Our stories are linked to our experiences with the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Our dream is that wherever you are you might be able to be part of a project in your area. We would love to hear your stories so we can all learn from each other to help make hospital stays a comfortable experience for the elderly.
Making twiddle creations provides opportunities to involve friends and family members. An important aspect of our project is involving people in different ways. While crocheting and knitting is our preferred way of making blankets, muffs and cuffs, the twiddle items that are attached to the blankets, muffs and cuffs can come from many different sources.
For example, Paul, my husband, supports the project collecting interesting bits and pieces like discarded hair ties and ribbons found on the street and small items such as felt animals, buckles, snap fasteners, velcro from $2 shops. Some people like donating buttons, ribbons and zips. It still amazes me what you can turn into a useful twiddle item as long as it is safe for a recipient.
I was thrilled some time ago when Lisa, the Nursing Manager in the Acute Medical Ward at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, started giving me some knitted pieces in a variety of sizes which I could then turn into complete twiddle creations. What was so exciting about this, was that beginner and inexperienced knitters used different types of yarn to make these pieces. Everyone benefits and feels a sense of achievement and purpose. In the photos one colourful, textured piece became a twiddle muff.
Leftover granny squares become pockets.
Before starting a project many knitters and crocheters do a swatch, a small piece of crochet or knitting that checks the tension to see if their stitches match to the pattern’s gauge. These swatches are very useful indeed to attach to twiddle creations. Maybe you can persuade someone who does a lot of knitting or crocheting to give them to you.
And you can see more examples on our facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pg/projecttwiddles/ and on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/projecttwiddles/
See what you can collect to reuse. If you have time, have a read of my story about repurposing granny square blankets. You can help in so many different ways. It is such fun and a great activity to share with others in the making of these twiddle creations.
Happy creating everyone!
Sandra @ Project Twiddles