Learn sensory craft skills with our textiles short courses in Sydney!
Join this six-hour course and learn to design and create a fidgety blanket — a tactile, soothing tool widely used to support individuals living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism, or sensory processing needs. These blankets combine warmth, comfort, and sensory-rich features such as zips, buttons, textured fabrics, beads, and ribbons to help ease anxiety, promote relaxation, and keep hands gently engaged.
This course blends thoughtful design with practical creativity. You’ll explore how sensory elements can support emotional wellbeing, discover how to choose safe and calming materials, and learn step-by-step construction techniques. Guided by your tutor, you will make your own fidgety blanket to take home — a meaningful item that can offer comfort, stimulation, and reassurance to someone in your care.
Whether you work in aged care, disability support, education, healthcare, or are a family member seeking to create something purposeful and calming, this course offers both practical skills and insights into the therapeutic value of sensory textiles.
This fidgety blanket making course is ideal for:
- Carers, aged-care workers, disability support workers, and community support staff
- Family members of individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism, or sensory processing needs
- Teachers, diversional therapists, lifestyle coordinators, and activity program facilitators
- Craft enthusiasts interested in purposeful textile design and sensory comfort
No previous sewing experience is required.
By the end of this fidgety blanket course, you should be able to:
- Recognise the therapeutic purpose and benefits of fidgety blankets
- Select suitable fabrics, colours, textures, and sensory components for different user needs
- Construct a safe, durable blanket using foundational sewing and assembly techniques
- Attach features such as zips, ribbons, toggles, beads, buttons, and pockets securely and thoughtfully
- Apply design strategies that support calmness, sensory engagement, and fine motor activity
- Produce a completed fidgety blanket with a personalised sensory layout
Session 1: Understanding, planning and starting your fidgety blanket
- What fidgety (sensory) blankets are and how they support wellbeing
- Benefits for people living with dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism, anxiety, and sensory regulation
- Safety and user-centred design considerations
- Overview of suitable fabrics, textures, colours, and sensory components
- Planning a balanced sensory layout and feature placement
- Preparing, cutting, and layering the blanket base
- Introduction to machine-sewing techniques used in the project
- Beginning construction of the blanket
Session 2: Construction, finishing and care
- Continuing construction and reinforcing the blanket
- Securely attaching sensory features such as zips, ribbons, toggles, buttons, beads, and pockets
- Placement for comfort, accessibility, and fine motor engagement
- Final assembly and edging
- Checking durability and safety
- Washing, care, and maintenance guidelines
- Ideas for personalisation and adapting designs for future blankets
By the end of the course, you’ll take home a completed fidgety blanket designed with comfort, care, and creativity in mind.
Rozelle Campus
2A Gordon Street, Rozelle NSW 2039 (corner of Gordon St & Victoria Rd on the grounds of St. Joseph's Church)
What to bring to class
A carefully curated materials kit is available for $20 and can be added at checkout. The kit includes all core materials needed to make a fidgety blanket. Each kit will vary slightly depending on stock, with a mix of fabrics, trims and tactile elements.
If you’d prefer to use your own materials, simply untick the kit box at checkout.
Whether you use the kit or bring your own, we encourage everyone to bring along extra items from home if you’d like to personalise your blanket. Almost anything tactile or interesting can be used.
You might like to bring:
- Fabric pieces (cotton, canvas, textured fabrics)
- Ribbons, lace, trims or braids
- Buttons, beads, bells or small charms
- Zips, elastic, D-rings or belt clasps
- Small patches, soft toys, or other safe nick-nacks with texture
There’s no hard-and-fast rule — creativity is encouraged, and the tutor will help you make the most of what you bring.
All sewing machines and basic tools are provided.
