A reader's question on sewing room ergonomics

A comment was left by Linda J from VA concerning sewing table ergonomics discussed in the video below by author Marguerita McManus. Like many quilters, Linda finds herself sewing at the dining room table, and wants to know if Marguerita had any suggestions for making her situation more ergonomic.

Great video,, learned so much, BUT, the only thing I have to sew on is the Dining room table.. I do have an office chair that raises or lowers and I do notice my back aching after an hour or sew of sewing quilt tops.

Any suggestions for those of us that only have the Dining room table to use?

Marguerita generously took the time to respond to Linda J's comment, which will be of interest to many quilters who find themselves in the same situation as Linda J.

Hi Linda J,

I struggled for many years before coming up with my cheap table system, so I know what you mean about having to make do with what you have!

I think it's great that you have a height adjustable chair and I would suggest raising it up high enough that your elbows are at just about a 90 degree and you feel comfortable. Then take a look at how high this makes your feet off the floor and go searching for some foot support. I have chatted with ladies who have used foot stools, milk crates, plastic storage containers and for some hubby built a platform out of plywood :)

The big deal, I believe, is that your back and shoulders be in comfortable positions, your elbows and knees be at near 90 degrees and that, if possible, you have a flat surface around your sewing machine.

I have also chatted with ladies who, like you, must use the dining table, but they still put the foam (like in my other video) around their machine, with a vinyl cover, and raised their chairs up and they love it!

Now, all that being said, I can't even get my own daughter to believe in this. She's very tall and she just uses her dining table, but she gets up a lot chasing a toddler around, and she's young so she doesn't feel the discomfort like I do :)

I sure hope that this helps and I would love to help in any other way possible - just let me know - and thanks so much Joan for featuring my video - you are a sweetheart!! :)

Marguerita

Make sure you take some time to visit Marguerita's other quilting videos on YouTube and visit her website and blog, CrazyShortCutQuilts. And thanks, Marguerita, for taking the time to leave your informative comment!

A Quilting Blog worth bookmarking

By chance I visited Sue Garman’s blog today and I have to say, I “visited” for at least 45 minutes – which is way above the average of 2.3 minutes in Blog Land! Not only did I get to view some absolutely stunning quilts, but found articles with tips and techniques that shouldn’t be missed.

Find Sue’s blog here.

If you visit, don’t miss these blog postings by Sue!

How to decide on what quilt design to use on a quilt top. She gives some great examples of various quilt designs and the right time to use them.

An excellent pictorial demonstration of how to create “feathers” for your quilt.

Sue’s decision making process on determining what size sashing and borders to use on her beautiful quilts – and when you see her many quilts, you’ll know she’s on to something!

As you visit Sue’s blog, you will understand what I mean when I say she is a prolific quilter. How does she do it? Read her interesting comments on how she keeps herself organized and on task.

Let me know if you enjoy this blog as much as I did!

Quilt with your Inner Geek

Project Runway’s Season 2 designer Diana Eng is an admitted Geek. When I saw this video of Diana demonstrating how to combine LED lights with an embroidery project, the “inner geek” (and grandmother to a child who loves robots) in me immediately thought – quilt blocks, tote bags, fun wall hangings for a child’s room. Oh, the possibilities!

 

My “Geeky” formula…

Watch this

How-to Sew with Electronics, Threadbanger Projects @ Yahoo! Video

 

Add this +

 

 

You can find these downloadable, printable quilt block patterns at Free Spirit Fabrics web site.

Add some of this +

Robot panel and fabric from Fabric.com:

Equals =

…a quilt that will truly speak to the Inner Geek in you! You can find all the electronic parts (including conductive thread) at Sparkfun Electronics web site (or possibly your local Radio Shack!).

 

Take Stitch in the Ditch one step further with this easy quilting method

A lucky click on my computer brought me the to turning*turning web site the other day. It’s a visually beautiful site by an amazingly creative woman, Mal, who is gracious enough to allow me to share a one of her photos along with a description of a quilting method she exhibited on her blog. But don’t just hop over to her blog for the quilting, take time to actually read her blog.  Her philosophy on the small things in life, being creative, quilting and more is extraordinary. I loved reading how the “slow, soothing process of stitching hexagons is my way of processing adult relationships with my siblings,” for example. Or her input on the reasons for finding time to be creative in daily life. One of my new favorite sites to visit.

On to the quilting…

The quilt (actually, a mini quilt):

The quilting – front. Yellow lines show the sewing lines she used as an easy alternative to stitch in the ditch:

 

The quilting – back. See how easy this is?

turning*turning describes this method as follows: The shape is almost like a 4-leafed clover, with intersection-points in the center of each cartwheel. You can start at any point on the motif and quilt in a continuous line until you reach that point again. Equally suitable for machine or hand quilting.

Try this easy, fast method on your next quilt – and with all the time you have left, grab a cup of coffee and bring your wireless laptop out on the deck, settle back, and enjoy some fine, thought provoking reading at turning*turning.

