We will be making sensory quilts, also known as fidget mats, for residents of nursing homes who have dementia and restless hands.
Sensory Quilt Program (Fidget Quilts)
Things to bring:
Your sewing machine.
You may want to bring your: zipper foot, buttonhole foot, appliqué foot, ruffler foot, satin stitch foot, etc
Basics such as thread, both fabric and utility scissors, pinking shears (to make fleece fringes), hand sewing needles, rotary cutter
Suggested supplies to use yourself or share with others (Don’’t stress if you don’t have much. There will be lots and lots of extras for you to try. Just bring what you have and we can all share):
cut up jeans seams, pockets, fly fronts with button and zipper, belt loops
textured fabrics such as fun fur, minkie, satin, fleece, burlap (pre-wash it), corduroy, chenille,
ric rac, pom pom trim, grosgrain ribbon, lace insets and edgings, elastic (the more colours the better), tassels, zippers (used or new), paracord, shoe laces
batting scraps and polyfil to stuff mini-pillows
beads and buttons; cafe curtain rings; belt buckles
Velcro
crocheted flowers in acrylic yarn, lengths of braided yarn
perle cotton thread is a sturdy thread for sewing the buttons.
The program committee will be bringing the quilting cotton fabric, textured fabrics, backing fabric and batting/filler fabric.
Here are some resources to give you iideas on making fidget quilts. Some are fantastic!