ONE-HANDED TABLE MOUNT KNITTING AID
A table mounted knitting needle holder to allow one-handed knitting for a client following a stroke.
The Challenge
Out client was a prolific knitter up until a stroke and other conditions left her seriously disabled and without the use of her left hand and arm. However, she manages to produce a variety of craft items and had been looking for solutions that might help her to knit again. She discovered some ideas on the REMAP website and contacted us. She uses an over bed table and calls it her craft table and it has features which helped us arrive at a solution. This table has been supplied on loan therefore we needed to make our solution easily dismountable and not add fixings etc to the table.
The solution
Following on from the approach, our engineer Ian Brocket took on an earlier knitting project, Ian took along the first version for our client to try. This was designed to be pushed onto the craft table and rest against the side rail feature. Upwards force would be restrained by the spring clip and sideways force by the side rail.
Version 1
Our client hadn’t attempted any knitting using two needles in 30+ years so there will be a long relearning period, however it was apparent that some modifications to the kit were required. It moved away from the side rail as Jean attempted to cast on etc. and also the spring clamp allowed more movement than was acceptable. We started with a 6mm dia needle and this in itself proved too flexible and stiches were not staying on it.
Version 2 addresses these problems. Our client was happy to use a thicker needle to start with and it was mounted with a slight slope in an attempt to stop stitches falling off the end. The side movement was eliminated by altering the shape of the base plate so it encapsulates the side rail of the over table. Vertical movement was eliminated by supplementing the spring clip with a catch shaped to fit under the edge of the table.
Version 2
The benefit
Our client started knitting immediately and was very happy with the solution.