Modern Wonky Scrap Quilt Tutorial

WONKY : Pronunciation [wong-kee] –adjective

Related Words: askew, awry, cockeyed, lopsided, skew-whiff

You've seen them, you've admired them, you've thought about creating one - but haven't quite gotten up the nerve. They are called Wonky Quilt Blocks which turn into Wonky Quilts. For traditional quilters, “wonky” and quilting just don’t mix – until recently.

In a wonky quilt block, the science of exact fabric cutting is thrown out the window, and "cut it until it fits" is in. For some quilters, that’s a tough step to take. But when you watch this step-by-step, easy-to-understand video tutorial from the Sketchbook Maggie’s web site, you might just want to grab some scraps and give it a go.

YouTube Video by alexanderwhyme. Direct link to video here.

(Go visit SketchBook Maggie’s web site – check out her FREE PATTERNS for two more beautiful, albeit more traditional, quilts called Shannon’s Diamond Jelly Roll Quilt and Paddy’s Chain)

Here are more Wonky Block Tutorials and/or instructions from around the ‘net:

TallGrass Prairie Studio – Wonky Log Cabin

Cicada Daydream – Wonky Paper Pieced block

The Silly BooDilly – Wonky Star Block

Pink Chalk Studio – Wonky Seams block

The Patchery Menagerie – Wonky Butterfly block

Quiltville – Tiny Wonky (Maverick) Stars

New method of creating Cathedral Window quilt block - Tutorial

A few weeks ago, I posted a video by Ricky Timms on how to make a one seam flying geese block. It truly is a revolutionary (and easy!) way to make a very traditional block. Here is another "revolutionary" method for creating a Cathedral Window block, but using a simple 4-patch method! I wish I could give credit for this video found on YouTube, but I only know the creator of the video is "Quiltbugs". Enjoy!

Turn Orphan Blocks into one MOE Quilt!

Orphan blocks – most quilters have them stashed in a box in the back of a closet, tucked away in a drawer, or perhaps made into potholders for emergency gifts during the last holiday season. Orphan blocks are single blocks made in a class, created for a quilt started but never finished, received in swaps, found at yard sales and estate sales, or created as an experiment in a new technique. What can you do with these mismatched blocks other than stashing them away?

Montana-resident Shirley Y, member of the Quilting on a Budget Yahoo group, came up with her own solution to this quilter’s dilemma – she calls it her MOE quilt. “MOE” stands for “accidents, Mistakes, Orphans and Experiments” quilt.

The MOE Quilt 

Shirley did not worry about the notorious “quilt police” knocking on her door, but instead threw traditional quilt rules out the window and just had fun making the quilt. “It was liberating to make wonky stars and crooked blocks. I dismantled a UFO that I didn't like. I added odds and end swap blocks and also several class blocks; and set them all in a VERY random un-pattern,” says Shirley.

“I had an old UFO Bear Paw,  some orphans and lots of ‘wonkies’, ‘chunkies’, and just plain crooked blocks. When I spread them on the bed they were my mistakes-orphans-and experiments.” And so the MOE quilt name was born.

Shirley’s MOE quilt was initially inspired by an old appliqué quilt she saw which had a pattern that seemed to float across its background.  “I thought it would be fun to try to get that look with pieced blocks,” says Shirley.  She struggled to get the blocks to float in the same manner as her inspiration quilt, “because I kept lining them up in rows.” Her solution was to piece-quilt-sash just one block at a time and to incorporate random size sashings on each.

“What I like most about the quilt is that it makes people smile -- there is nothing serious about this quilt!” “I even worked hard to get all the ‘waves’ on the edge to match”, laughs Shirley.

Shirley’s advice on being a frugal quilter?   “Join quilting groups, ask questions, and take advantage of all that free wisdom.”   And never discard a less than perfect block – it could turn into a MOE quilt!

Shirley Y lives in Montana with her husband of almost 50 years. She has 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. She learned to quilt in the mid-1980’s from instructions found in two library books, and her quilts were then all pieced by hand. Shirley moved on to machine piecing in the 1990’s, and hasn’t looked back. Shirley likes all types and methods of piecing - “even the ones I’m not very good at!” Shirley does not currently have a blog, so if you’d like to comment on her quilt, please do so here and we’ll let her know!

One Seam Flying Geese blocks!

I'm not often impressed with "new" techniques or quilting shortcuts -- I learned "old school" and I tend to cling to those established ways. However, this new technique presented by Ricky Timms of The QuiltShow.com may well revolutionize the way Flying Geese blocks are made. No marking the back of squares, no off-kilter points, one simple seam. It's all good.

One Seam Flying Geese block Video

And just to make things a bit more exciting, the Piecemeal Quilts blog took this technique one step further and shows you how to easily turn these same one-seam Flying Geese blocks into a curved Flying Geese block!