may have their own size standards. One of our local nursing homes do not want them larger than 36 x 36.

Sandy

Can I be really blunt -- as someone who sews a lot of things for people with disabilities *and* sees how the use patterns go in real time? Skip all the features, unless they are specifically requested by the person you're making this for. A pocket that doesn't sit just where it should is a pain in the butt and annoying. Straps may or may not have anything to strap to, depending on the specific chair, and even if they do happen to fit, they are a liability for transfers. Velcro anything invariably snags things you don't want snagged, or irritates fragile skin, not to mention picking up lint in the wash. Anything that requires explanation will be an annoyance to the staff or helper.

Just make her a lovely lap quilt small enough that it won't catch or drag. If she doesn't use it as a lap quilt, it could look nice as a bed runner or a table topper or over the back of a couch. Alternatively, it would be super for a lap quilt in the car or at a medical visit. By making something that is just basic and lovely, you have far greater chances of it being loved and appreciated.

Sounds like the KIS method is the best...Keep it Simple. :)

Always the best method! That is why I decided to go with the offset bricks in the end... simple, quick, and looks nice. It will also lend itself well to straight-line quilting, which is also simple and quick. Although the person that suggested clipping the corners might be on to something. I think I will round the corners using a dinner plate or something else with a wide arch. Guess that means I will be doing some bias binding though.

Thanks for the suggestion of flannel for the backing. Good call...

Our Guild is making them for the Veterans Hospital and they have asked that they be 36" x 45-48" for wheel chairs.

Great info here. I need to make one for my DM. Don't know why I had not thought of it. I have knitted her small blankets but a small quilt will be a special change.

Thank you for this post