wellsewing—TR-03

For (With Whom)

People with paralysis of one hand, people who have difficulty with two-handed movements, people who have difficulty holding fabric down with one hand.

Why

We received a consultation from an occupational therapist working at a day service center. The center runs a project called "Machi Fusen Activity" that connects day service users with local people raising children. In it, users sew towels to make cleaning cloths and give them as gifts to people raising children (those who need to bring a cleaning cloth to school). We heard that people with hemiplegia wanted to take part in the work but could not, so we decided to make something that allows the work to be done with one hand.

How

First, we interviewed the occupational therapist in charge about the activity and the condition of the user with hemiplegia. The work in the activity is to fold a face towel (about 80 cm x 30 cm) in half twice, then sew running stitches along its 4 sides and diagonals to make a cleaning cloth. A person with hemiplegia can sew if the needle is threaded in advance and the cleaning cloth is held fixed. We therefore sized the device so that it can hold the cleaning cloth, and shaped it so that all 4 sides can be sewn without interference.

Outcome

After introducing it, the person with hemiplegia was able to do the work. They had long been interested in the activity and had wanted to be useful. They were delighted to be able to help people raising children through the work.

Materials Used

PLA

Approximate 3D Print Weight

57g

Print Settings Overview

Body, sides: Nozzle diameter = 0.4mm, Layer height = 0.2mm, Infill = 20%, Temp = 200°C, Speed = 60mm/s, Support = None

Accessory Information

Base (wood): plywood or similar, 20cm x 20cm; post (wood): rafter, 20cm; clip (stainless steel): 10cm