CROCHET PRESSURE CUSHION
(31-05-2013)
During the age of 9-11 I lived in England with my beautiful grandparents on my mother's side while a serious domestic situation was happening between my parents in Australia. Best two years of my life apart from the time travelling Australia from 1972-74 when my parents and me - their only child - first arrived in Australia. But anyway, I had a cousin who knitted fantastic cardigans to sell. She also crocheted. My Nannie showed me how to knit and then Maureen showed me how to crochet. So some many years later at the age of 44 the skills have come in handy.
Recently I've noticed the polestyrene beads used to fill bean bags and which I use to fill Robbie's cushions with are collapsing within a few weeks instead of many weeks. Special pressure cushions out of foam have a limited life due to Robbie spending 24/7 in his wheelchair and have not sat him comfortably since 2009. Other systems also failed, thus resorting to the very successful bean bag filler. But now that the quality of the bean has gone - I explored my brain cells and dragged out a large crochet needle I'd used some years ago to make some twine netting for a piece of my art work.
And with a worsening twist in his hips that we hope to have improve with a partial tendon release on the 4th of June he needs a cushion that will help keep the constant pressure area stable.
About 42 balls of yarn later I've managed to come up with a crochet pressure cushion comprising of 12 layers of large double crochet stitch to allow for the material to breath. Designed to fluff up like a pillow and repositon. Also can add, subtract or rearrange the layers. Put the layers together with more yarn so no slipping ocurrs and then wrapped it in a cloth towel. Today's the first day of its use and so far Robbie says it is the most comfortable cushion he's had in years. So time will tell how successful the material.
Now to measure for a back cushion as the foam one bought only a few weeks ago is already collapsing under the nighly pressure.
But first he wants me to make him some special pink mittins and a colorful hat. It's Autumn.
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