A twiddlemuff, also known as a twiddle mitt or hand muff, is used to help people with dementia to give them something to do with their hands, and prevent them from fiddling with their skin, or pulling at medical equipment and bandages.
Crochet twiddle muff pattern
It’s simple to crochet a twiddlemuff – you need a tube that measures approximately 40cm long and 20 cm wide when laid flat (large enough to fit both hands inside comfortably). Depending on the weight of yarn you’re using, chain stitches that measure around 40 cm.
The best twiddlemuff has a variety of textures, so you should vary the stitches you use, and use a range of colours. We used a mixture of chenille yarn, denim-effect and combined tweed yarn with plain wool. You could also work a series of bobbles, or add beads to your yarn.
You don’t need to weave in the ends when you change yarn, as the yarn ends can also be fiddled with. Attach a range of buttons, ribbons and patches – it’s a great way to use up any swatches you have from previous projects. We tacked on a sample of fake fur yarn, and a swatch of yarn with mini pompoms, plus some glittery yarn.
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Once you’ve added all the decorations, fold the fabric in half and sew together, to make the tube.
You can also find lots more ideas for twiddlemuff patterns on Ravelry. This Ravelry gallery of crochet twiddlemuffs has plenty of inspiration too.
