From the Studio

All of my fidget quilts have been donated to Brook Dale's Alzheimer's/Dementia unit or to Holy Angels.  Well, the ones to Holy Angels have gone to Amelia, who will deliver them.

fidget quilts help soothe  

Dementia quilts  - "A dementia quilt is a small lap quilt that includes things that might trigger something from a dementia patient's senses. Sometimes they are called "Fidget Quilts" because they inspire the patient to interact and fidget with the quilt."  (excerpt from post)

Details

Above is one I haven't posted here, although it is on my other blog.  

I do have one more in progress, but my attention has been elsewhere lately.  Everything goes in cycles, and this cycle has run its course for a while.  I will finish the one I'm working on knowing the compulsion to make these little lap quilts will return later.  

Right now, however, I'm feeling the urge to work on my Eccentrics--the strange little figures that have their own cycle of compulsion.  

About 10 of the Eccentrics have made their ways to new homes in the last month.  That leaves room for more to take their places.  Also, this is the time of year that Halloween figures begin haunting me.  Some of my favorites little figures to make are ghosts, goblins, black cats, pumpkin folk, and witches, and I'm jotting down ideas for these October babies.

At the moment, I want to complete a few stick figures.  Yard debris and trimmings are fodder for my twig and branch collection.  Below is my first completed Twiggy:

Deer Diva

Practices Her Arabesque

 I used the eco dyed fabrics 

from a few years ago to dress her.

(raw silk, muslin, and cheese cloth--

all eco dyed and embroidered)

Deer Diva isn't camera shy.

In fact, she was so busy practicing,

she hardly noticed me.

Trish's Inspiration on Monday

From Trish's Blog:   Inspiration on Monday is a forum to share things that we’ve created and things that we are doing to help inspire others. Posts about projects in progress, finished projects, tutorials, and how-tos are all welcome. Feel free to share recipes, crafts, lifestyle, organizing, and DIY tips, and any other idea that can spark inspiration.

link-up rules:

1. Link up your post(s) below. This can be a recent post or an old post, but please do not re-submit a post you’ve already submitted for Inspiration on Monday.
2. Please link back to Inspiration on Monday or my blog somewhere in the post you are submitting
3. If applicable, please share the source that inspired you in your post. Credit where credit is due.
4. Try to comment on at least one other participant’s post. Encouragement can be so inspiring!

Another fidget quilt.

Birds are raw-edge applique a la'

Syko style machine embroidery.

The quilted beads (I used sillyboodilly's pattern) and buttons

can be moved along the ribbon.

Buttons can be unbuttoned and re-buttoned.

Although I used machine embroidery for the applique,

the rest of the quilt is hand quilted.

I wash the quilts for two reasons:

the wrinkled look pleases me and

washing lets me know what items will survive the washing machine.

Because not everyone knows what "fidget quilts" are,
here is an excerpt from a previous post:

Several of you have asked about what fidget quilts are--so I'm including a couple of links, but the idea works for anyone that needs sensory or manipulative activities--toddlers, disabled, autistic disorders, kinesthetic learners, anyone who needs sensory integration, not just those who suffer from AD or dementia. 

fidget quilts help soothe  
Dementia quilts  - "A dementia quilt is a small lap quilt that includes things that might trigger something from a dementia patient's senses. Sometimes they are called "Fidget Quilts" because they inspire the patient to interact and fidget with the quilt."  (excerpt from post)

Inspiration Mondays

Love, Laughter, and a Little Insanity has started a new forum:

Inspiration on MondayWelcome to the first edition of Inspiration on Monday! Inspiration on Monday is a forum to share things that we’ve created and things that we are doing to help inspire others. Posts about projects in progress, finished projects, tutorials, and how-tos are all welcome. Feel free to share recipes, crafts, lifestyle, organizing, and DIY tips, and any other idea that can spark inspiration.

link-up rules:1. Link up your post(s) below. This can be a recent post or an old post, but please do not re-submit a post you’ve already submitted for Inspiration on Monday.2. Please link back to Inspiration on Monday or my blog somewhere in the post you are submitting3. If applicable, please share the source that inspired you in your post. Credit where credit is due.4. Try to comment on at least one other participant’s post. Encouragement can be so inspiring!

Check it out Trish's blog.

I'm eager to see what other book bloggers are doing!  From gardening to bookbinding, there are so many of you have creative pursuits to share.


