Just got started today fmq on the final parts of my quilt, got the bottom bunched, so I have to take it out. So I decided to quilt the other side. Just got started and somehow got my index finger on my left hand in the darning foot. It went through the side of my finger and finger nail and broke my needle. Taking a break for a few. Will go back after I have had something to eat.

Ouch!!!

It's not really a quilt unless it has blood on it!

:shock: OH NO :shock: Hope you are feeling better ... and take care of that finger

Yikes!! Feel bad for your poor finger. Doesn't it amaze you what happens when the brain goes to the neutral gear?

oh no, ouch ouch, be careful

did you have gloves on???

cringing in pain!!!! i would recommended starting again tomorrow. i am surprised that you didn't hit urgent care to make sure that you didn't do any real damage to the finger.

grease and oil are on needles, so keep a real close eye on it and if for any reason it starts feeling funny, looking funny or you start feeling sick, go to the Urgent Care. I've seen some pretty severe illnesses develop from a simple needle poke.

[quote=craftybear]oh no, ouch ouch, be careful

did you have gloves on???

No I did not have my gloves on yet. But I did get that one side done on that quilt wearing my gloves. I am making two twin size quilts for my friends new nephews, so I am working on two at a time. Since I got that side done I have gone on to finish quilting the other one since I have to take out one of the sides of the one I sewed my finger on.

We use alot of campho-phenique and it always seems if we get to a cut or puncture fast enough it works great. I have cats and it really works on the scratches and punctures I get from them. I will keep a good eye on it.

Liz don't feel too bad, I have done the same silly thing too. I have a perfect hole in my index finger from a commercial juki machine gun...lol.. I mean sewing machine

OUCH!!! I hope that it heals quickly!!!

Please keep an eye on the puncture wound-clean it well even if it looks clean. I did this a few months ago and ended up getting a Tetanus Shot.

Just a little nagging and a reminder from a nurse: even adults need to update their immunizations. Tetanus shots should be repeated every 10 yrs. (Of course, it had been about 12 since my last one LOL). This is especially important for people who do a lot of gardening. OK-enough nagging.

I keep up on the tetanus shot. I have cats.

I agree with JanRN, I'm an ER nurse. If your tetanus isn't up to date you should get one! Must have been a powerful hit to break the needle! I've seen people accidentally shoot their epi pen into their thumb and one actually lodged in and cracked the tip of the bone!

Sorry that happened. Rule #1 I think was: Never sew tired or hungry. I know it will be sore and am glad you are up to date on your tetanus shot. /Regards, Dorothy

This week I was finally able to clip the nail on my index finger to the point that all of the raggedy parts from when I did that are gone. The nail is very short, but it looks better than it did! What amazed me was how little my finger hurt after the first day. Ugh. I get woozy thinking about it...

Hope yours feels better soon and heals quickly!

I found the broken part of the needle in the bathroom sink. It must have stuck in my finger nail or finger and I washed it out. Did not see it at all and found it about an hour later when I went back to the bathroom.

Oh my, I get woozy just thinking about it. Get better soon.

JanRN - You beat me to it! I was just going to deliver the same message! 8-)

Nursie: you're the one who reminded me to get my shot LOL. Aren't nurses the worst patients???

Absolutely! 8-) But we're still darn nice people :lol:

Ouch!!!!! Been ther done that . I keep my tetanus shots up to date too just for this reson. Quilting can be dangerous at times.

OMG, you made both of my index fingers hurt! :shock:

You sound like a tough cookie. I would have spent the rest of the day in my recliner holding my finder tenderly. Take care!

This is on the line I was thinking. take care of it!

As I was talking on the phone with a friend, SHE put a needle through her finger. I drove the couple of miles to her house and pulled the needle out. Don't know which one of us said ouch louder!!

Ouch ouch, I stitched through my index finger with an industrial machine during training to work in a garment factory. I recommend peroxide to get those germies out.

So sorry. I did that once and pulled so it was not pretty. But it was such a deep tear that it did not hurt. ER put on a butterfly strip and sent me home.


Sharon

YES! I have done that ONCE! I am very careful now. It was a long time ago, but I still remember.

I've done that. The needle got stuck in my fingernail and I had to back it out with the handwheel. Took me a while to be comfortable sewing again!

Poor you. I know that hurt. I have gotten the needle thru fleshy part of a finger before. Not fun!

Yeah, I've done that a couple of times...you would think after the first time that you would learn...the last time, I had to remove the needle from the machine to get my finger out. OUCH! Went to the sink, and then had to pull the needle out of the finger nail...then to ER...
I don't want to do that ever again....

Oh I've done that too...with my Tin Lizzie long arm. Do you know how fast those things sew??? It hit my finger twice before it registered that i did it and my first concern was NOT my pain but "Oh no, don't get blood on the quilt!". After I sat down and collected myself for about a half hour I went back to machine quilting....had to get it done! I am much more careful now.

Owww! Sorry to hear about that. When I first wanted to get into sewing (as a teen) my mom told me why she would never sew again... She sewed her finger (broke needle which was stuck in the bone of her index finger). She had to go to the hospital to get needle dug out. I have never had anything like that happen, thank goodness, but I am definitely aware of the potential every time I sit down to sew!

ouch...I was covering a motorcycle seat when the needle hit the throat plate, broke and stuck in my eyeball!!! That was NOT fun.

Eee Gads and Ouch.... hope everythings O.K.

I to have sewn my finger need went straight through my index finger through my nail. The needle broke off the machine I had to pull it out of my nail. But the eye of the needle was inside my finger. So off to the ER I went. They had to cut my finger open and extract the needle. It was not fun!! I have new repect for my machine!! :)

I've done that too. I was sort of glad the machine was going fast enough that it came out too! Make sure you treat it well, I did - I cleaned it with soap and water, then put topical antibiotic/antibacterial ointment one then dressed it with a closed elastoplast dressing. It healed quickly without infection.

A friend did not fare as well - she pretended it didn't happen I think, sluiced it off with a little warm water, went back to work guarding the undressed finger somewhat, working with fabrics she had not pre-washed and she ended up with a rip-roaring infection, maybe partly reaction from dyes and finishing products on the fabric too. I took one look at it and shooed her straight to the ER. She was on IV antibiotics for two weeks, if not could have lost the finger or gotten septicemia or both.

Prevention- Work with pre-washed fabrics, put tape marks near the seam guidelines on the machine plate to remind you of finger boundaries, resist sewing too quickly, use the speed control if you happen to be a speed demon, and take breaks so you don't get too mesmerized by work and too tired.

All this from the Cross Red Nurse Take care of yourselves!

Love

Maurene

PS I finished two Job's Tears blocks, 1 pink, 1 smaller blue for Ina May's Safe Motherhood quilt panel. When I finish the whole block I'll send a photo. In the meantime here are photos of two tiny little nursing medal holder 'quiltlets' made for classmates and me to hold our precious hard earned school of nursing medals. I tried to upload photos of our church Bicentennial quilt but find Mac stuff so much harder to manage. Will persevere and send soon.

Have done the needle thru the finger, much more respect for the power of these machines after that, and what a shock. No wonder Mom kept telling me to watch where my fingers were now I use a pin or stylist to make close adjustments.