Stitching the pieces together
Comments
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I find myself holding my greath when making simple straight seams. Maybe I just need to put on some good music to listen to while sewing.
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When you don't breathe, not only do you get lousy work, but you tense up your shoulders. When you tense up, you get sore and blame the sewing!! I used to tell my students "Don't blame the car, blame the driver!" I used to sew in my store sometimes 8-10 hours a day and didn't get sore!! I would be talking to my staff or customers and that helped me breathe while I worked.
Try it. You'll like it!!
Also, here's another biggy. Have your machine right up to the edge of the table in front of you. If you have it too far back, you have to reach and hold your arms out. That will cause aches and pains too!
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I did noticed that the farther away my machine is, the more of a crick I get in my neck.
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Also, make sure that your chair is at the right height to keep you from stretching your arms up higher, it will help keep the neck muscles relaxed. I learned that sewing in the furniture factory (8-10 hours a day on production). It seems funny but I had my chair rather high compared to my overall height and where the other ladies had their chairs set up, but it helped me keep my forearms at a 45 degree angle and my shoulders relaxed. Here at home, I have an adjustable height table since I use a kitchen chair so I keep the table lower than normal height to keep my shoulders relaxed. I even take the table to my quilt guild when we have any sew days since the tables in the room are too high.
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I am 5'11" and have only adjustable chairs in my sewing room. My cutting table is on horses so it can be high enough for me. Just under the bend of my elbo for cutting. The proper height for a cutting table makes it possible for me to sew. I don't know how I ever cut on the dining room table or floor.
At our last house we had the counters set at the best height for us. The realtor lists the, still vacant, house as having luxury height counters. Who knew?
I think having serious back problems caused me to be simply obnoxious about not doing more injury to my back. Working in non profits our furniture was the old furniture that other businesses gave away. After back surgery I went out and bought my own chair. A smart thing.
Ginger
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Ginger, I am just the opposite of you, I stand tall at 4 ft 10 in. Most of the other women in the factory had their chairs practically on the floor. I even noticed it when I was working in the office on the computer I needed my chair high and I also had one of the foot rests to keep my feet from dangling. I have to have my chair high or my table lower than most when sewing but I can't cut on regular height tables. I still need my table slightly higher because of bending over too much hurts my back. I found to raise the tables to the right cutting height, I use the plastic bed risers under the legs. They are easy enough to put in or take out with a little help from a friend.
I live in an older house that my neighbor helped with part of the construction, the counter is not the standard height, it is actually a couple of inches shorter, but I am not complaining even though my husband doesn't like the height, he is 6' 3".
Sheila
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I'm 5'10". The first house we bought was built for a woman 4'11". I survived a month there before we raised the kitchen counters. This house was built by a woman my height.
I had a 4'11" friend spend the weekend here one time. She fell in love with the higher counters in the bathroom. She had her bathroom counters raised a couple of months later. Said she loved not having to bend over to spit! lol
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After those wonderful countertops at our last house we have the lowest counters in our bathroom that I have ever experienced in the US. I sit on the edge of the tub deck to brush my teeth because the counter is so low. This house was built in the late 80's and has 4" square white tile for all of the counters. No fun to keep the grout clean in these.
Ginger
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The house we rented just before we bought our first home had tile floors and counters. Due to chipped and broken dishes and glasses as well as grout cleaning I swore to never put up with tile again! Needless to say, no marble or granite either unless I could have a dream kitchen with a section devoted to pastry, bread and candy making. That dedicated area would be marble, thick marble!
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Just wanted some of your thoughts on this baby blanket. I think that the D9 just needs to have its own area. I was thinking about doing a 2" border around each D9. It will be in shade of pink that is in the D9. Followed by a 3" white border, followed by a 2" border in black, and finally by a hot pink border as well. What do you all think about the D9 having a pink border around each one. Is that a bit much or what. I just think the blocks need broke up abit they seem to run together too much.
