suggestions to help my client...creative/crafty needed crochet?

[championnicole]

Hi, so I wasn't sure were to put this yet as I am still a nursing student, but anyone whose crafty really could prob answer this!

I'm doing clinicals in residential living right now, and I love love love love one of my clients. I'm finished there this week, and really sad to go because this population is very special to me. My very first client really touched my heart, and I'd really like to help her optimize some of the limitations. Her cognitive functioning is AMAZING, but she has hearing loss, and very very bad vision lost (MD)... She was one of 2 residents at the facility that was still self-medicating, but lost this last week because of the vision lost. It's really really hard on her, and her mind seems completely unstimulated (lots of reasons facility wise, but i'm hear trying to optimize her life).

okay okay, get to the point, so when i first met her she talked and talked about crochet blankets she made. Over the years since moving to residential living, she has made dozens of blankets given to children at a local hospital. She was incredibly proud of it, but she was asking for help with this circle loom thing that someone had given her. It was to make crochet hats, and it's all she can do now. I read the directions, and tried to help, but it was useless (I have no idea how it work)! I do jewlry and there are like regular looms, though I'm not sure how they work, but this one was like a circle, with not middle (like a wheel) and have like bumps on both side--i dunno? I think it's actually just for hat making, and she said she was cool with that, but if a regular loom (and some help with directions) or some other device, could make blankets...that would be awesome!!!

There is very little stimulating she can find to do in this facility, and I would love love love to assist her because she has assisted me! Even if it's some sorta craft similar, that would be cool.

THANKS:redbeathe:nurse:

[elkpark]

Those looms are actually for knitting, and they come in different sizes -- if she's able to use one, she could use a larger one to make baby blankets if she enjoys doing that. You just go "back and forth" in rows to make a flat piece of fabric instead of continuously going around, which makes a tube of fabric, to make hats. There are also long "knitting boards" (like the looms, but straight instead of circular, that have been around since the Middle Ages) that can be used to make flat knit fabric of various widths (inc. baby blanket size).

The looms are v. popular and trendy now, and there's lots of info available. Here are a few websites with information, instructions, etc.:

Loom Knitting

knitting loom instructions, loom knitting primer, knit loom, projects, free knit

Knitting Loom Instructions

My grandmother was like that the last few years of her life -- completely intact cognitively, but nearly blind and pretty deaf. She had always been an excellent seamstress, knitter, and crocheter, and really missed being able to do any of those things. One of the things she really enjoyed was audio (recorded) books -- is your client able to hear enough that she could use those? Would she be interested?

Best wishes to both of you!

[highlandlass1592, BSN, RN]

Ok, have to jump in here. I bought those looms and I couldn't figure them out either. Thanks for the links for me personally! :-)

[highlandlass1592, BSN, RN]

Just throwing this out there..what about making fleece blankets? would she be able to tie off the blankets by feel? They are pretty easy and very appreciated by patients.

[happy2learn]

I would go into a craft store (like JoAnn's) and ask them for help. Someone in there probably knows how to do it and can show you. They also offer classes. I worked there and there were tons of people that worked there that knew how to do that kind of stuff and they loved showing other people.

[championnicole]

Thank you all for suggestions(:yeah:happy2learn)! I'm going to look into it, and hopefully get to the craft store sometime this week! I know the fleece knotting blankets, and have thought about that too! Keep coming with the information if anyone has any! Thank you, and I know my resident would too!

[happy2learn]

Thank you all for suggestions(:yeah:happy2learn)! I'm going to look into it, and hopefully get to the craft store sometime this week! I know the fleece knotting blankets, and have thought about that too! Keep coming with the information if anyone has any! Thank you, and I know my resident would too!

What I will say, try to go during the day, during the week. They are less busy. I would also tell them why you want to learn, more than likely they will give you tons of ideas because it's very thoughtful what you are doing. And if you run into a grumpy person, try to find someone else. I know I've run into a few grumpers at JoAnn's, but I've also found a lot of very helpful people who only work there because they love crafts. Good luck!