I’m often asked how do I sew when I have a lot of back pain? First answer is I don’t work in the same position for long, I work on multiple projects all the time. I don’t usual have many days where I sew but today is one of them LOL
This is what Im doing this morning!
Making up applique pieces for my QG Final borders. I stand to do this. These are for the QG below.
Update on my QG 10.30pm last night.
quilting in the ditch on this bargello, I sit on a stool on wheels and it is adjustable for height, so I can lower or left it depending on what I’m sewing.
IVe just stopped appliqueing down leaves here using my Janome, it also has a stool on wheels I find them much better than a chair on my back. Sitting on top of the sewing machine are 2 daisies I need to applique for my QG I will do those now to change my sewing position. Then it will be back to the leaves.
IM hand quilting this and it’s all ways out ready to add a few stitches when I need to relax my back.
Hanging over my rocking chair is some sashiko hand quilting for when I want to sit and also put my body in a different position.
Tomorrow it will be the same or may be some thing very different, today I’m thinking about QAYG hexagon antique and vintage linen and lace blocks so I may even start those to day LOL visited Rhonda Cox Dort’s blog today what an eye opener and inspiration. https://rhondadort.com/
Cheers Glenda
I am sorry to hear that your back is giving you grief. I also suffer from this, but you seam to have the same coping method of doing a variety of different tasks as I do.
I can keep going as long as I have different things to do & do not do one task for too long.
Look after your self, so you can keep doing what you love!
Dear Dawn thank you for stopping long enough to write to me. I think when you have all ways had a back problem it is a lot easier to cope with then a person having an accident and having to learn to live with it. Ive learnt what I should NOT do even if I do do it LOL Like basting a full queens size quilt, I don’t get down on the floor now, hubby has put 3 tables together so I can sit and baste. Theres ways around most things and they just take much much longer to do LOL Cheers Glenda
My days of sitting at the sewing machine for hours on end are also long gone. The same with hand quilting. My fitbit reminds me when I haven’t walked 250 steps in an hour, it vibrates and I walk around. My knees thank me. Variety is good!
Joys of getting older Gretchen, one never thinks it will happen but it does LOL But then you have the joy of working a lot more on your hobbies when you are getting older and all the children have flown the nest and the days are much longer than they where when they were all in the nest. Hugs Glenda
Dear Glenda
Back pain can be debilitating condition. A friend of mine is a reflecksologist and she sells socks with the same technology built into the socks. They also aid circulation in the feet and legs if one sits for longer periods of time. They help for back pain which is great. When I hand quilt at my big frame, which is on a carpet. I sit on a large Pilates ball. It is just the right height and I can easily move from side to side. It helps my balance and strengthens my back at the same time. They use it at schools with special needs and once I observed how much it helped the kids, it was something to try and it has worked really well. Your idea of moving around from project to project is a great one. Love your colours of your Queens Garden.
Dear Maggie, I fell out of a sheep shearing shed when I was very young, then was thrown off horses, dived off a high platform diving board when I was deared by my brothers and landed on the back of my neck, fell out of trees, over a cliff and so it goes on, Im lucky Im still walking LOL So I live with it but there are lots of worse things in life than back pain. I totally agree about the ball they are a wonderful asset have used them my self when I worked in an office and had to sit for hrs. but now Im so clumsy I keep rolling off them LOL so its not safe for me to use them any more. My balance is not so good now days? trouble with getting older LOL Hope to have my QG finished by next week and can share it with Esther’s BOM group. Summer has arrived but not the wet and I hope that does not come for a while or till after Christmas. wet humid Christmases in the 30C are no fun as you most likely know LOL Hugs From OZ.
that is a good reason to work on many projects – I switch my projects off and on all day – working at different angles keeps you moving and when you throw outside work in the mix as well you are still changing positions and moving more – all of your projects look really great.
Hi Karen so lovely to hear from you. You sure are on a long road trip this time, just saw that apple pie and it looked wonderful, amazing what one can do when camping if you think outside the box LOL I have been starved of sewing for two weeks with endless family birthdays celebrations, 12 in 3 weeks!!! now it slows down but Christmas is all most here now????? Working on my QG I really want this one finished by 2019, not quilted just the top finished. Hugs from Down Under
Beautiful borders, I love this quilt! Very cheerful!
Just adding the last green border Fred and the quilt top looks quiet different now, amazing how one colour can change the look of a quilt. Hope to be able to show the finsihed quilt next week????? Cheers Glenda
Sorry to hear about your back, but you sure don’t let it get in your way. You continue to work on marvelous things.
Hi Kyle, thank you but I have had back problems since I fell out of a sheep shearing loft when I was about 8 so I live with it, but I have had so many people asking how I cope so I thought I’d share incase it could help some one else who is new to it? I once read years ago a good book can help you forget the pain or bear the pain, well so can crafts like quilting, weaving and spinning LOL Cheers Glenda
You have some gorgeous projects! Your QG quilt is fabulous!
HI Pamela, have been working on my QG this week trying to catch up with no sewing for several weeks. I have placed my final strips of the border around the quilt top not sewn on but I can see how it will look when finished now; and the final green border changes the whole look of the quilt top, I was not sure if it would but has so Im very very happy with it now as it was just toooo pink till I added this green, hope I will be finsihed by next week and can show you all Cheers Glenda