StephanieR

Yesterday I put a lot of hours into hand quilting and today I am miserable with pain. Other than a very sore index finger on my left hand that now feels like a pin cushion, most of my pain is located in the center of my back and surprisingly my ankles and feet. I had the quilt on a desktop with me sitting in an office chair.

The day before I quilted in my overstuffed chair with my feet on a stool and woke with shoulder pain which is why I moved to the desk top hoping to eliminate that pain. So now I've struck out twice. Which is the best position for your body while hand quilting?

I can sit in my overstuffed chair with the footstool and cross stitch for hours with little to no pain so it's baffling to me why sewing on a quilt does. I don't want my memory of working on my grandbaby's quilt to be one of pain, you know what I mean.

bakermom

I have found it easier to hand quilt without a hoop, just letting the quilt rest in my lap. I find I don't tense my shoulders when I do it this way. I have quilted a full size quilt this way with a minimum of pain

Prism99

For me, the key phrase is “lots of hours”. I have to limit certain craft activities to a max of 2 hours in a day to avoid pain. To accomplish more, I switch to a different activity. Taking breaks after every hour helps too as long as the breaks involve physical movement, walking around the house, stretching, etc.

bearisgray

I think Prism99 has identified about 90% (or more!) of what might be causing your discomfort.

I know that when I sit too long - it is quite the project to get moving again!

Have you "compared" the positions you used while cross-stitching and quilting to see how they are different?

I love to sew - but I get this serious discomfort between my shoulder blades - even when using different chairs, machines, and/or tables. I have not been able to identify the "why" it gets achy.

cashs_mom

I agree that it's the amount of time spent in one position more than the position that causes pain. I used to be able to sew for hours. Now I've found that I need to get up every hour or so and move around or as Prism says switch to another activity. I'll often do laundry while quilting which means I have to get up and go downstairs to put laundry in and switch it to the dryer. I'll stop and fold laundry, too, just to be doing something different. I'm not as productive this way, but I sure feel better.

HettyB

When hand quilting in the round hoop on its stand, I sit in an armchair, cushion supporting the lumbar and I tilt the frame towards me and rest the hoop edge on my tummy. Arm of the chair supports my right elbow I have had two frozen shoulders and despite surgery on both I get pain if I hand quilt without support.

When it isn't on the stand, the hoop is supported by tummy and the arm of the chair. I spoon quilt so I need a bit more clearance underneath the hoop.

But as I get older, I can't sit too long in one position. When I free motion on the HQ Sweet 16 for a long time I get pain in the hip flexors which trips off sciatica. I'll get grief for a week.

As the others have said - get up walk around, change position and stretch. I don't advocate doing laundry but making tea is a good distraction.

HettyB

Peckish

I agree with Prism and the others. I think any activity where you are sitting in one position too long will result in pain. It's very easy to do with something like quilting because you can get so absorbed in what you're doing (or what you're watching while doing it ) that you lose track of time or don't think to get up and move. I get this way when I'm absorbed in a project at work and don't realize it until I get up to walk over to the printer.

Try to get up and walk around every 15 or 30 minutes. Stretch, drink some water, check the mailbox, whatever.

ptquilts

I sit in a comfy chair and use an oval hoop. When I was quilting 6-8 hours a day, I wound up with arm pain, actually a form of tennis elbow. Set a timer and get up every hour or half hour, walk around, do stretches.

StephanieR

Thanks all. You are probably right about the number of hours I put into it. I'm feeling a lot of self imposed pressure to get it done before the baby arrives so that I want to sew every waking hour. Today I'm back in my easy chair and I am feeling more comfortable and I'm drinking a lot of water so at least I have to get up often to use the bathroom. I don't want to wake up in that kind of pain again. I usually take a water aerobics class each morning and there was no way I could even think of going today. The pain easing up now so hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

bearisgray

Remember to do the same thing tomorrow?