Zill Mufflers are fabric coverings that are placed over finger cymbals to muffle the sound while you’re playing them. These make it possible for you to practice without disturbing your neighbors, family members, and cats.

Some people muffle their finger cymbals by cutting the toes out of old socks and running a drawstring through them, or buying baby socks and running a drawstring through the tops of them. But if you enjoy crochet, you might have fun using your hook to whip up a lacy set like the Large Six-Petal style.

For each of these designs, make 2 if you want just partial muffling, and place them on the cymbals that you wear on your middle fingers, leaving the thumb zills uncovered. If you want total muffling, make 4 and place them on all of your zills.

Below, you’ll find instructions for two different designs: The Six-Petal style and the Spider Web style. Each of these in turn is presented for two different sizes of finger cymbals: the 2-inch diameter usually recommended for beginning dancers, and the 2 1/2-inch diameter often used by more experienced dancers.

Supplies For All Four Styles

Size 0 steel hook
Bedspread cotton crochet thread (size 10)
Small amount of elastic that is ¼-inch wide
Scissors
Yarn needle
Thread same color as elastic
Normal sewing needle (i.e., a sharp)