How To Make A Chemo Pump Pouch {Free Pattern}

A custom chemo pump pouch is easy to create and makes a great gift for someone whose treatment includes at-home chemo infusion.

While chemotherapy patients still go to hospitals and clinics to receive hours-long infusions, part of a cancer patient’s treatment may also include an small infusion pump that they take home to continue/finish their infusion.

What Is A Take Home Chemo Pump?

A take home chemo pump is, “a small, lightweight device that will put chemotherapy into your bloodstream at a steady rate. This is called a continuous infusion of chemotherapy.” (Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center)

Another term you may see for this device is an ambulatory infusion pump.

There are a variety of infusion pump designs and brands and, while some are bigger than others, this chemo pump fanny pack design should accommodate many of them.

DIY Chemo Pump Fanny Pack Instructions

This free chemo pump pouch pattern is basically a small boxy dopp kit with a belt added to it.

You can therefore easily increase its size, but then you’ll also want to alter the belt design and select a different clasp to accommodate the weight that the fanny pack will hold.

Materials and Tools

To make this small fanny pack, you need only minimal materials. For this fanny pack pattern you need the following materials and tools:

– 1/4 yard lightweight denim

I use lightweight denim for this design because it is a versatile outer layer fabric that can be paired with almost any outfit.

A heavier denim will also work, but in order to keep the fanny pack to be super supple I feel a lightweight denim is the best option.

– 1/4 yard 100% cotton fabric

The lining of the chemo pump belt is an opportunity to add some color and customization.

If you’re making this fanny pack for someone specific, you can easily find novelty cotton fabrics that reflect the person’s favorite things. This small, personal touch is sure to make them smile each time they use it.

– 1/4 yard fusible fleece

When I first started testing this idea, I made the original fanny pack without any stabilizer.

This approach works just fine for a walking or hiking fanny pack meant to hold keys, some cash, and your phone, but needs more heft to hold a continuous infusion pump.

If you don’t have fusible fleece on hand, you can certainly use a different stabilizer, but it won’t be as soft or as flexible.

– One 13″ zipper

My decision to use a 13″ zipper is a simple one: to make life easy.

With a 13″ zipper, you have some wiggle room if the fabrics shift while sewing. It’s also very forgiving for anyone who is new to projects that use a zipper.

– 40″ of 1″ webbing

The webbing is used as the belt for the chemo pump pouch. This webbing is cut into two pieces – a 4″ piece and a 36″ piece.

If you are designing this to be worn low on the hips instead of closer to the waist, you will want to increase the size of the larger piece of belting.

– One plastic adjuster

I use this small plastic adjuster (*Amazon affiliate link) for a variety of projects because it is easy to “install” and it’s also easy for the person wearing the fanny pack (or simple belt) to use.

If you do choose to increase the dimensions and make a larger fanny pack, you may want to use a plastic buckle (*Amazon affiliate link).

The plastic buckles, however, may be difficult to open for some cancer patients who are weak or fatigued from their chemotherapy treatment.

– Rotary cutter and mat

If you still haven’t jumped on the rotary cutter train, it’s never too late. The rotary cutter and mat are a “must-have” for me as they prevent hand fatigue if I’m cutting a lot of fabric and other crafty supplies.

Do you prefer scissors? Those will work for this project too.

– Sewing clips

Sewing clips are my “go to” sewing accessory because they’re easy to use and never prick my skin.

For this sewing project, you will want to keep your tin of clips close by, because throughout the project you will use more than a handful of them at a time.

– Clear ruler

The ruler is used to cut the fabric and, more importantly, cut squares out of the fabric to make the fanny pack’s boxy shape.

A clear acrylic ruler* let’s you see exactly what you’re doing and I highly recommend them.

– Small lighter

A small lighter* (or just use a match in a pinch) is used to singe and finish the edges of the webbing to prevent fraying.

– Sewing machine

This is all straight-line sewing and a little bit of zigzag stitching, if you so choose. So a basic sewing machine is all you need for this project.

Consider Making These Chemotherapy Accessories Too

In addition to this chemo pump pouch, I have tutorials for other accessories that are helpful to cancer patients and people going through chemotherapy.

Make A Chemo Port Pillow

A chemo port pillow is a small pillow that is placed over a seat belt or bag strap that prevents the belt from rubbing the port and irritating it or applying too much pressure.

Make A Bra Bumper

A bra bumper is a tiny port pillow that people can place over the strap of their bra so that, once again, the port doesn’t have too much pressure on it or get irritated.

Make A Chemo Care Bag

A chemo care bag can be as simple as grabbing a fabric tote and adding some helpful items to it that someone can use while they’re going through chemotherapy.

You can also customize the fabric tote using HTV by adding an inspirational saying, a fun quote, or an image of something the recipient loves.

Here are some ideas on how to make a chemo care bag to get you started.

A Custom Chemotherapy Pump Bag Is A Gift

A custom chemotherapy pump pouch makes the at-home infusion process just that little bit less impersonal.

So, if you’re looking for something to give to a friend, or to donate to a cancer clinic along with port pillow, please try making some!

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