I often visit Youtube.com for sewing videos. While watching one machine quilting video, I was shocked at the body posture of the young quilter - a talented young quilter from whom we've probably all learned. She said she'd been complaining of headaches, shoulder and eye issues. Then she mentioned her own
shock at seeing her
own video, noticing how awkward and poorly balanced her neck/shoulders were. Because I also have neck/shoulder issues (unknown origin) I notice these things as well! I reviewed some of my Fons and Porter videos, taking note of the body posture of these quilters/sewers, and have noticed something important. They often use different machines, and sometimes they also are hunkering their head down into shoulders to "see" the needle. No one tells us these things when we buy a new machine. It's not always the posture of the quilter/sewer that causes discomfort and problems, it might be the shape of the sewing machine! Some machine have a very large, boxy front that holds your tension rings, needle threader, etc., that protrodes so far forward that it reduces your vision to the needle, leaving the sewist's line of vision hunkered down into her shoulders! Other machines are low across the arm of the machine, leaving the user with the same hunkered position. Even with a proper chair, and proper posture, and proper desk/table height,
the shape of your machine might be causing YOU issues -- check yours out, especially if you spend hours at your machine. Many of us quilters are past the age of "Youth" and poor body position can cause serious spinal problems later on - you won't know it until it might be too late. Personally, I'd really like a TALL machine, and maybe there are available, I was only aware of this issue.
I've asked my husband to check on my own posture periodically -- it is different when I'm piecing, than when I'm machine quilting. Yikes!
On a more pleasant subject, here are 3 machine (DSM) quilting photos on my Pinwheels and 4-Patches. (This is the quilt where I learned about cording and piping.) This quilting thread is called "Sand", from King Tut and blends well with all the various values. I sandwiched the quilt in the garage (warm weather!) Saturday and have about half of the top quilted. The finished quilt is approximately 68" x 84". DH was kind enough (!!!!!!!!!!) to show me a "humility block" when it was too late for repairs.
(I just discovered that Blogger does NOT like the "ampersand" and my photos did not appear as expected -- I'll try again!)
