Knitters across the district are being encouraged to knit a twiddlemuff to help a person living with dementia in the Forest of Dean.
Twiddlemuffs are a knitted hand muff with interesting bits and bobs like beads, viagra zips and ribbons attached inside and outside.
They have been designed and developed to provide simple stimulation for active hands, seek while promoting increased flexibility and brain stimulation. Bradford Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, who have developed the use of them within their hospital, say many patients with dementia have found the twiddlemuff reassuring and comforting.
There are twiddlemuff collection boxes at all Forest Leisure centres and libraries. We are asking for twiddlemuffs to be sent in by 15 May so that that the council can distribute those collected to hospitals, groups, care homes and individuals across the district during national Dementia Awareness Week which is 17 to 23 May 2015.
Lena Maller, the District Council’s Community Engagement Officer who leads on work with older and vulnerable people said: “Twiddlemuffs are already catching the attention of people across the Forest and they are telling family members about them too – I’ve even had emails from as far away as Cardiff and Scotland.
“I think this is a lovely thing to do and a fantastic, fun way to raise awareness in the community of dementia and get people involved – people can knit in groups or in their own homes.”
How to knit a twiddlemuff
Materials
This pattern is perfect for using up left over and odd balls of wool. Different textures of wool are also good.
Needles: 6.5mm straight needles or 8mm circular.
Beads, zips, ribbons things that can be twiddled with but will not break and are not sharp to touch or brittle.
Directions
Cuff (Twiddlemuff lining)
Cast on 40 stitches using 2 strands of double knitting wool. You can also use 1 strand of chunky wool.
Work in stocking stitch (knit a line, purl a line) for 11 inches (28cm).
Muff Body
Continue with stocking stitch and use up any oddments of various textures of wool. For example chunky, mohair, snuggly, eskimo, ribbon and chenille.
Knit unit work until it measures 23 inches (58.5cm).
Cast off.
Finishing and decoration
Neatly sew the long edges together with purl side facing you.
Turn the muff inside out.
Push the cuff (lining) up inside the muff body and neatly sew the case on and cast off edges together.
Now is the time to decorate your twiddlemuff. Choose a good variety of decorations: beads, pastel colours, depending on whether the twiddlemuff is for a man or a woman.
Try to include at least six decorations on the outside and four on the inside. You can add more if you like.
Make sure everything is sewn on tight so they cannot be pulled off and there are no loose threads.