Have you heard about the Twiddle Muff ?

A twiddle muff, also called a fidget muff, or hand sensory blanket is essentially a tube shape of various materials; usually yarn, used to give people living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia; warmth and comfort, and providing some sensory stimulation, to keep their hands occupied when they feel agitated.

A close family member of mine has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s; and whilst researching the illness, I came across the concept of the Twiddle Muff.

Whilst they can be made of yarn or material, I learned that many crafting groups – mainly knitters, have been making them and donating to Alzheimer’s and Dementia care homes.

Two things struck me.  Firstly, all of the ones I could find were knitted – I only found one pattern for crochet!

And without wishing to offend anyone, as all designs have their rightful place, many were made with end scraps of leftover yarn from other projects. They were all very colourful and childlike in appearance, especially when adding buttons, zips, sealed pockets of marbles to aid sensory stimulation, which as the illness progresses are very relevant to the individual, and can be customised to reflect their previous hobbies and interest.

I wanted to design an alternative – something really pretty, in soft neutrals and toning colours and luxuriously soft and squishy like your favourite scarf or blanket, that you want to touch and stroke.

The lady close to me, may be struggling to remember who takes sugar in their tea, and asking family 10 times or more “what time we are leaving the house?”. But she also still makes sure her top colour matches her skirt, curls her own hair; and applies her lipstick.

This lady has always taken a pride in her appearance; and to use a Welsh expression ensured she looked “tidy”. I couldn’t imagine gifting this particular lady with one of the childlike Twiddle Muffs, – although as I mentioned in the later stages of the illness, maybe they are then entirely appropriate.

Yet, she has taken to wearing gloves around the house, because her hands are always cold, and unless she is kept busy, will become agitated, and constantly check the contents of her handbag.

In the UK, (where I live), next week 14-20 May 2017 is Dementia Awareness Week – for those of who are maybe not aware – ” Dementia is set to be the 21st century’s biggest killer. But awareness and understanding remains low, and many families are facing it alone.” (source:-Alzheimer’s Society,UK).

So putting aside some other designs I have been working on, I thought ………

“I know, I’ll design a crochet pattern version of the Twiddle Muff” and make it luxuriously soft, using the combination of beautiful yarn and varying crochet stitches to provide the sensory stimulation. By releasing it in time for the awareness week I can also do my bit to help improve understanding of the condition.

I visited my local yarn shop and selected luxuriously soft yarns; with varying textures and toning colours, to use in my design for the twiddle muff. I ended up designing two, a large size that could also be used as a lap blanket, and a smaller version, just for those cold hands.

I called my design Stroke Me Soother Twiddle Muff , because believe me the yarn is so very soft, you are naturally drawn to stroking it.

The yarns I used were King Cole Yummy in Cream and Mint 100% polyester – a chunky velvet like texture unbelievably soft. Wendy Eider Chunky 80% Nylon 20% Polyester in Ecru which gives a soft fur like appearance (hence the stroking part of the name). Rico Fashion Cotton Big 100% Cotton in Mint, a chunky cotton I made a crochet rib with for added texture.

I am really happy with how they turned out, and wanted to share the patterns with all my crochet friends who may know someone who would love one of these to cuddle with.

The patterns are easy to follow and and there is no set number of stitches, so you could customise this to whatever size you prefer, and repeat any rows to get to the size you like.

The two pattern details and final measurements are below for anyone who would like to follow my pattern.

Stroke Me Soother Twiddle Muff

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Difficulty Level: – Easy suitable for a beginner who has already mastered the basic stitches.

Stitches Used: –

UK TERMS 

CH – Chain
SS – Slip Stitch
DC – Double Crochet
HTR – Half Treble Crochet
TRC – Treble Crochet
TTC – Triple Treble Crochet

 

USA TERMS

CH – Chain

SS – Slip Stitch

SC – Single Crochet

HDC – Half Double Crochet

DC – Double Crochet

QTC – Quadruple Treble Crochet
Special Stitch: – This stitch looks like a corkscrew in the chunky velvet yarn and will be great to add texture, and twiddle with.

Triple Treble Crochet – Yarn over hook 3 times, insert crochet hook into stitch, yarn over and pull through, 5 loops on hook, yarn over, pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through final 2 loops.

 

Yarn Used: –

Yarn A – Rico Fashion Cotton Big 100% Cotton Chunky 50 g/50 m- Mint

Yarn B – King Cole Yummy 100% Polyester 100 g/120 m Chunky – Cream

Yarn C – Wendy Eider Chunky 80% Nylon, 20% Polyester 100 g/150 m – Ecru

Yarn D – King Cole Yummy 100% Polyester 100 g/120 m Chunky – Mint

 

 

Hook Size Used: – 7 mm crochet hook – (the yarns I used recommended a 6mm hook),  I went up to 7 mm.

 

Gauge: – using Yummy 3” square = 8 TRC x 4 rows

Instructions written using UK crochet terms.

Begin with Yarn A (Mint Cotton) to make a thin strip of rib effect.

