Thread: Sewing Quilting with arthritis tips

Very good advice. Thanks for sharing.

Very informative ... osteo arthritis was diagnosed when I was 36 years old and the doctor told me to keep working for 'as long as you are able'. When I reminded him I was 30 years away from retirement age, he just repeated the statement. I can no longer keep pills in a closed hand because they don't close, had to have my left thumb fused, had a bone taken out of my wrist (or what was left of the bone after arthritis ate away at it), my fingers are crooked, I sometimes strike the letter on the keyboard next to the one I intended (because that's the direction my finger now points). That being said, I told my my doctor I refuse to age gracefully, I'm going kicking and scream every step of the way ... and now I'm only 6 years from retirement (if there's anything left in the social security fund when I get there).

I try to pick tools that make life easier and do less at a time but I'm not giving up my quilting and sewing passion.

Girl Power!!!!

Thank you for sharing. I am just beginning to have dexterity difficulties.

I really appreciate your telling us about the blog. I don't belong to a guild anymore, and when we work, alone, day after day it's easy to forget that other quilters have aches and pains too. I often feel I'm climbing a mountain alone. I'm going to try some of her suggestions, but I believe the most important is pacing yourself according to your own body's needs -- and our bodies don't hesitate to tell us what we're doing wrong! Not being able to produce as much as we used to is very frustrating, but I try to remind myself that there are others much worse off than I am.