FidgetQuilts–WindyBenigno(1/7/2019)Arequestforfidget(orfiddle)quiltswasreceivedfromNancywhoworksatBellevueMedicalCenter.Shewouldlikejust4quiltstostartoutsoshecanfigureoutwhatworksbestandthenrequestswilllikelyexpandtothemaincampus.PatientsmayhaveAlzheimer’s,othertypesofdementia,traumaticbraininjury,etc.andpatientsmaybeyoungorelderly.TherearemanyadditionalexamplesofFidgetQuiltsonPinterestandGoogle.BelowaremynotesonthingsNancyandIdiscussed,followedbyexcerptsfromdifferentsitesIresearched.

Ø Nancywouldliketostartwith4quilts.Ø Oncethepatienttouchesthequilt,itbelongstothatpatient.Ø Sizesmall,placematsize-18”x18”to20”x20”or18”x20”placematØ FlannelonthebackwouldhelpthemstayinplaceØ UseitemsthathavetextureandmovementØ TherearemorewomenthanmenØ WashableØ Usewhateverwethinkwouldbegoodforfidgeting,they’llclipoffwhatdoesn’tworkwellandletusknow.

Ididsomeresearchonlineandfoundthefollowinginfo.WecanworkwithNancyatBellevueMedtofigureoutwhatworksbestfordifferentpatients.Theinfobelowisjusttogetyouthinking!

Ø ExcerptsbelowfromCentralVirginiaModernQuiltGuild:https://cvamodernquiltguild.com/2017/03/09/fidget-quilt-tutorial/

InstructionsThepurposeofthequiltsistokeepresidents’handsbusyandtheirmindsactiveandcalmthroughsensorystimulation.Thatsaid,therearesomeelementstoavoidandthingstoincludewhenmakingyourquilts.

ThingstoAvoid1.Pleasedonotincludeanyroughtextures.Asweage,ourskinbecomesthinnerandmoresensitivetoroughtextures,andsometimesthesetexturescandamagehands.Soavoidanythingrough,sharp,scratchy,orwithjaggedorpointededges.2.Avoidmirrorsoranythingreflective.OftenAlzheimer’sanddementiapatientsdon’trecognizethemselvesandseeingastrangerstaringbackatthemcanbealarming.3.Pleaseavoidactivitiesthatrequirefinemotorskills:buttoning,lacing,andsimilaractivities.Finemotorskillsdeterioratewiththesediseasesandtheseactivitiesareveryfrustratingforresidents.4.Makesureyourmatissafe:nothingbreakable,everythingissecuredandcannotbepulledoff.Nochokinghazards.5.Wearetryingtocalmbusyminds,sopleaseavoidchaoticpatternedfabricandcolorcombinations.Iknowhighcontrastcolorsareanelementofmodernquilting,butconsiderthisanopportunitytopracticelowvolumecolorcombinations,analogousandharmoniouscolorcombinations.Brightcolorsarefine.

ThingstoInclude1.Makesureitiswashable.Notjustthefabricbutanyotherelementsattachedtoit.2.Itshouldhave10-14non-roughtexturesthatprovideeasysensoryinput.Soft,fluffy,bumpy,yarn,felt,quiltingtextures,buttons,bricabrac,zippers,ricrac,pockets,fakefur,felt,fleece,flannel,lace,fringe,etc.

3.Everythingshouldbesecuredontothequilt;machinesewingthingsonisbest.Ifhandsewingbuttonsmakesuretheyaresecure.4.Designyourquiltsothatitiswellorganizedandorderly—weareavoidingchaosandbringingorderandcalmness.5.Pleaseaddablanklabelonthebacksothatthenameoftherecipientcanbewrittenonit.6.PleaseattachastrapthatcanVelcroclosedorbetiedclosed.Thiswillbeusedtosecurethequilttoachairarm,wheelchair,walker,bedrail,etctopreventitfromfallingonthefloor(seetheinstructions).7.Wearemakingtheseformenandwomen.Chooseeithergenderneutralfabric/colorsoryoucanmakeithighlygenderedwithnoveltyprintsandgenderedcolors.8.Fun!Ifyouhavefunmakingit,theywillhavefunusingit.

TrySomeNewThingsThesearesmallquiltsandwearegoingfortexture.Sothisisagreatopportunitytopracticeyourfreemotionquilting,newquiltingpatterns,newblocks,newbattingfibers,embroideryormachineembroideryandapplique.UsetheFidgetQuiltstolearnsomethingnew,trysomethingnew,ortopracticesomeskills.

EmbellishmentsAnysoft,fuzzy,tactilefabric:fleece,flannel,fakefur,felt,minkyscraps,lace,etcwhateveryouhaveinyourstashorscraps.EvensmallpiecesofbattingareokAvarietyoftrims:braids,brocade,dingleballs,tassels,ricrac,ribbon,yarn,etcAvarietyofaccessories:buttons,beads,pockets,etcAnyfabrictocutintoshapesandmachineappliqueonIfyourmachinedoesdecorativestitches,consideraddingthesetothequilttooforaneasyembellishmentHandembroideryisfinetoo

Ø ExcerptsfromWithHeartandHands:https://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/2015/08/making-fidget-quilts-for-alzheimers.html

Ideasandsuggestionsforkittingupfidgetquilts.

...redandorangearetheBESTnottheworstcolorstoincludeinaDementiaquilt...theyareinfactthecolorsthatweareabletoseeasourvisiondimsorcolors,edges,andpatternsbegintoblurintooneanother!Sousered,orange,brightfuchsiamixedinwithyourcalmingcolors!!!

Ø ExcerptsfromVisionAware:http://www.visionaware.org/info/for-seniors/health-and-aging/vision-loss-and-the-challenges-of-aging/alzheimer%27s-disease/how-alzheimer%E2%80%99s-disease-affects-vision-and-perception/12345

InAlzheimer’sdementia,therearefivemainareasofvisualdeficitthatcancausemistakesinperceptions:motiondetection,peripheralvision,depthperception,colorperception,andcontrastsensitivity.

Reducedabilitytodetectmotion.Somepeopleareunabletodetectmovement.Theyperceivetheworldasaseriesofstillphotos,ratherthananongoingvideolikemostpeoplesee.

Depthperception....distinguishingbetweenathree-dimensionalobjectandaflatpicture.Theymayreachtopickuptheflowersonafloralfabric

Reduced peripheral vision.

Colorperception.Thoughcolorsoftendiminishwithage,personswithAlzheimer’sseemtohaveagreaterdeficitandwillhavedifficultyrecognizingcolors,especiallyintheblue-violetrange.

Contrastsensitivity.Notjustcolor,butdetectinggradientsofcoloralsoisreducedinpersonswithAlzheimer’s.Theywillhavetroublepickingoutobjectsthataresurroundedbysimilarcolors.Forexample,apersonmayhavedifficultyfindingthetoiletinabathroomwherethefloor,wallsandtoiletareallwhite.

Ø TutorialfromManSewingforaddingcertainembellishments(althoughIdon’tthinkhisfidgetmatiscolorfulenough!):https://mansewing.com/2017/07/fidget-quilt/

Ø Excerptsfrom:PatchworkPossehttps://www.patchworkposse.com/fidget-quilts/

Precisepiecingandstitchingaren’tnecessarysoitmakesitaperfectprojecttopracticenewstitches...

Don’toverthinkthis.Keepitsimple.Theyaresupposedtobebusy,butdon’tmakeitsooobusyit’soverwhelming.Examplesfromthewebsite: