Fidget Lap Quilt (M)

Quilting is something that intrigues me. There are so many blocks to try and quilting techniques, the challenges are endless. I especially want to learn free motion quilting on my Brother sewing machine. I'm also enjoying machine embroidery and appliqué. Lately, I have been reading about fidget quilts and the calming benefits they provide dementia patients, so I put together a basic plan to incorporate some new challenges in quilting to make a fidget lap quilt.

These quilts are a great way to use up stash. I used flannel paw print fabric from pajamas made a couple years ago, black and white flannel on hand (because you can get a whole bolt of flannel at a reasonable price at Joann's on Black Friday). I had white "fur" from making quiet books for grandchildren and, finally, soft black "fur" from the lining on a jacket.

Being a self-taught crafter and a self-proclaimed penny pincher, I use a free spreadsheet program to lay out my vision for quilts. For this one I wanted to try 9-patch plus special squares with appliqué or embroidery. I was inspired by one of the residents who thoroughly enjoys visits from her dog every day so the quilt has a dog theme.

I started by working on the individual squares based on the number needed. Once all the squares were prepped, I stitched the top layer together, made the sandwich and started machine quilting.

The first square was doing the appliquéd bone. I cut out black cotton fabric squares for the background. The PES file was downloaded from Etsy. Once I had the first "bone" pattern, I cut out several white fur bones for the remaining squares. The biggest challenge was avoiding the puckering. I used stabilizer, even doubled the stabilizer on some of the squares, which helped. It wasn't perfect but it was a good learning experience.

The second square was the paw print. This I did in reverse appliqué. I used a PES paw print file as my guide but ended up reverting to my old way of zigzag stitching around the pattern. I stitched the paw print outline on each square of fabric hooped. Then I went rouge and cut out the inside of the paw using a curved cuticle scissors, applied the white fur square behind the whole square of fabric and then zigzagged around the design.

The last special square were the puppies themselves. After the appliqué squares, the embroidery ones were quick and easy. I downloaded the file, however, I'm not finding the original link, I apologize.

The flannel 9-patch and strip squares were pieced together, getting in some great practice on nesting seams (video tutorial). With stacks of squares completed based on my plan, I used the image from the spreadsheet (above) as my guide and piece the top together (without upper hand pocket/muff, which will be added later.)

Machine quilting is very new to me and, frankly, I don't do it well. I used a type of blanket stitch on my sewing machine to stitch over the seams of the blocks. What was frustrating for me is the machine would skip stitches (noticeable in the picture on the right) and I couldn't figure out why. Well, it took me awhile, but I think it was because the fabric was being pulled due the the bulk. Even though was using a walking foot, it continued. Towards the end, I put the quilt/sewing machine on a large table and was careful to hold the weight up to avoid the pull on the needle. It was better, but I definitely need to practice this!

Once the main part of the quilt was done, it was time to put the pocket together. The top of the pocket started with two 18" by 9.5" pieces of black flannel sewn together along the long sides only (1/4" seam). They were turn out, pressed, and then I used a dinner plate as a template to cut the semi-circle shapes on the two short edges of the pocket using my rotary cutter. The two short, curved sides were finished with binding.

Before top-stitching the packet to the quilt (top and bottom only), I added patch pockets big enough for eyeglasses or a slender TV remote, and one for tissues. A zippered pocket was added and colorful beads strung on a shoestring. First I secured the shoestring through the opening on the zipper pull, then added a few colorful beads and securely knotted the strings. This "pull" will help with opening the small zipper and provide something for fidgeting fingers to do. Big buttons were added to the other two pockets both for decoration and for a fidget item. Finally, a couple red tabs were added to hold "D" hooks. This was for the dog's leash to attach (more later).

NOTE: When making things for dementia patients, secure them carefully. These items will get more wear than you think and could come loose, presenting a possible choking hazard. ALSO, wash your projects a few times before presenting them to dementia patients. Test to make sure seams and embellishments are secure and the item can stand up to the institutional-type washing machines that will test its endurance.

Finally, I added a stuffed dog to complete the dog theme.  Simplicity pattern #1535 is a quick stuffed animal to sew. I added a red collar and hand tacked it to the back of the dog's neckline so the collar could be manipulated but wouldn't get lost. Making a short leash allows the patient to play with the dog but avoid it falling on the floor, creating a potential fall problem if they want their dog.

With the embellishments done, time to look at the practical. It is a lap quilt and, sitting in a wheelchair, the top of the legs will be warm but the back, not so much. I added an 18 inch high "pocket" using the same black flannel as the backing. Like with the upper pocket, I used a 1/4" seam to sew two pieces of flannel together at the top to create the sturdy pocket. Staying within the small seam allowance, I stitched the remaining three sides of the pocket to the lap quilt. I also added three inch long velcro pairs on each of the four quarters so the lap quilt could be attached to the frame of the wheelchair. Velcro is acceptable because it can pull away, but ties are consider too strong and confining and are not allowed.

Add the binding and the lap quilt is done. There are several YouTube tutorials on binding. I prefer the method where you sew the binding to the front of the quilt. The corners are mitered. Then I hand-stitch the binding to the back of the quilt. I think the quilt looks cleaner and more professional than machine binding. Plus, I find the hand-stitching relaxing. It's a win-win for me.

That's a rough overview of my first attempt at a fidget quilt. They are a big time consuming; I probably have about 25-30 hours in this one. Cost was minimal since I had the vast majority of the fabric on hand. My additional out-of-pocket was about $10 for latches and hooks.