Weighted Sensory Vest

Category: Featured

Weighted vests can be highly beneficial to some children with autism, ADHD and other sensory processing disorders by providing a comfortable calming effect.

What you need to make this project

Materials
1yd each of two coordinating fabrics
Soft n’ Toasty Cotton Batting
Poly-Pellets® weighted stuffing beads
Matching thread
Extra piece of fabric or pattern paper to make template
Supplies
Scissors
Pins
Marking pencil
Sewing machine
Iron

Quick Shop

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Soft & Toasty™ Natural Cotton Batting 45″ x 60″

Quantity

Price: $13.99

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Poly-Fil® Poly Pellets® Weighted Stuffing Beads 2 pound Bag

Quantity

Price: $13.99

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Instructions

Step One

Create your pattern template by placing your child’s folded T-shirt on top of a folded pattern paper or extra piece of fabric. Line the longest straight edge up with the fold. Trace and cut all but the folded edge. Using a T-shirt that fits a little loose will work best.

 

Picture1

Step Two

Lay the yard of fabric for the inside of the vest on a table with right side facing up and salvages to the left and right. Place the yard of fabric for the outside of the vest on top with the wrong side facing up and fold all of the salvage edges from each side of the fabrics into the center.

 

vest 3

 

Step Three

Lay the template on top of the fabric aligned at the bottom. Trace and cut only the top section of vest template, leaving the sides alone. Set aside.

vest 4

vest 5

 

 

 

 

Step Four

Separate the two left over pieces of fabric and fold each in half, with salvages together. Cut one 7” strip out of one piece of fabric for the weighted pockets and one 1” strip out of the other piece of fabric for the ties.

 

Picture1

 

Picture2

Step Five

For ties: Take the 1” strip of fabric and cut into 4 equal size strips. With wrong side facing up fold both top and bottom edges into center and iron. Fold in again, iron and pin. Stitch down the center. Repeat with other three strips. Set aside.

 

vest 9

 

 

Step Six

For pockets: Take the 7” wide piece of fabric with wrong side facing up and fold over top edge ¼ inch and iron. Fold top over ¼” again. Iron, pin and sew.

 

vest 10

Step Seven

Place 7” strip on top of inside vest fabric with right sides facing up making sure the raw edge is lined up with the bottom of the vest fabric and the hemmed side is up. Pin in place. Sew across the strip top to bottom every 6 inches to create the pocket sides. Pin two ties to each side of vest. Set aside.

 

 

vest 12

 

vest 13

Step Eight

Lay the batting on the table and place the outside vest fabric right side up on batting. Carefully cut the batting using the vest fabric as your template. Place the inside of vest right side facing down over the fabric and batting. Make sure you tuck in the ties. Pin in place.

Sew along edges using ¼” seam allowance EXCEPT: Leave tops of all shoulders open and leave a 4” opening on bottom.

Mark around all curved areas in one inch intervals and clip making sure not to clip edges.

 

vest 15

Step Nine

Turn vest right side out through bottom opening. Fold over edges of bottom opening and sew closed.

Fold vest inside out and pin at shoulders. Sew using ¼” seam allowance. Turn right side out.

 

vest 16

 

vest 17

 

vest 18

To make the pocket weights:

1) Cut leftover material into 9” x 6” pieces.
2) Fold pieces in half. Pin and sew around three sides using ¼” seam allowance.
3) Fill with ¾ cup of Poly-Pellets®. Fold in edges of open end and sew closed.

Note: ¾ cup of Poly-Pellets® equals ¼ lb.