I am going to school to become a special education teacher and hope to work with kids who have autism. For the last year and a half I have had the privilege to volunteer in a classroom at an elementary school. The teacher has been great and is always excited to teach me something new or to have me teach lessons to the class (there are 10 kids all together in the class). I would like to make a small (lap size) puzzle quilt for the kids to use in the class. I would also like to make it weighted but am unsure how to do this. Does anyone have any suggestions, thank you. Oh, I also don't plan on using the typical autism awareness puzzle colors. The boys really like Thomas The Train so I was thinking of doing different boy themed fabrics. They are kindergarten-3rd grade. Thank you for your help! :-D :-D

It sounds like an interesting project. What do you call a puzzle quilt?

I'm not sure what it's actually called, it just looks like a bunch of puzzle pieces. I also need to find a way to make it weighted (maybe add bean bags). But it also needs to be washable.

How about an I Spy type quilt where you used two of each block (or the same print in different colors) and have the kids try to match the squares?

That actually sounds like an awesome idea! easier too. I think they could use this as a game in the class and they could help each other too. I hadn't even thought of an I spy. But, I think this will work better. Thank you.

Would felted wool make it heavy enough? it could be used instead of batting. I remember grama's quilts, they were pretty heavy feeling and they had that for batting.

http://www.equiltpatterns.com/quiltp...products_id=53

http://hoffmanchallenge.com/download...watchesWeb.pdf

http://www.equiltpatterns.com/advanc...5e86e&x=22&y=4

The first one used to be free, but they are charging for it now. Also, go to the Search button on top - some of the members here have done some beautiful puzzler quilts.

All of these patterns look really great!! I must put this on my to do list, for some time in 2010!!
:D :D :D :D

Magnolia, looks like some great patterns. I congratulate you on your career. My nephew has autism. They are wonderful to work with. Thanks :thumbup:

Magnolia--Here is what lucyinthesky posted a while ago on the puzzle quilt. I hope it helps...I too want to put this on my list I have a mildly autistic grandson.

And here's how to do it with 8.5" unfinished blocks.

I showed the first yellow piece with its individual squares, so you can count and see the size.

The rest show the pieces you would actually cut... some of the lines got lost. Look at the green one, it's all intact. Or DL the Excel sheet, it shows up better. The darker black lines shows the block outline.

So from each color (to get 1 full puzzle piece), I'm going to cut:

2 3.5 x 8.5
1 4.5 x 2.5 (middle of same block)
2 2.5 x 2.5 (for the adjacent blocks)

To put it together, I take the 4.5 x 2.5 piece, and get 2 of the 2.5 x 2.5 from <b>different</b> blocks (ex, if I'm making the yellow block, and have the yellow 2.5 x 4.5 piece, I take 1 orange and 1 pink 2.5 x 2.5 square)(and here I have to be careful to keep track of what goes where). I have NOT used the 2.5 x 2.5 yellow squares. One will be used in the green block, and 1 will be used in whatever is above the yellow block. Sew them together.

Then to the top and bottom, sew the 2 3.5 x 8.5 strips. Tada, puzzle block!
(Download)

I guess the excell pic didn't down load, there is a posting called puzzling, you can search for it and I think this was on page 6 or 7. Good luck!!!

My son has autism and my avitar quilt, I made for him. It was really easy, I used a pattern from eQuiltPatters.com the patter was really easy to follow. I believe if you put the weighted bags in between the batting and the backing it would work, it would also be a pain to quilt. lol

Thanks everyone for you help. You are all so nice.

I have a question. What is the reason for weighting the quilt?

A lot of the kids in our class need pressure on them to make them feel more aware of themselves and to keep them present with us (in our world so to say). It allows them to concentrate more and calms them. I hope I explained that okay, it's kind of confusing because I don't fully understand it myself yet.

I have the pattern and I'll be happy to send you a copy. PM your address.

I wonder if the weighted quilts work kind of like the swadeling (sp) blankets for babies. You know when you wrap the baby in a blanket so they are like a little package and all you see is their heads and their arms and legs are restricted. Interesting.
I never heard of the weighted quilts.

I think this is a wonderful thing for you to make. My 23yo son is Autistic (nonverbal) and I just found the Autism awareness fabric at our Hancock Fabrics, I bought the whole bolt!!!

For one of his Christmas presents I am going to make him a quilt for his bed. I was going to do a Scrappy Happy type of quilt until I found this material now I might do the puzzle pieces using the awareness material for the border fabric and the backing.

Billy

This might have already come up, but this is a thread where I made an Excel sheet showing how to make a puzzle quilt. It's on page 2, I think.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-28285-1.htm

Would a heavier batting work or two layers of batting?

You could try backing it with denim, (even used blue jeans pieced together would probably work, and inexpensive). This might give it enough weight for the purposes needed. Good Luck.

How about sewing some long, skinny pockets into the borders of the quilt? You could fasten them shut with velcro or zippers. You could then put weights in the pockets to give adequate weight but they could be removed when the quilt needs to be washed. Sort of like the weighted vests that some autistic kids use. Hope I explained that ok. Check with your occupational therapist at the school to get a look at how the weights in a weighted vest are constructed for a visual.