I've continued working on my fidget quilts for AD/dementia patients.  I get side-tracked frequently, however, working out various possible embellishments.   

"Ribbon Pull" is f.q. #5.    

 At least it isn't raining, but I wish we could have a little sun.
The ribbons have knots in the end that prevent them 
from pulling all the way out.
I was so excited when I found this idea!
(more on that below)

I got the idea for the ribbon pull here:

  And Next Comes L-- Dyan made a ribbon pulling quiet book page, and the idea was perfect for a fidget quilt.

 Dyan got the idea from The Imagination Tree (which had several great ideas for homemade  manipulatives).

Several of you have asked about what fidget quilts are--so I'm including a couple of links, but the idea works for anyone that needs sensory or manipulative activities--toddlers, disabled, autistic disorders, kinesthetic learners, anyone who needs sensory integration, not just those who suffer from AD or dementia.


fidget quilts help soothe  

Dementia quilts  - "A dementia quilt is a small lap quilt that includes things that might trigger something from a dementia patient's senses. Sometimes they are called "Fidget Quilts" because they inspire the patient to interact and fidget with the quilt."  (excerpt from post)

Mish Mash

I've been receiving more ARCs in the mail lately.  For a while this slowed down as most ARCs offered were e galleys.  Here are some of the recent arrivals:

Fidget quilts #3 and #4 (for AD and dementia patients) are finished.  Although my goal was to keep from buying anything new and to use only what I have in my fabric stash, I picked up a couple of items at Dollar Tree that will provide added texture to future quilts.

#4

Ears, arms, and legs are loose; butterflies are dimensional; a little soft minky fabric with button and gathered fabric for texture.  This one was a lot of fun, and I'll make more like this.

I noticed that I have a number of books from a while back that I haven't reviewed, so here are two brief reviews of those neglected books:

Bleed for Me by Michael Robotham -- This review kept being put off because it is the first book by Robotham that I didn't really care for.  I'm a great fan of most of his books, but this one...well, just didn't appeal as much.  It is the 4th book in the Joe O'Loughlin series, and O'Loughlin needs to figure out if a friend of his daughter has killed her father.  Lots of twists, of course.  I'm not sure why this one didn't feel equal to the others I've read by Robotham, but maybe it is because of the continuing saga of O'Loughlin's disintegrating marriage and the fact that his wife annoys me.

Read in Jan.  Library copy.

Mystery/Suspense.  2012.  423 pages.



Lewis Carroll:  The Man and His Circle by Edward Wakeling.    The delay on this one is because there was such a wealth of fascinating material.  I highlighted so much and couldn't decide what to include and what to eliminate.   The dilemma of too much of interest was overwhelming.

Charles Lutwitdge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) was a fascinating man with an equally fascinating circle of friends and acquaintances.   Anyone interested in the Victorian period would benefit from reading this book.  

The background on Carroll as mathematician, the illustrators of Alice in Wonderland (and how Carroll worked with the illustrators), publishers and publication, his friends among artists, playwrights, and actors, a historical look at his photography--and more, much more.  The primary sources are extensive.

A brilliant man with wide-ranging interests, Lewis Carroll has a dedicated biographer in Wakeling.  The book does not follow the pattern of most biographies, but is a compelling experience and informative experience.  

Read in January      

NetGalley/  I.B. Taurus

Biography/Nonfiction.  2015.  Print length:  480 pages.                                 

Making Fidget Quilts--Not Reviewing

I am behind in reviewing because I've been back in the studio after a long hiatus.  

I'm making small fidget quilts for AD/dementia patients.  Dementia patients tend to have restless hands, and the quilts are very tactile, giving a place for hands to feel texture and tactile elements.  I wish I'd known about them when my father's hands appeared to be sorting papers, as if he were still in the office.

The butterfly is dimensional, the prairie points can be fidgeted with,

 the same with the loops, 

and the embroidery adds another textural element 

for fingers to linger over.

 So far, I'm using all kinds of scraps and odds and ends 

that I've made or collected that sit around waiting for a purpose.

F.Q. #2

More loops, prairie points, buttons, some fabric flowers, etc.

They have been through the washing machine and dryer,

so that I know how they will stand up.

I'm almost finished with the third one.

They are keeping me busy,

and away from my reviewing,

but they are so much fun.