Part of the problem is the touch quilts are just going to be given away.
And Im a little nervous about beads on them I don,t want some one to choke .
But some really good idea that you have given me now I have more to add to them thanks so much for the help.
My wife is a PSW and goes to different homes so she can just hand them to her clients .Just like to see them happy.
Just picked up a whole big box of fabric so i,m going to be busy now .
Thanks every one
Tom

piker6ca. Would you post some when you finish...I would like to see some. What size do you make them? Some members of our guild sew items for the local ALZ unit and would use this info. Thanks in advance.

I just found the Touch Quilt project and downloaded the pattern PDF. Thanks for alerting me to try this.

http://www.quirkyquilt.com/index.shtml

http://www.alzheimer.mb.ca/touchquiltproject/

In case any one else is interested, here are a couple of links.

To prevent choking concern I slit the top and threaded the cord [I used thick, maybe 3/8 to 1/2 inch thick] through then zigzagged the ends on the underside many times making a circle. I then zigzagged over where I had made the slits, closing it like one side of a buttonhole. I also used the big bright colored wooden beads you can find at Michaels. Diameter was about silver dollar size or a little smaller. Used batting, backing and quilted she couldn't have gotten the beads off if she tried, but she never tried, just slid them back and forth endlessly and ran her fingers through the fringe. It calmed her. I miss her every day.

Mylar balloons (used and deflated obviously) make for a nice gentle crinkly sound, and they hold up to hot water repeated washing.

potato chip bags also work great.

Clear vinyl picture pocket idea - use a teflon foot or put painters tape around edges before sewing for ease of sewing. This is washable but does not like the heat of dryer. I usually velcro the picture pocket onto the piece that it can be removed for laundry and that also gives them another hands on if they so desire.

To sew on top of vinyl you need to just put a piece of tissue paper, the kind you wrap presents in, on top of the vinyl and your presser foot will sew with no problem. The tissue paper is easy to tear off. Good luck with your project!

You can use the clickers like you find in dog toys for sound. I think you can buy them online.

Tom, you can get the sound you're looking for from potato chip bags (crisp bags that have been opened at both ends then split up one side and wiped off very well). When these are placed in a quilt the quilt can still be washed and dried (only not on high heat). When I make mine I use two bags (medium sized), for more sound. I also try to put in the large toothed zippers (plastic), because they are heavy duty and have a good sized tab for opening and closing. I did a special order one that had a pocket in it, then I put two hankies sewn together and then sewn into the pocket on one side (this way the pocket can be opened and something comes out and then gets put back). My clients mother loves her pocket, she will pull the hankies in and out all day. Anything you put into your quilt, needs to be washer and dryer friendly. Because these quilts are in and out of the machines a lot. Good luck