Therapy Fidget Blanket

All her life my grandmother has always been up and about always busy, however she has suffered from anxiety for the past two years. With a little research I discovered therapy blankets and decided to make one for her to help with nerves and keep her hands busy.

This blanket can be used for sufferer's of anxiety and brain deteriation diseases, by stimulating senses and restless hands something to fidget with.

With some old clothing and a sewing kit, this DIY blanket is easy to replicate with many different fabrics and can be hand sewn or machine sewn if available.

Step 1: Materials

Gather any unwanted clothes and trinkets, I'll list everything I used but this instructable can have substitutions that can suit you.

*Sewing kit and fabric shears.
*Large dressing gown
*Denim coat and a Felt coat
*Hair bobbles
*Necklace
*Two different handbags
*Two thick pillowcases
*Belt
*Two socks
*Velvet top
*Cardigan
*Plastic snowflake from a Christmas decoration
*Hoodie
*Pair of leggings
*Felt neck warmer
*Lace top
*Toilet rug

Step 2: Make the Base of the Blanket

Firstly cut along the top just under the arms of the dressing gown or other substituted jacket.
Then turn inside out and sew along the top and bottom.
I used a Blanket stitch for most of the blanket, knotting frequently for security.

Step 3:

I turned the blanket the right way around and the buttons from the dressing gown make it so that I have easy access to sew items on the front and so the blanket can be turned inside out and washed in a machine (hopefully, I haven't tried it yet).

Step 4: Adding Details

From the denim jacket I cut around the pocket and attached it to the blanket again with a Blanket stitch, leaving a edge on the denim that can be played with.
Any jacket with a stitched on pocket could be used as a substitute.

Step 5:

Next I cut off a square from an old toilet rug (washed) and added it on next to the denim pocket.
Again for a substitute material, part of on old rug or microfiber cloths with a wormy texture could be used.

Step 6:

Cutting the fold over the top of a pocket I stitched along the edge attaching it as a flap on the blanket.

Any piece of material could be used to give this effect.

Step 7:

Cutting the two ends off a belt leaving it buckled, I securely stitched both ends leaving the buckle to move about freely so it can open and closed.

Step 8:

In the top right corner of the picture is a metal chain handbag that I cut the strap off and stitched on to the blanket leaving it able to be zipped open and closed, free for the bag to be used.
Any handbag could be substituted, the metal chain one I used gives a nice texture to the blanket.

Step 9:

From an old hoddie, I removed the pocket from the front by cutting the Stitches from the top and sides, then cut along the bottom.
I stitched along the top of the fabric and the two sides leaving the usual pocket holes and a hole across the bottom.

Step 10:

With the leopard print material, that was a felt neck warmer folded over and stiched to the blanket along the folded edge.

Step 11:

Using a velvet top, I cut two long strips and folded them like a fan, securing them with a few stitches in the center, then stitched this to the blanket leaving the fanned out edges free to move around.

Again any material could be cut into strips and folded to create the effect.

Step 12:

For another addition, I cut the bottom half of an old sock off and filled it with soft noisy plastic.
Then I stitched it to a square Base made from the dressing gown for support, then added this to the main blanket.

Step 13:

For the next addition, I cut the end off a handbag.
On the inside I fastened a loop of fabric from a vest top shoulder strap to the inside securing it to a button on the other side of the material.

I then sewed on the material around the edge creating a pocket and fastening a button into the blanket so the pocket could be closed.

Step 14:

Cutting a square using the bottom edge of the top and sewing a strip of lace along the bottom, I then folded the edge of the material and blanket stitched the square along the three plain edges again creating another pocket on the blanket.
Any strip of lace or other textured fabric and square of material could be substituted on the blanket.

Step 15:

For this one, I cut the strap off a jacket cuff, and sewed it to the toe end of a sock.

Then turning the sock inside out I wrapped silky material from the lace top and then folding the sock in on itself, trapping the silky fabric between the fold. I them stitched the two ends together and attached it to the blanket with the stitched end.

I also added a few stitches along the length of the sock to keep it in place.

The silky material inside made the sock slippery and the orange tab sticking out can be pulled, using the socks elasticity to pull it back in.

Step 16:

Using an old cardigan, I cut a rectangular section including the buttons and stitched along the sides of the buttons creating two flapd so that the buttons can be opened and closed.

Step 17: Final Touches

This is any final additions to the blanket surface.

On the denim pocket I added part of an old chain as well as three bobbles on the pocket and a piece of ribbon doubled over and stitched in the middle.

I also added a plastic snowflake from an old Christmas decoration to the surface of the leopard print felt, by wrapping some ribbon around the center and stitching it on to the area.


I also found a large thick red hoop that I attached to the blanket.

For your own blanket, many items cold be used including keyrings, rings and jewelry, hair scrunchies and clips and many more, to add small details to play with.

Step 18: Final Steps

Finally, turning the blanket inside out to secure the stitching, I cut a same sized square as the blanket from the denim jacket.
Laying some old clothes flat, I stitched them to the back of the denim to add weight to the blanket.
I then did a blanket stitch along the edges securing it to the inside of the back of the blanket and creating a solid edge to the blanket.

Step 19: Finished

You should now have your finished blanket.
This is my first instructable so let me know if I've missed anything off,
Enjoy