Twiddlers!

The Inspire Charity Knitting Challenge 2022

Inspire, Your Health Your Way, Dementia Action Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and Creative Lives have supported Nottinghamshire’s crafters to make

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Twiddlers are woolly hand-warmers, securely embellished with fabulous fiddlers that provide sensory stimulation or soothing comfort for people living with dementia. 


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The 2022 challenge will be Inspire’s sixth annual crafting event for charity. It is amazing that every year an army of crafters are prepared to give their time, skills, wool and creativity to a charitable cause. 

Juliet Bernard hand knitting guru, designer and former editor of The Knitter magazine has designed two patterns and lots of fiddlesome embellishments for Notts crafters to knit or crochet.

Here's how to join in and make a twiddlesome, fiddlesome Twiddler!

  • Download a pattern, or pick up a printed pattern from any Inspire Library or participating wool shop 
  • Watch Juliet’s helpful ‘How to’ videos 
  • Make a Twiddler (or two), then safely and securely attach some lovely embellishments
  • When you have finished all Inspire Libraries will be delighted to receive your Twiddlers
  • Twiddlers donated by 1 August 2022 will take part in the Twiddlers! Exhibition at Worksop Library Gallery

At the end of the exhibition the members of Dementia Action Nottingham & Nottinghamshire will distribute your Twiddlers across the county, and make sure people who will benefit from them most receive them. 

Download our Twiddler patterns by clicking on the PDF below:

Inspire Twiddlers Pattern.pdf

Patterns for basic and intermediate Twiddlers, along with ideas for accessories

You can follow our patterns or be inspired to create your own designs. 

Please make sure that all accessories are securely stitched in place and cannot be pulled off. All ends should be securely woven in. Please do not embellish your Twiddler with anything that is sharp or brittle.

Techniques for your Twiddler: knitting a bobble stripe, knitting a lace stripe, making I-cord on needles

Ideas for accessories to embellish your Twiddler, Juliet's step by step helpful 'How To' videos...

Basic Twiddler: Juliet's tips for attaching accessories and how to use mattress stitch to sew up your finished Twiddler...

Intermediate Twiddler: Juliet adds the accessories for her 'spring garden' design...

Click here for I-cord Creations with Juliet Bernard, simple video workshops that aim to get everyone knitting. Make the butterfly and flower embellishments from I-cord and add them to your Twiddler!

The Twiddlers! Exhibition was on display at Worksop Library Gallery from 17 August to 2 October 2022, click here to see the highlights.

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