Discover the steps of making your own weighted lap pad. This simple sewing guide will walk you through each stage of the procedure.
A weighted lap pad was advised by my son’s occupational therapist, and I leaped at the chance to construct one for him.
Bạn đang xem: How To Make A Weighted Lap Blanket? Comprehensive Guide
Especially now that I’ve done some research on the internet, I see that they’re quite pricey. However, you may easily make your own version with supplies from a craft store.
Therefore, I consulted with his occupational therapist and performed some online research. She advised that I use 10% of his body weight and that the design be kept simple.
Use beans and an old pillowcase, she said. Twenty inches by thirty inches seems to be the standard size for such weighted lap mats. However, I thought the fat quarter size of 18″ x 22″ was fine for my little man. If you’re going to use a pillow case, cut off the extra fabric from one end.
If you’d rather use brand new materials, I purchased pellets at Michael’s Craft Stores for $9.99 for a 2 pound bag. To meet my needs, I bought two bags of pellets, totaling roughly 4 pounds. I bought two fat quarters at $1.49 apiece.
Therefore, you may expect to spend close to $25 on materials at full price. Fabric discounts and coupons are constantly available at Michael’s. The pellets were on sale for 40% off, so that helped me save some money.
DIY Weighted Lap Pad Sewing Tutorial
Time needed for preparation: 5 minutes
The time that something is actually doing something is 1 HOUR.
5-minute extension
Duration: 1 hour and 10 minutes
difficulty: EASY
Follow this easy sewing guide to create your own custom lap pad.
Instructions
- Start by cleaning, drying, and ironing the fabric. My original plan involved taking advantage of the folds already present in the fat portions. Unfortunately, I found that they were too diminutive and inconsistent in size to satisfy my preferences.
- Put the correct sides of the fabric pieces together. To create a crease, fold the material in thirds along the length and iron the folds.
- Make a crease and fold in thirds along the shorter side. You should now have roughly 9 uniform rectangles.
- Once you’ve clearly delineated each portion, you may pin the two pieces together with the correct sides of the cloth facing each other.
- Sew across three sides, leaving one open for now, using a 1/2-inch seam allowance.
- Invert your “pillowcase,” and iron open the seams.
- Corners should be sniped, and the seam allowance should be reduced to 1/4 inch all the way around.
- To iron the seams, you must turn the garment inside out.
- Follow the fold lines to sew three long channels, leaving about 2 inches open at one end (so we can fold over and sew it closed after filling).
- Then, divide the pellets evenly amongst the three slots.
- Next, fold the raw edge inside by half an inch and press it flat with an iron.
- Please stitch this up. Now that the four sides have been stitched, you may add a finishing touch by topstitching all the way around. If you have toddlers under the age of three who like to put items in their mouths, you definitely don’t want these falling out.
- Spread the pellets out on your lap blanket and spread them around with your hands. In order to stitch the first row of rectangles together, it will be necessary to move the designated pellets as close to the closed end as feasible.
- Close the first row of rectangles by stitching along the short line.
- Keep sewing shut the appropriate rectangles as you smooth in the required quantity of pellets.
- That’s it, you’re finished. Even though dealing with the pellets is a bit of a pain, I decided it was better than spending $50 on a ready-made alternative.
- I used pellets because he didn’t like the cover I made so I could wash it when it became dirty.
- He finds it very helpful when we are working together on school projects. He is in charge of retrieving it and stowing it away.
Xem thêm : How Much Does An Alpaca Blanket Cost? Everything To Know!
Make sure to keep an eye on your kids whenever they use a weighted lap pad. Check for tears and holes in the pad before each use. If your child is under the age of three and still puts things in their mouth, this toy is not for them.
Recommended Products
Thanks to my membership in the Amazon Associates program and other affiliate networks, a portion of your purchase price goes directly into my pocket.
he Science Of Weighted Blankets
The proprioceptive feedback from a weighted blanket is quite helpful.
An individual’s body can make sense as their weight is registered thanks to proprioceptive input at the joints.
As a result, one can control their motions to better traverse their environment and avoid potential falls.
Autistic children benefit from this information since it helps them relax. People with ADHD or PTSD can also benefit from this.
However, occupational therapists carefully supervise the usage of weighted blankets for children with autism who are seeking therapeutic advantages.
Materials Needed
Where does the weight come from? Inside a lap blanket, you would find either rice, pellets, or beans.
Where does the weight come from? Inside a lap blanket, you would find either rice, pellets, or beans.
Who or what is supplying the extra mass? A lap blanket can be filled with a variety of items, including rice, pellets, or beans.
Above 15%, there is a risk to your child’s health.
The use of a soft fabric, such as an old pillowcase, is recommended.
Lap blankets typically range in size from around 20 inches to 30 inches, however this can be adjusted for a child of a different height or build.
Though decorations are always appreciated, the norm is usually a minimalist design so that the infant receives as little attention as possible.
Other materials
- Dish for measuring liquids
- Scissors
- Scale
- Chalk (to mark the fabric)
- Needles
- Thread
- One half yard of material
Xem thêm : How To Make A Heated Blanket? Complete Step-by-Step Guide
Once you have all the supplies together, you can begin constructing a weighted lap blanket.
Here is a quick and easy step-by-step approach.
How To Make A Weighted Lap Blanket
- Foremost things first, wash the pillowcase. After washing and drying with soap, iron out any wrinkles.
- Next, fold the pillowcase in half lengthwise and use chalk to draw four even compartments.
- Step 2: Weigh the same amount of rice, pellets, or beans and divide that total by the number of pockets.
- Put the fillings in a separate container for later use.
- Third, close three sides of the pillowcase by sewing them together. First, trim the cloth if the pillow isn’t a square.
- The cushion will be assembled by closing three sides and leaving one open for the filling.
- Put the fillings inside the pillowcase through the opening you made in Step 3.
- When full, close the opening by stitching it shut. Make sure none of the filler spills over the edges.
- Fifth, get the cloth you’ll be using to wrap the pad ready by cutting it in half. Outline the cushioning with chalk.
- You’ll need those extra inches on each side to sew the pad covers later.
- Sixth, prepare the cloth by cutting slits (approximately 2.5 inches) along the seams to accommodate the pads.
- Make sure the slips on both fabrics are the same size. Put the stuffing in the space and then tie the flap shut.
How do you monitor the use of weighted blankets?
Do so only under the watchful eye of a medical professional.
The child can take the blanket off at any time during therapy, and the most time it can be on the lap is 20 minutes.
However, an occupational therapist should be consulted before the blanket is used.
When is it appropriate to use them?
It is during therapy sessions that the blanket is most commonly used, as it is primarily intended to benefit medical professionals.
Typically, the kids would spread out the blanket on the floor and sit on the carpet.
The alternative is that they have it while sitting at a table, either while doing schoolwork or during a break.
Is the weighted blanket safe?
When used under adult supervision, lap blankets with weights are safe for youngsters.
However, as an adult, you should check the blanket for holes before using it.
Users must be over the age of three, as young children could choke on the blanket’s little components.
Conclusion
How to manufacture a weighted lap blanket is something that even educators are curious about.
They have found it helpful in keeping restless kids in their seats.
Lap blankets are wonderful for the classroom or home, whether you’re a teacher or the suffering parent of an autistic child.
Nguồn: https://iatsabbioneta.org
Danh mục: Blanket
