hello well i now know how the lady's felt in the older days i have been ironing and drawing and cutting fabric temp-lets with scissors and boy are my hands wore out, but i will get my temp-lets cut out then i have to start piecing, my youngest daughter wanted me to make her a quilt with the fans on it , well my eyes aren't good enough to risk trying a rotary cutter (might cut my fingers off) ouch so its hand scissors, how many of you have did this
i am running low on fabric so that will give my hands a little rest, anyways will chat with you all later , just wanted to let ya know i am still trying

Dora

Hang in there Dora...and don't do too much cutting at once. I sometimes resort to scissors (nice sharp ones) as I do a lot of fussy cutting and use clothing to salvage fabric. I find Fiskars spring snips really useful, I have some joint pain, and these really help, specially if working on rag quilts or with denim. Look forward to seeing some of your work.

thanks for the encouragement . i plan on hanging in if this is the only quilt i get to do , LOL, hope your joint pain gets better
Dora

I had to do that with a Drunkard's Path quilt I did. Did a lot of it while I was watching TV. Do you think maybe the small rotary cutter would work better for you?

You can't keep a good quilter down. My doctor recommends taking Ibprohen before I do something that is going to result in strain on my joints, then again after. Glad you don't let physical problems keep you from playing.

Welcome, waving from Indiana, USA

This is what I have to do too. Even take it before I shopping. The old machine isn't what it used to be!

I use scissors because of being blind in my left eye , But my Husband will use the rotary cutter he cut some squares last year for our grandbabys quilts , i have never did anything but plain squares but its time to try something, i have only done 2 quilts and this will be my third (with Curves) never thought i would be brave enough to do anything but sqaures but looking at some of the beautiful quilts and i decided i would try then my daughter came up with she would love a grandmothers fan so here i am trying(LOL), For a while i couldn't do anything because i was losing site or so the eye doctor told me i was going blind , anyways long story short i seen another doctor which put me on a pill for nerve damage and my right eye came from 20/100 to 20/40 there is no hope for the left eye but at least the right eyes coming back so i can try to craft again thats why i havent been on my boards for a long time , anyways i am back and trying to learn all i can about quilts , So send some hints my way :) sorry about talking to much
HUGS Dora

Dora so glad you could find a doc that could help you. Seems to me if talking was a crime more than one of us might be in trouble. Welcome back!

Hello Dora
Sorry to hear of your hand and eye problems, but glad you sought a second opinion on your eyesight and received the correct diagnosis. I would steer clear of any doctor who told me to take a pill before doing anything physical.
I have carpel tunnel and arthritis in my hands so can appreciate the agony of cutting with scissors which I always use for making templates but can manage the roatary cutter for a while when needed.
I wear wrist splints provided by Rehabilitation section of the hospital, and have a solid plastic-type splint made especially for use when gardening and DIY projects - it is moulded to the shape of my hand and wrist so fits like a second skin but supports my wrists very well. There are commercial supports available for hands, knees, ankles and elbows etc.

So glad to hear your eyesight is improving in one eye and you're able to begin quilting again. Take care and have fun

When I started quilting 44 yr.s ago, there were no rotary cutters, had to cut out everything with scissors. I still have squares I cut out all those years ago. Only been about 18 yr.s I started using a rotary cutter, learning machine quilting also made quilting much faster.

Oldest Daughter is blind in left eye since birth and wears glasses, it is amazing the beautiful work she turns out, quilts,crocheted items, country painting on wood shapes. She never fails to amaze me with the quality of her work. She uses a rotary cutter to cut out all her quilts.

Have someone teach your Daughter to use a rotary cutter and have her cut some strips of varying widths out for you, then you could cut them into the size squares you want, would cut down on using scissors.

thanks everyone yes we cant let the eyes or anything else stop us from doing everyday things, i guess i am just to scared to use a rotary cutter right now, i don't mind cutting with scissors as this has been how i have done any sewing projects since highschool , But the rotary cutter dose scare me i am so afraid i will slip and cut myself , LOL haven't got the confidence up yet maybe one day i will ,anyways i am coming along with my blades for my grandmothers fan, i now have to figure out what i want to go with for my backing, binding , i enjoy talking to you all, and learning as i go along, i have crochet, done some french beaded flowers, and beaded ornaments for our tree, sewed clothes for the family, help build cabinets, right now between working on quilting i am helping hubby get our oldest daughters room sheetrocked so its been a busy week, well Huggs to all my friends i am makeing here have a great night
Dora

Dora, be sure and post your progress on your fan quilt!