I have a copy of the pattern shown here (with the larger puzzle pieces). If you would like it, contact me by email and I will make arrangements to send it to you.

Not a "Copy"...I have an original pattern! Do not want anyone to think I am sending an illegal "copy" of the pattern. It was given to me as a gift and I will never use it!

I have a way to weight quilts for autism. Email me and I will send the information for autism quilt weights. I got it from Belladona.

I was raised by my Grandma in the hills of WV during the depression.
My Grandma used Grandpa's old wool pants as lining for her lovely
feed sack quilts, and they were warm, heavy and comfy on a snowy
night.

By that time they had been washed many, many times and had shrunk
to the very limit, so there was no shrinkage when washing the quilt..which
I'll admit in hind sight must have been quite a chore, since it was done by
hand in a big pot outdoors!!

I had one of them for many years till I lost it in moving..still mourn the loss
of my dear Grandma's hand made quilt.

here is a puzzle quilt pattern I found on line. I don't know if it is ok to post it here. If it is not Admin please let me know and I will email it to Magnolia.

I see you have the pattern for a puzzle quilt. Would you mind sharing itwith me also. I teach in an after-school program and the sewing group is always wanting to make things. I would really appreciate it...let me know if I owe you something.

Cindy Snook
1600 Alder Dr.
Montrose CO 81401

Many thanks.

There is a free pattern from Jukebox Quilts.
here is the web address. It is really cute.
<http://www.jukeboxquilts.com/freePatterns.html>
Hope this helps! :-D

This answers my question about the weight. Hmmm? Is there a reason that I need weight to cover my legs when I sleep?

Magnolia -Just to let you know, I've put a copy in the mail today. Have fun!

Weighted lap belts, vests, small blankets, etc, all work by applying deep pressure. Kind of like a big hug without having to endure human contact. It is very calming and grounding. Some kids like to sit with a weighted blanket across their lap. I know a boy who likes it wrapped around his head, hoodlike.

Ours are made from fleece so they are soft to touch as well. They have channels that close with velcro. Inside each channel is a flattened tube shape filled with split peas. The tubes can be removed for washing, or to make the lap blanket lighter.

Making more is on my to-do list :roll:
So is making a puzzle quilt. Thanks for all the great links here!!

Thank you everyone for all of your help. I will soon have the pattern needed (coming in the mail). Everyone also had very good suggestions.

B.Zang you explained the deep pressure thing much better than I could and also made it more clear to me.

Thank you everyone; you are all wonderful.

I also have the pattern called JigSaw #201 by Lehmann quilting. But glad you are set. I'm always a day late and a dollar short!!!! :)
www.LehamannQuilting.com

This has been such an informative thread. Thanks to everyone's comments. I have a "surrogate" grandson that has just been diagnosed as "mildy autistic". This next while is going to be a very busy learning period for his parents, and for my DH and I as Gramma and Grampa. This little guy LOVES it when DH or I take him for tractor rides. He was so disappointed last week when he couldn't go for a ride...it was about 10 below, with a wind chill to about -35!!!!

Can't help you with the puzzle quilt but I have attached info on the weighted blanket technique I used. Several years ago I made a weighted blanket for my son who felt calmed by the weighted blanket (per his Occupational Therapists advice). Many children with sensory issues need extra amounts of stimulation to their skin to feel grounded, secure, and helps them concentrate.

I purposely did not quilt the blanket because the beads you use to weight it down with are impossible to quilt over. The only alternative I can figure to adding both together to make one unit is to add a quilt top to a weighted blanket by just stitching the outside border and maybe tieing in throughout the middle of the blanket.

I have seen an " I Spy" quilt where they sewed a pocket into the border to keep the "matching cards". The matching cards were simply scraps of each fabric used and laminated them into 3x5 sized cards. Hope this helps.

Thank you for all of the information on how to weight these quilts. My adult niece is autistic...when she needs to feel calm, she comes up to us and says "SQUISH ME!!" and we give her big hugs... I bet a weighted quilt would be very comforting for her inbetween "squishes" :D:D:D

Yes, and we've found that wrapping them up in a bean bag (think hot dog) and rolling them around is wonderful too!!

Glad to be of help. Let me know if you have any questions.

We had a member of our guild ask for really "ugly" fabric to use in a quilt for children with autism. She also did something special about texture. By doing this she was able to duplicate a very expensive therapeutic product. It is great that there are those of you applying an old craft to new knowledge. Thank you so much for your efforts. If you find an idea that works, maybe you can use some of use to make more for you by posting this in the appropriate site.

:hugs: for your efforts, I tried to make one recently for my nephew who just turned 6 and it was a huge flop...so maybe puzzles for next year, goodluck!!

I'm a nurse in a residential facility where three of our residents are autistic...One of them uses a weighted blanket to help calm her when she has behaviors...yes, it is confusing how it works, but it seems to help. I like the idea of a puzzle quilt; the weighted blanket we have is just that...a blanket of deep burgundy fleece or flannel.