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Fidget Quilts

Fidget Quilt index

A fidget quilt—also known as a sensory or activity quilt, is a small lap-sized quilt designed to help calm and engage people with Alzheimer's, dementia, autism, or other cognitive or sensory challenges.

Here’s what it’s used for:

• To calm anxiety or restlessness: Many people with dementia feel agitated or have the urge to move their hands constantly. Fidget quilts give their hands something to do, which can be soothing.
• To provide sensory stimulation: They include different textures, materials, and interactive elements (like zippers, buttons, Velcro, or ribbons) that help stimulate the senses.
• To encourage fine motor activity: Handling small objects, pulling zippers, tying laces—all these actions help keep the hands and fingers nimble and active.
• To offer comfort and familiarity: The quilt itself can feel like a comforting blanket, and familiar items selected for the fabric, or put in pockets (like lace, or keys), can evoke memories or a sense of security.

The Quilt

• The quilt featured here has 12 blocks, each with a size of about 6"x8"
• It is about 24"x24" to fit in the lap.
• It is intended for adults.
• Because many people experience vision problems as they age, the visual field is kept to about 5"x7" and uses colors with high contrast.
• Modern quilt makers tend to make quilts that are varied shades of the same color. To a person with poor vision, they may not see the variation and it looks like the same color. We're doing the opposite: lots of bright colorful fabric and textures to catch the attention.
• Because some seniors feel insulted when given something that looks like it is for a baby or child, we avoid using fabric that looks like it is for a baby or child.

This quilt has the following activities: Click the link for full instructions. (We will be adding videos to the instructions.)

• Photo window: Personalize this by adding ID, contact and medical information, photos, or postcards that are pleasant for the recipient.
• Pocket with zipper
• Pocket with buckle
  Both pockets can store small mementos that the user can handle. Some possibilities are: worry beads, fans, small unbreakable items that the user collected, fidget toys such as spinners, pop-its, etc. You can use some items for talking points, such as a seashell and say, "We went to the beach one summer and collected seashells." (Please don't ask if they remember.)
• Fruit (or other shapes) attached with hook and loop tape such as Velcro®.
• Flowers that can be buttoned or unbuttoned. The flowers are reversible.
• Beads and other items on elastic cord. The cord can be lifted and dropped, or the beads can be moved along the elastic. (They fit snugly so that if the elastic breaks, they won't spill.)
• Weaving: Horizontal and vertical strips
• A girl's face (Anime style) with hair that can be stroked or played with. Her eyelids can also be pushed open or closed.
• A piece of fake fur. (For stroking.)
• Assorted ribbons and trim that can be twisted and looped through elastic loops.
• Lacing block with flaps and a shoelace.
• Finger Puppets with a scene (To encourage talking.)

There is no right or wrong way to use the quilt or do the activities. Let the user explore the quilt in their own way, at their own pace.

The back of the quilt has 9 blocks that are 9"x13" minke cloth. Minke cloth has some texture that keeps it from slipping off the user's lap.

Getting Started

Assembling the Quilt

If you have questions, feedback, or suggestions, please write to jjoy@zebra0.com

Free instructions and patterns to make fidget quilts