Arm hurts from hand quilting?
03-05-2015, 06:02 AM
#1
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 556
Arm hurts from hand quilting?
So the other day I noticed that arm was starting to hurt I don't if its the way I'm sitting or the thimble I'm using which is leather. So yesterday I didn't hand quilt for hours until late last night then woke up this morning and know my shoulder hurts again. I do take breaks so I'm not sure what is causing this, I really am on a time line to get this quilt done. What do I do know that this has happened?
03-05-2015, 06:12 AM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,571
Could be a combination of things...the way you are sitting; way you are holding your work; any number of things. Sometimes if I'm playing on the computer for a long period as well as quilting for a long period I'll have some of those issues as well.
I use a metal ThimbleLady thimble which has you pushing with the pad of your finger vs the tip of your finger. I find that way much more comfortable. I've never been able to hand quilt with a leather thimble although I've used them successfully in the past with cross stitch and needlepoint.
I sit in a comfy chair, have the hoop in my lap. Sometimes feet under me, sometimes stretched out. I move around ALOT when I'm quilting. Don't know that is necessarily the reason for no pain but other than poked finger pain, I don't have any with quilting.
I use a metal ThimbleLady thimble which has you pushing with the pad of your finger vs the tip of your finger. I find that way much more comfortable. I've never been able to hand quilt with a leather thimble although I've used them successfully in the past with cross stitch and needlepoint.
I sit in a comfy chair, have the hoop in my lap. Sometimes feet under me, sometimes stretched out. I move around ALOT when I'm quilting. Don't know that is necessarily the reason for no pain but other than poked finger pain, I don't have any with quilting.
03-05-2015, 06:17 AM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Tulsa, Ok
Posts: 4,582
Although I don't hand quilt, I do attach my binding by hand. I also notice a sore shoulder after stitching on a binding a couple of hours. I finally realized that I was using a fairly long thread on my needle which caused me to have to extend my arm out or up over my head repeatedly. So I significantly shortened my thread, reducing the shoulder movements and that has helped a lot.
03-05-2015, 06:23 AM
#5
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,877
Originally Posted by Jeanne S
Although I don't hand quilt, I do attach my binding by hand. I also notice a sore shoulder after stitching on a binding a couple of hours. I finally realized that I was using a fairly long thread on my needle which caused me to have to extend my arm out or up over my head repeatedly. So I significantly shortened my thread, reducing the shoulder movements and that has helped a lot.
For a painful shoulder, just visualizing it, this makes the most sense.
03-05-2015, 06:24 AM
#6
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Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 556
Is it easy to grip the needle with the ThimbleLady thimble?
Originally Posted by NJ Quilter
Could be a combination of things...the way you are sitting; way you are holding your work; any number of things. Sometimes if I'm playing on the computer for a long period as well as quilting for a long period I'll have some of those issues as well.
I use a metal ThimbleLady thimble which has you pushing with the pad of your finger vs the tip of your finger. I find that way much more comfortable. I've never been able to hand quilt with a leather thimble although I've used them successfully in the past with cross stitch and needlepoint.
I sit in a comfy chair, have the hoop in my lap. Sometimes feet under me, sometimes stretched out. I move around ALOT when I'm quilting. Don't know that is necessarily the reason for no pain but other than poked finger pain, I don't have any with quilting.
I use a metal ThimbleLady thimble which has you pushing with the pad of your finger vs the tip of your finger. I find that way much more comfortable. I've never been able to hand quilt with a leather thimble although I've used them successfully in the past with cross stitch and needlepoint.
I sit in a comfy chair, have the hoop in my lap. Sometimes feet under me, sometimes stretched out. I move around ALOT when I'm quilting. Don't know that is necessarily the reason for no pain but other than poked finger pain, I don't have any with quilting.
03-05-2015, 06:32 AM
#7
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,571
I find that the Thimblelady thimbles hold the needle very well. They have very deep dimples. I use the thimble my middle finger to push. I also use a rubber finger tip on my index finger to pull the needle through the sandwich. Sometimes if I load too many stitches I need to get out my needle-nosed pliers to pull the needle through.
03-05-2015, 06:51 AM
#9
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: North Texas formerly The Burgh
Posts: 3,392
You say you are on a time line...could you maybe be extra "tense" trying to get it done? Also...You should really take a break and do some exercise of your arms and hands at least every 30 minutes.
03-05-2015, 07:17 AM
#10
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,211
I have to hand quilt at the dining room table, with a chair on either side of me, so the chairs and the table in front of me take all the weight of the quilt. When I tried quilting on the couch, my arm supporting the quilt would get terribly sore because of the weight. You didn't specify which part of your arm is hurting.
I also use the Thimblelady thimble, but the plastic version, and the folding method she teaches. There was too much wrist movement and finger bending for me with the traditional quilting stitch.
I also use the Thimblelady thimble, but the plastic version, and the folding method she teaches. There was too much wrist movement and finger bending for me with the traditional quilting stitch.
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