DIY Port Pillow for a Seatbelt

How to make a DIY port pillow for a seat belt. Port pillows help protect the port from rubbing against the seatbelt when you’re in the car.

Ports are something that is placed for patients who will be going through chemotherapy. The port allows the doctors to give the chemo without poking the patient with new needles each visit. Unfortunately, these can be uncomfortable when they rub against the car seatbelt. A port pillow attaches to the seatbelt over the port area. It’s really easy to make and a great use for scrap fabric. Make a bunch of them and donate them to your local cancer center!

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How to Make a Port Pillow for a Seatbelt

Before getting into the tutorial, I do want to be clear- this is not an approved medical device, nor is it compliant with any rules by your car/car seat belt’s manufacturer. I don’t know if it would impact how the seatbelt works, should the person get into a serious car accident. However… I have seen other people sewing similar items for chemo patients so I think it’s a matter of weighing comfort vs. the unknown safety issues. Proceed at your own risk.

Supplies

Fabric: Cotton, jean
Sewing machine & thread
Hook and loop: What is Hook and Loop?
Pins or clips
Fiber Fill or cut up foam from a memory foam pillow

Step 1: Start by cutting your fabric into a 4″ x 16″ long.

Cutting patriotic fabric for a seatbelt cushion for a chemo port. The strip of fabric is 4" wide.

Step 2: Cut (2) sets of hook and loop strips, 3.5″ long each. I cut multiple sets as I wanted to make a bunch of these all at once. These are great to donate to the cancer center.

Sets of hook and loop, cut to 3.5" long. You'll need two sets per port pillow.

Step 3: Fold your 16″ fabric length in half, right sides together.

Step 4: Sandwich your hook and loop pieces between the fabric, pin or clip in place. Put one set at each end, making sure they’re faced in the correct direction so they hook together correctly once your set is turned right sides out.

16" fabric folded in half with the hook and loop sandwiched between it and pinned in place.

Step 5: Sew a straight stitch around, leaving a small place to turn the fabric right sides out.

Step 6: Turn right sides out.

Fabric sewn right sides together. On the middle right, you can see the gap I left to turn it right sides out.

Step 7: Top stitch, leaving the small hole open still.

Fabric was turned right sides out, then top stitched, except for the area we'll be stuffing with fiber fill.

Step 8: Stuff in fiber fill or cut up memory foam pieces until the pillow is full.

I had a bunch of foam left over from cutting apart a memory foam pillow to make a DIY shredded memory foam pillow so I used that. It’s super soft and cushy compared to fiber fill.

Cut up memory foam from a memory foam pillow. I love using these pieces as an alternative to fiber fill.

I cut it into small enough pieces to shove in there, then filled it up. I wanted it full enough to provide some cushion, but I didn’t want it to be overly full either.

Stuffing cut up memory foam into the port pillow opening.

Step 9: Finish top stitching your port pillow.

Port pillow, top stitched with hook and loop ready to attach to a seatbelt.

This is what it looks like on the seat belt. The pillow should be flipped to face the person’s chest/port area.

Port pillow with patriotic fabric attached to seatbelt. Please note: it's attached the wrong direction in this picture, for photographic reasons only. The pillow will face the person in the seatbelt.

The hook and loop faces away from the person.

Me, demonstrating the position of the port pillow on the seat belt while the patient is in the car. The port pillow is up against their clothing with the hook and loop on the opposite side.

I’m hoping it’ll make his chemo a little bit easier to have these. I’m also putting together a chemo care kit for him as well, using some SVGs that I made. You can pickup the SVG bundle in my store and I’ll be donating 100% of the earnings from that bundle to Dana Farber and/or American Cancer Society.

Please share and pin this post! If you make this project, share it in our Stuff Mama Makes Facebook Group. We have regular giveaways for gift cards to craft stores. You can also tag me on Instagram @doityourselfdanielle; I love seeing everything you make!