Touch Quilts

Touch quilts, sensory quilts or fidget quilts are nine patch knee quilts 24”x24” made with a variety of coloured and textured fabrics that provide a wonderful, tactile surface for people with dementia or Alzheimers to use, running their hands over the different surfaces, providing comfort and memories for the user – triggering wonderful memories for those robbed of so much of their recent history and enabling them to share their stories with their friends, family and carers.

It is the most heartening thing to see the joy these quilts give to people when their world has become so small.

The quilts have extra things sewn on, for example zippers, ribbons and buttons to occupy someone with. You could incorporate colours or textures or materials that you know have special significance for your friend or loved one. This picture is of Sister Clare with a quilt she has made for Jean, incorporating a soft, plush material for the tiger in the quilt, which Jean strokes continually when she has her quilt with her and calls it her “Tinker Quilt” as it so reminds her of the days when she had Tinker with her, her very special cat companion.

Sister Clare O’Connor is very happy to help you with this special ministry she undertakes and share her knowledge. Click here for instructions on how to make these amazing quilts and feel free to email Sister Clare  (clare@cenacle.org.nz) with any queries or ideas you would also like to share.