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For some time I've been trying to think of some way to check on cyber sisters who just disappear from these forums. Sometimes it is just that they have been busy elsewhere, but no one knew how to reach them. I'm active on over a dozen topics and I've noticed that several of my sisters frequent some of the same topics. I figure that it would take only 3 or 4 of those women willing to keep my phone number and call to see if I'm OK should I disappear for an extended time and I would be happy to do the same for them. If we start a movement to do that we would have few if any instances like the current one in The Fuzzy Room, where we are left wondering and worrying about someone we care for with no way of finding out. This way personal information would not need to be published but someone could always check.
Just send a private message to someone to talk to frequently, maybe feel a connection with and talk to them about the idea, see if they want to exchange information. Chabba
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The quilt at the top header has yet to be completed. I have put the press on myself to get the machine quilting done THIS WEEK. I will see the recipient Saturday so I want to present it to her then. Wish me luck.
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Happy St. Parick's Day
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WOW!! Looks like a cake...good enough to EAT!!
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Can't take credit for it. But I thought it was pretty.
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Went to a quilt show yesterday in Monroe WA, 500 quilts. It was really nice. My DD and DGD went too and we had a good time. I saw a display of featherlights, different colors too. I wonder why they are so popular and valuable. They look cute, yes, but does anyone understand the draw? I feel like I should know but I don't.
Thanks Ginger
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Wow 500 quilts!
I guess I should know, but what is a featherlight?
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It is a featherlight sewing machine. I had never seen one in person before. I can tell you their paint jobs were really nice. I just don't understand their purpose. Very cute and little though.
Yes, the brochure said 500 quilts but I don't see how it could be that many. I will have to check further. DD has the programs at her house. There were a good number of little quilts. It was held in a really large building.
GInger
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Featherweight is a small electric portable Singer sewing machine that was made in the 30's through the 50's. I am not sure but I think they were popular because they were portable compared to the Singer treadle machines. My mom sews with a treadle at home but has a Featherweight that she takes to quilt classes.
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My sister collects them and has a rare tan coloured one. I don't see the appeal!!
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Okay, I knew about fetaherweights. I think some of their appeal has to do with how they can still be around and working.
I was Googling Featherlights and came up with inetersting light fixtures decorated with feathers. I wondered how they made it into a quilt show.
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Thanks for the info. The Featherweights weren't part of the quilt show but were a vendor at the show. There were many differnt colors, the red caught my eye. They almost looked like a cute beginner machine. The prices seemed to be $600. up to $1100. that I saw. The booth was just humming with activity. It was a inside corner location which tells me it was one of the more expensive vendor locations. I wonder if some people are piecing on feather weights?
The show was good enough that DD went back yesterday with her DH to take photos.
Laters Ginger
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I went yard-saling for the first time with FDIL on Saturday. I went to one and found one of those binders with quilt patterns. The type you subscribed to and they sent like 4 patterns a month. Well, obviously, the owner kept her subscricption a lot longer than I had, and I picked it up for $1! Wow, I felt like I got quite a bargain. She had so many quilting books, but I only took the one. I figure I will go through mine and the new one and any duplicates I will give to my Mom in the second binder.
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Did anyone else subscribe to this...
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Boy did you get a steal on that binder.
Sheila
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Hi ladies,
I haven't joined your forum before, but thought I would. I love to quilt, sew (designer clothing which I occasionally sell), knit and most other needlework including traditional rug hooking done with strips of recycled clothing or hand dyed wool.
Meecee, I've never seen that book/binder before but boy did you get a good deal. I did pick up a free quilt pattern on-line today from Mccalls Quilting called Teaberry Stars. Quite cute, and simple.0 -
I thought I got a great deal, too. I was going through it today and the previous owner did stay with the subscription somewhat longer than I did. I really like the tumbling blocks pattern I used from the binder. I think I posted it on here before.
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Oooh, Meece, that's beautiful. I love the color play/rainbow work. I haven't made a tumbling block quilt yet. Haven't come to terms with setting those pieces. Did you stitch by hand?
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No, not by hand other than the binding.
It was a very easy pattern for a tumbling blocks, using diamonds and triangles. I would love to make another one to keep for myself.
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