Caitlin's sensory quilt

I've been wanting to blog this bit of craft work for a while but had to wait until the birthday of the recipient, my niece Caitlin. Caitlin has cerebral palsy and spends a lot of time on the floor so I have made her a recycled sensory quilt. Each square is a different fabric, some from old clothes, some remnants from other projects or charity shop finds and some from gifts.



From left to right the fabrics are:
top row: remnant from covering my son's pushchair (he is now 17!), charity shop scarf, curtain remnant with netting attached, remnant from a page boy's waistcoat with velvet ribbon across, shiny lurex remnant (gift)
2nd row: piece of Caitlin's sister's (Chloe) old pj's, remnant with a baby wipes pack sewn behind for noise, piece of Chloe's old t-shirt, silver charity shop find, my old jeans with piece of ribbon
middle row: flannelette with fleece pocket, crushed velvet - an OLD dress of mine, fur fabric remnant - donated, fabric remnant with lace doiley attached, silky charity shop remnant
4th row: remnant from my daughter's cot sheet, remnant from a fancy dress skirt, my husband's shirt, remnant from a dress I made my daughter, charity shop skirt
bottom row: satiny remnant (donated), piece of a fleece jacket I made my oldest (now 25) inc. pocket, piece from a pair of pyjamas with satin belt attached containing bells, remnant from a cloak I made my oldest and Chloe's jeans with bell sewn in the pocket.

The quilt is backed with a child's sleeping bag that had a broken zip and edged with wide ribbon that has more bells hidden inside it. This ribbon and the loop side velcro patches on the quilt are the only bits not recycled.

The velcro patches are for attaching sensory items I have made and there are also 3 loops for attaching Caitlin's toys. There are different textures of butterflies, a bag with wooden beads and bells sewn inside and some packaging ribbon all securely sewn to the hook side of the velcro.


The folk at Loving Hands are making sensory items for their latest challenge and we have been picking each others brains on what works and what doesn't. I have made prototype one of a hand held sensory item and am about to try prototype 2, more on that at a later date! Many thanks to all who have contributed to this quilt and other sensory items with ideas, materials and inspiration.