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Assistive Tools/Gadgets For Impaired Quilters?

Assistive Tools/Gadgets For Impaired Quilters?

Old 05-13-2010, 09:38 PM
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My mother had that and Collengen's disease, Raynods, Arthritis and Lupus. She said that the trick was to take the pain meds and stay busy to keep your mind off the pain. Also to keep moving as much as possible. The lupus made her muscles hurt, the fibro made her skin hurt, arthritis hurt her joints, collengens and raynods made her tendons and veins hurt. She always said that she each day her goal was to make it through that day. She hand pieced and quilted beautiful quilts but she'd get up and move around quite often.
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Old 05-13-2010, 09:49 PM
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I have Systemic Lupus and have recently been diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis as well. Like raptureready's Mother I hand piece and quilt and have now decided to work more with machines. Her secret is mine too, do things in "bites", so no sitting, standing or staying on one task for long periods and keep as mobile as you can, without overdoing it. Staying warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather is important...I use fingerless gloves, wheat bags etc in winter which helps a lot. I don't use any "aids" as such,
'cept a walking cane may be a necessity soon - I am looking around trying to find one that I deem "cool" enough to use...but then again I am a stubborn individual and hate the idea of becoming doddery!
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Old 05-14-2010, 01:08 AM
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Use a portable cooking timer (the kind you can set for up to an hour) and set it to remind you to stop what you are doing and move on to something else or to rest. Otherwise it's very easy to forget, carry on, and pay for it later in more aches and pains.
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Old 05-14-2010, 04:13 AM
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I have seen gloves that are supposed to help. Fibro will require that you modify your ambitions. Smaller quilts, fusible applique, precut strips, Maybe you could trade lessons with someone for help. My daughter has fibro. It is a real challenge but don't give up!
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Old 05-14-2010, 04:40 AM
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Originally Posted by dotcomdtcm
I have seen gloves that are supposed to help. Fibro will require that you modify your ambitions. Smaller quilts, fusible applique, precut strips, Maybe you could trade lessons with someone for help. My daughter has fibro. It is a real challenge but don't give up!
Mom kept on making king size quilts, it just took her a lot longer to get them done. She did it ALL by hand, the piecing, the quilting, the binding. She did her piecing at night while daddy watched tv. Did I mention that she was also blind in one eye? She was a trooper. She snuck a peek at her doctors notes one time and noticed that he'd written "the fortitude of a military war horse." When he came back in the room she said, "War horse, huh?" He snatched up the file and told her not to be so nosy. LOL Of course that was back when doctors knew their patients---before HMOs. Grab a heaping helping of determination and you can do anything. Sheer determination and stubborness was what kept mom going--she just absolutely refused to give in to the pain.
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Old 05-14-2010, 06:14 AM
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When I was diagnosed eeons ago, since I am not fond of meds because of how they can mess up other systems in your body, (Tylenol goes right to your liver and stays for too long and can cause problems after awhile) my Dr. recommended 1500 mg. of Feverfew a day. All natural get it at my neighborhood pharmacy for about $5.00 a bottle. Took about 35 days to see real improvement, but I did. He also said to get some exercise every day, use heat when necessary (I can't sleep on heating pad because it increases the pain and discomfort), rest even for five minutes, take a break every hour whether at computer watching tv or driving. Get a good nights sleep, eat healthier, cut out sugar, artificial sweeeners, white flour, caffeine, take ALeve or Advil as noted, realize my limitations but don't stop living. Good thing about Fibro is it is not life threatening, just a big pain in the ars. Dr. did put me on some of the earlier meds for this, but it messed with my gut. Then they pulled two of them off the market, so... I have been in 'remission' for about 13 months and just recently it has started up again.
I have raised my sewing table to a more comfortable height so as not to bother my neck and shoulders, raised my cutting table with the PVC pipe legs about 4 additional inches, use a nice Fiskars rotary cutter and Fiskars scissors, and not much else. NO hand quilting for me. Hurts my hands too much, howevr, I can still crochet and they will have to bury me before I give that up. Don't give in to the disease but learn your limitations, what works for you, give up some of those addictions (artificial sweeteners, caffeine, smoking, non-exercise) and you will be surprised how much better you will feel. And keep moving!
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Old 05-14-2010, 06:57 AM
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there is a little device for hand quilting that, I am told, is very good for those with difficult hand motions. I had one and gave to a student recently in my hand quilting class and she says it works great. I can't remember the name. However, it looks like a small paddle with depressions on the flat end. You hold it in your hand rather than on your finger. I will try and find out the name and post here.
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Old 05-14-2010, 12:59 PM
  #18  
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Wow, everyone here is so helpful and nice! I'm genuinely overwhelmed! :) Thanks so much for all the tips on quilting with pain, and pain in general. I'm sorry for those of you suffering fibro and other limitations, too. I will look into each and every tool you all suggested, and will try all the tips on staying healthy. :)

I read some bad reviews on that Simplicity Rotary cutter, but I was thinking of trying it anyway, I'm stubborn that way. I will make sure I can send it back if it does turn out to be lousy! My husband has offered to help me do stuff as well, as he's seen me suffer two years of not being able to craft without pain, so I might have a free, automatic rotary cutter right here in my house! I won't even have to plug him in LOL!

The ergonomic rotary cutter looks interesting, and I'll be waiting on the name of that tool, Holice. I am going to reply to some specifics on what some of you have said, but I'm feeling not so well today. I have limited time in front of the computer, but I couldn't let another minute go by without telling you all how much I appreciate your replies, suggestions, advice, and concerns.

I'll be back in a couple of days, hopefully. Thanks everyone, keep the suggestions coming if you have any.
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Old 05-14-2010, 01:53 PM
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Sorry you are not having such a good day, come back to us when you are feeling more up to it.
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Old 05-14-2010, 02:41 PM
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i have fibromyalgia and polymyalgia rheumatica, thyroid, IBS, etc. just keep moving at all possible. use things to make all easier. pain and fatigue all my life. but will keep on sewing and all as long as i can. :D
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