Hello! I have that on my index finger of my right hand, and, of course, I am right handed!!!! That, my dear, is a bone spur. It is arthritis/osteo-arthritis in your hand. I have it in both my hands, but by George it isn't going to stop me. Shy of shaving off the spur, there is nothing to do but learn to live with it. I am too busy to be putting this or that on my hands (I just forget to, also) and right now, 5:45 AM, I know it is there because when I am typing reaching for the six or seven key, I can feel it. I usually take two Tylenol at bedtime and that is it. And I have no intention of having this spur shaved off. They do it on the feet for bone spurs, but not my finger. My husband has one on his knee. I started my (we have become personal companions, friends and enemies) arthritis and bone spur about 20-25 years ago. In my 50's. I took piano lessons, organ lessons, if that attributed to it, ok, I enjoyed playing the piano and organ. Maybe not wearing gloves when I was driving. I can't even stand to wear gloves working in the garden. I don't know, my grandmother had and mother has arthritis in their hands, maybe it is hereditary, I don't know. But I (age 72) have it, I live with it and there is nothing short of cutting off the hand that will cure it and I'll be darned if I am ready to do that yet. I can still sew, type, scrub floors on my hands and knees. But I can't open a jar of pickles, I cannot grab something or make a good fist. That appendage has a mind of its own and will not bend without a good shot of pain to let me know that it just cannot bend anymore. I have the spur on the first knuckle next to the nail. It won't bend. And now the left index finger is following the same path.

I am not worrying about it, I use a lot of hot/warm water and put my hand in that (Oh, yah, it is hard to hold a snow shovel - which is about the only thing I will put a mitten or glove on for)! But, I just sit and think "I used to gripe because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." I know this doesn't mean squat when your hands hurt so bad (been there, know that), but you cannot give up on anything because of it. I want to sew, I want to quilt, I want to play the piano, I want to get on the floor on my hands and knees (which are starting to go now) and scrub floors (the best place to pray - talk about multi-tasking - cleaning the floor and talking to God at the same time - can't beat that with a stick) and I am not going to let an ugly bump on my right index finger, being followed by an ugly bump on my left index finger stop me from doing anything I want to. Some days it doesn't even hurt - but I still can't bend it. So there are a lot of good days too. Make this one of them. Edie

I also use the Handeze gloves that I got with a coupon on line. They seem to relieve some of the stress on my hands with repetitive work....

Paraffin bath--also use a squeeze ball -and flex fingers every 15 minutes or so when I am sewing or when using computer.

I use Sore No More

Have you tried magnets? I had a painful wrist a few years ago and tried about everything. My daughter suggested a pretty magnetic bracelet. Can't explain how it worked but it did! A lot nicer in appearance than the splint I had been wearing, too. Oh, those paraffin baths feel sooooo good, too.

Amen, Edie--- you are soooo right. I have just started having a REAL problem with my right thumb. Wakes me up at night. I have found if I get up and go outside and stick my thumb in a snow pile it helps take the swelling down :) Havent found a way to sleep through it yet but I will. I am NOT going to give up my applique until I have to.

It ain't pretty what I do !!!



Ha, Ha! Good answer! But now I wonder..................

"......I had wanted to get triangles cut before the surgery, but since I didn't I am just sewing straight seams. ...."

I have the perfect method for you. I taught this in my quilting class and everybody loved it. I may have learned it from Eleanor Burns.

Take two squares of fabric (different colors) & place them right sides together. I suggest starting with 13" squares.

Then draw diagonal lines corner to corner. Remember: X marks the spot.

Then sew 1/4" on both sides of the lines, for a total of 4 straight seams.

Fold the sandwich in half, forming a rectangle, and finger press each side. Open & fold the other direction, forming a rectangle & finger press the sides again.

Open out, & using your pressed lines as a guide, use your rotary cutter & ruler, and cut in half. Turn the cutting mat & cut in half again. You will now have 4 quarters with a diagonal line & 2 rows of stitching.

Now cut along the diagonal line right between the stitching.

You will now have 8 half square triangle blocks. Press and trim to desired size. The largest size you will get from these is 6." Most people like to trim them to 5.5."

My rule of thumb for sizing (the fabric squares that will be sewn) these is to figure out what I want the cut size to be (say 6 inches), then double it and add 1 to 2 inches, depending on how accurately you normally cut. If cutting and sewing 1/4" is not always easy for you, then add the 2."

I like to add in enough 'fudge factor' that the results will work every time.

Never thought of a snowbank and we do have snowbanks here - useless they may be - hey, we can put some good use to them. But then, all we'll see all over St. Paul are women with their thumbs and fingers in snowbanks. (At least that way we will know who are the quilters and who reads the Quilting Board)> I am going to try it though. Sounds like a really good idea. YOU NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER! One way or the other, it'll work! Edie

I have the same thing on my left hand and on the middle finger of my right hand that I use to push the needle through the quilt. Sorry to say, my doctor told me it is arthritis. I love hand quilting because it is so relaxing to me. Never watch TV without something in my hands to work on. She, also, told me "use it or lose it". So, I just keep on keeping on.