You’ve probably heard about the fidget toy trend that’s been around in recent years – Fidget Spinners, Pop-Its, fidget cubes. But have you heard of fidget quilts? 

Fidget quilts are a form of sensory stimulation that can be beneficial to individuals with memory loss, such as those with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia. 

And a group of local sewing aficionados – the Western Wisconsin Indianhead Chapter of the American Sewing Guild – will gather at 10am on March 24 at the Lake Street United Methodist Church to create fidget quilts for local memory care facilities. 

They are small, 18” x 18” lap-sized quilts with about nine blocks of different fabrics, buttons, Velcro, fringe, fur, yarn, and other sensory textures. All items must be secured onto the quilts as to not get lost or fall off in the wash. 

The idea behind the fidget quilts is the same as other fidget products. It gives the residents a chance to calm their minds and hands by giving them something to fidget with for sensory stimulation. However, in the case of quilts, it feels more familiar than any other type of fidget toy. 

The Sewing Guild will donate finished quilts to the Azura Memory Care Nursing Home and the Heritage Court Memory Care Facility in Eau Claire, as well as the Comforts of Home Advanced, Assisted Living in Chippewa Falls.

The Guild decided this was going to be their March project when one of the Guild members who is also a nurse shared how some of her patients utilized fidget quilts, says Winnie Doxsie, chapter president. 

Anyone with a sewing machine and some basic sewing knowledge can join the Sewing Guild on March 24, or you can donate zippers, ribbons, and other textured fabrics to the group.

To learn more about this event and the Western Wisconsin Indianhead Chapter of the American Sewing Guild, you can visit their Facebook page.