Knitted breasts!!

making all this stuff for the hospitals. Isn't it sad that they are no provided ....
I don't see anything sad about it at all, grandMattie. So many items are needed because they often can't be re-used for fear of cross-contamination. There are plenty of willing helpers who are more than happy to find something useful to do with their hands while they're watching TV! I'm a basic knitter, but have made dozens of little preemie hats recently for our local hospitals. They've let us know now that they've got plenty, and have asked for matinee jackets. I thought that might be beyond my basic skills, but have found an easy all-in-one pattern that's perfect. I think it's lovely for parents to get something for their baby that's a bit individual and made with love, rather than a regulation NHS item.

Twiddle muffs for dementia

There was knitting available for anyone who wanted to do some while waiting at the radiotherapy unit where I had my treatment, sunseeker. Maybe there's one near you which wold welcome your wool.

Witzend
Twiddle muff and knitted knockers are just the sort of language he would use to get a laugh out of the audience, if put in a context which had other meanings.
My mentioning his name does not mean that I was a fan of his humour but you don't need to be a fan to know his type of 'comedy.

It seems that knitting them is not a free-and-easy affair with people making them to any pattern from any old wool and handing them out to just anybody. They are knitted but not sewn up, and sent to the organisation where they are checked, stuffed and sewn up and issued to mastectomy patients who have written asking for them.

A boob made from scratchy wool would not be accepted and sent to a patient asking for one. On the list of suitable yarns, one is specifically mentioned as UNsuitable - "Please note that “I Love this Cotton” from Hobby Lobby is too heavy & washes up stiff when air dried so is not appropriate for knitted knockers."

You would certainly have to have a soft non scratchy knitted boob.
That's what I was thinking too Gettingitrightoneday - the thought of someone knitting a boob with rather scratchy wool to wear next to tender skin makes me cringe.

The Knitted Knockers US website has a list of suitable yarns, which is reached through a link on their Frequently Asked Questions Page There is a separate UK site as well, who probably have a similar list but it if so it is in their members' section, which is only accessible to knitters who have joined.

Could ask at dementia nursing homes if they wanted twiddle muffs. My Sister in law made one for my husband but he didn’t like it and carried on pulling the collars of of shirts or pulling his hair,eyebrows and chest hair off,wish he had used the muff though

You would certainly have to have a soft non scratchy knitted boob.

Fiddle pinnies are good, too. They are sewn rather than knitted. The advantage is that they’re tied on like an apron and don’t slide onto the floor.

Be extra careful with embellishments. My husband was given one in hospital and tried to eat the buttons etc.

@sunseeker - or anyone else with wool to spare - the very lovely MN Woolly Hugs welcome donations; have a look here for ideas
www.woollyhugs.org/

I learned about twiddle muffs two years ago. My DH had (successful) radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer daily for 7 weeks.
In each of the waiting room bays were boxes of donated wool and pairs of needles along with the pattern.
Anyone attending could add to the muffs in any stitch or colour until the desired size (12" x 24")was reached.
Once cast off they were collected by a charity for making up into muffs.
The brighter and more varied the better.
They are much appreciated at my local care home and I love being able to do such a simple thing that brings comfort and calmness to a lot of dementia patients.

My Dd has a knitted boob in her work bag, along with a life size doll and quite a lot of toys.
She's a Health Visitor and the doll and boob are to help Mothers to breast feed and the toys are to give to the babies' siblings to amuse them, so she can concentrate on Mum and new baby.

I'm not sure how to take that, Gabriella - or rather, perhaps I am...
To put it kindly, I was never a fan of the man.

What a lovely thread... I shall investigate further!
Grosvenor that's lovely advice for anyone going through a mastectomy just now..or indeed in the future.. I hope you are well now. ?

A very much appreciated mother of one of my former students knitted me a gut for my biology lessons from a pattern I got from the RSB magazine. It is life size and just right to squeeze a marble through to show peristalsis. Thanks to one of my students for the marbles! They also much appreciate demonstrations of vomiting & defecation - then we have to chase the marbles round the floor to put them back in the mouth - much to the boys' delight.

The twiddle muffs are great; they really are relaxing to twiddle with.
People like to smooth them, do and undo the buttons and so on.

They're a great idea, as well as the knitted knockers.

Witzend
Your OP sounded like the patter from a Ken Dodd show.

Well I've never heard of twiddle muffs before ~ but it's a great idea and I'm inspired! These would be so wonderful for some young special needs pupils (My dil is a reception class teacher). I can see that they could be so useful to help those little'uns who need something to twiddle with during listening times. To help their fine motor skills and as well as helping them calm. This is a win-win. And I am about to make my first one. So thank you for this idea.

And the knitted breasts for breast-feeding technique is also a fabulous idea but I'm of the mil school that says never give advice unless asked, so this isn't a route I shall go down (hmmm ..... but I could have a variation of this on the twiddle muff .... )

Love this thread! <3

I can't knit at all, but give me a crochet hook and I'm away!
I spend many a happy hour or two in the evenings crocheting 'twiddle muffs', usually half watching TV at the same time!
I make them big enough to get both hands in at once, and cover both the inside and outside with 'bits', crocheted flowers, tassels, pompoms, bits of ribbon and other soft things for the inside, with crocheted chains made into bows, buttons, flowers, beads etc outside!
I don't know how theraputic they are to use, but I find making them very relaxing

I do twiddle muffs but never heard about the breasts.

Yes, lizzypop, they're muffs for keeping hands warm, as well as occupied. There are twiddle-things attached to the lining, too.

I found my pattern online. If anyone wants one, I think googling 'Oxford University Hospitals twiddle muffs' will find it.
They are very quick and easy to make, no expert knitting needed. My pattern is done with 2 strands of DK or one strand of chunky, on nice fat 6.5 mm needles.