ROW 1:- CH7, DC 2nd from the hook, DC in each CH across (5 DC) turn,
ROW 2:- CH1 (does not count as a stitch), DC across in back loop only, turn (5 DC)
ROWS 3-50 (approx.) Repeat Row 2 until you have a long thin rib strip measuring 22 inches regardless of how many rows you have take

 

ROW 1:- Turn your work, and working across either of the wide edges, evenly DC 68 (68 DC)

ROW 2:- CH1 (counts as 1st DC), DC in each DC and repeat across (68 DC)

ROW 3:- Repeat ROW 2 (68 DC)

 

Join Yarn B – (Yummy Cream)

ROW 4:- CH3 (counts as 1 TRC) 1 TRC in each DC and repeat across (68 TRC)

ROW 5-8:- Repeat ROW 4, last TRC in turning chain (68 TRC)

ROW 9:- CH1, DC in each TRC, repeat across (68 DC)

 

Join Yarn C – (Eider Ecru)

Row 10:- CH2, HTR in each DC, and repeat across (68 HTR)

ROW 11:- Repeat Row 10

ROW 12:- CH1, DC in each HTR, and repeat across (68 DC)

ROW 13-19:- Repeat Row 12

 

Join Yarn D – (Yummy Mint)

ROW 20:- CH1, DC across (68 DC)

ROW 21:- CH3, TRC in each DC, repeat across (68 TRC)

ROW 22:- Repeat Row 21, final stitch in CH3 of turning chain. (68 TRC)

ROW 23:- CH5 (does not count as first stitch), Skip 1st DC, TTC, CH1, Skip 1, repeat across, TTC in CH3 previous row. (34 TTC)

ROW 24:- CH1, DC in each CH1 stitch, and the top of each TTC, DC in 5th CH of previous row. (68 DC)

ROW 25:- CH3, TRC in each DC, repeat across (68 TRC)

ROW 26:- Repeat Row 25.

 

Join Yarn C – (Eider Ecru)

ROW 27:- CH2, HTR in each TRC, repeat across (68 HTR)

ROW 28:- CH1, DC in each HTR, repeat across (68 DC)

ROW 29-35:- Repeat Row 28 (68 DC)

 

Join YARN B (Yummy – Cream)

ROW 36:- CH1, DC in each DC, repeat across (68 DC)

ROW 37:- CH3, TRC in each DC, repeat across (68 TRC)

ROW 38-40:- Repeat Row 37

 

Seaming together 

When I got to this stage my flat rectangle measured 19” height and 29” width, it doesn’t really matter if yours is slightly different. Also with using different textures of yarn, it’s difficult not to get an uneven edge.

If it bothers you, block it before seaming the side, but once it’s seamed, if you have an uneven edge, it won’t show.

Fold the piece in half width-ways, bringing the short sides together ready to seam.

CH1 and turn your work, still using Yarn B, continue using an even number of HTR close into a tube shape by crocheting a chunky prominent seam, you can leave the seam showing on the outside, or if you prefer a hidden seam turn inside out, or use your own preferred method to seam together, such as mattress seam.

When you get to the end of the seam, turn your work again, and still using Yarn B crochet a slip stitch all around the edge of the rib crochet narrow end you began with, repeat this 4 more times to give a velvety edge and then fasten off, and hide the ends from your colour changes.

I then added a couple of toning silky touch ribbons, but you can decorate further as you wish, and according to the taste of the person it’s for.

My finished Twiddle Muff measured 9” narrow end x 21”x 14” wide end.

Stroke Me Soother Twiddle Muff – Small

 

My first design ended up larger than I originally intended, although I really love the finished item. So I decided to use up the remaining yarn and make a second smaller one – just for hands.

 

Here are the instructions for the smaller version with just a few minor changes.

 

Begin with Yarn A (Mint Cotton)

ROW 1:- CH7, DC 2nd from the hook, DC in each CH across (5 DC) turn,
ROW 2:- CH1 (does not count as a stitch), DC across in back loop only, turn (5 DC)
ROWS 3-25:- Repeat Row 2, to form a long thin strip of rib effect, measuring 12 inches.

 

ROW 1:- Turn your work, and working across either of the wide edges, evenly DC 30 (30 DC)

ROW 2:- CH1 (counts as a stitch), DC in each DC and repeat across (30 DC)

ROW 3:- Repeat ROW 2 (30 DC)

 

Join Yarn D – (Yummy Mint)

ROW 4:- CH3 (counts as 1 TRC) 1 TRC in each DC and repeat across (30 TRC)

ROW 5-8:- Repeat ROW 4, last TRC in turning chain (30 TRC)

ROW 9:- CH1, DC in each TRC, repeat across (30 DC)

 

Join Yarn C (Eider Ecru)

Row 10:- CH2, HTR in each DC, and repeat across (30 HTR)

ROW 11:- CH1, DC in each HTR, and repeat across (30 DC)

ROW 12-19:- Repeat Row 11

 

Join Yarn D – (Yummy Mint)

ROW 20:- CH1, DC across (30 DC)

ROW 21:- CH 4, (doesn’t count as a stitch), TTC in first DC, CH1, Skip 1, repeat across, TTC in last DC. (15 TTC + CH4)

ROW 22:- CH1, DC in each CH1, and the top of each TTC, DC in 5th CH of previous starting CH. (30 DC)

Join Yarn C – (Eider Ecru)

 

ROW 23:- CH2, HTR in each TRC, repeat across (30 HTR)

 

ROW 24:- CH1, DC in each HTR, repeat across (30 DC)

 

ROW 25-32:- Repeat Row 24 (30 DC)

 

Join Yarn D (Yummy – Mint)

 

ROW 33:- CH1, DC in each DC, repeat across (30 DC)

 

ROW 34:- CH3, TRC in each DC, repeat across (30 TRC)

 

ROW 35-38:- Repeat Row 34

 

Fasten off.

 

 

Seaming together

Fold the piece in half widthways, bringing the short sides together ready to seam your tube.

Join Yarn C, and using HTR crochet the sides together, then I decided as I had plenty of this yarn left to make a feature furry seam, so I continued with 4/5 rows of HTR.

My finished Twiddle Muff Small measured 16” in length, narrow rib end 7” (includes 1” of fur) and wider end (Yummy TRC) 8”

If you would prefer, I am offering a FREE PDF for these two patterns for all new subscribers to my newsletter!

 

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