Am I the only careless person out there? I was sewing on an old Singer 31-15 the other day and I heard a slight bang. When I looked down there was the sewing machine needle inside my thumb and the presser foot was sitting on top of it. Yes, I managed to pull the needle out, but needless to say, I will not be turning on that machine for a few days. Just wondering if any one else has impaled themselves while sewing?

No...just a few bumpups with the rotary! Hope you heal soon!

I just read on QB the other day when someone else did the same thing.

Probably happens more often than you realize. I've never done that but I have shortened my index finger ONCE.

Boy howdy! It seems to be an epidemic. Thankfully I haven't done it but I have had the screw that holds the needles in place act like a hammer and bang the heck out of my thumb.

I've done it twice. Not bad for 38 years of sewing.

Not yet I haven't but ruined a couple of acrylic nails that way

There was another thread just on about the same thing. There were a lot of people who have done it. You have lots of company. Thanks be to God, I've never done it! Sorry about your thumb!

OWWWW..hope your thumb is feeling better soon.
sass

I also have had that thing hammer my thumb and index finger and THAT HURTS. You might as well have just grabbed a hammer and did it yourself.

OMG. I swear, if I wasn't gray haired, I would be a ditzy redhead (I used to be a carrot top).
I just read where you say your location was North AND South Georgia...and I sat here probably for a good 30 seconds trying to figure out where those states were....then the lightbulb lit up and I realized you were IN Georgia both in the South AND North at various times. LOLOL. Oh gosh too funny. Don't pay me no mind. Made a good chuckle at least.

My stomach did flip flops just reading this. Never been impaled, but have done some accidental home surgery with the rotary cutter.

ROFLMAO. Only 30 seconds?

North and south ? Lmao! That was good! I'd of done the same!

I sewed through my index finger. That would have been bad enough but you know that instinctive urge to pull your hand away when injured? Yowzer did that make a mess as I ripped the needle out through the side. It's been years but I totally feel your pain!

No, you aren't the only one. I am proof. My thumb still has the dot where it bled under the nail. I found out the machine would see through thick objects. LOL

I learned early, like about 60 years ago! but then I have gone many years without sewing! Now I have been quilting for 9 years. So far, sew good!

been there done that. on the farm, all by myself. have to go to the toolbox to get it out.

We're a tough lot, we quilters. Reminds me of the old westerns where the cowboy got shot in the leg and took out the bullet himself with his knife and a bottle of whiskey.

Yep, once. Put the needle right through the middle of my middle finger fingernail...I couldn't pull it out, had to wait for DH to get home to do it with pliers...I have a pic somewhere...

Thanks, but don't want to se the pic LOL

Impaled myself when I was a little kid on an old hand crank machine. After that mom let me use her FW. Also caught my finger between the belt & the balance wheel of an industrial machine - OUCH - hurt for MONTHS. Get right back in the saddle - it doesn't happen every day. Twice in 50+ years isn't too bad - if you've had a car wreck I'm sure you've gotten back in a car sooner or later.

Been there, done that! I've also managed to slice various fingers a time or two with the rotary cutter.

The Home Ec teacher where I taught would mentioned this "accident" a few times over the 20+ years... but of course I attributed it to "kids" inattention. Believe me, I've come very close myself!! Hope there's no permanent damage on your thumb.

Ditto that!

Ditto that!

I have sewn thru my finger a few times. Havent done it in a number of years which is nice. lol. But I do feel your pain.

Not I, but my DH has done it about 3 times in the last 35 years on our upholstery machine... The last time was 10 days ago! :( Golly, you'd think he'd learn....

so far, no sewing accidents for me. knock wood. :)

...and then went on to catch the rustlers, stop the herd from stampeding, and save the girl from falling offa the cliff!

Did that when I used to work in a wedding gown factory. The needle was quite sharp so it didn't hurt going in. As soon as it happened the finger turned white on the end, lack of cirulation, I think. Very first thing that went through my mind was, "Boy! That's gonna hurt in a minute!" It did. Lot's of blood, but not as bad as if it had been a dull needle. (Another reason to make sure your needles stay sharp!) I was at work, so couldn't wallow in the pain. Doctored it up. Then put a bandaid on it, and back to work. I think continuing to work might have kept it from getting stiff. Needless to say, I have develped a great respect for sewing maching needles. That was 15 years ago. They don't bite me anymore. Hope I didn't just jinx myself.

I did that once on a Pfaff industrial/commercial machine I owned, and used for upholstery purposes. It went right through my middle finger nail bed! Easily went in, was hell getting it to back out. I never did it again!

ouch..ouch..ouch...makes my skin crawl to just think about it...so sorry that happened to you!

Ouch!! Hope you can get back to sewing soon :D:D:D

I did that - to my index finger! I think I was 5!!!

I did it about 2 yrs ago....do we really need to talk about it? eeeewwwwww

Yes, only the needle broke off in my left index fingernail and ended up in the emergency room for minor surgery. The same finger I removed part of with a rotary cutter not two years before this accident." It was a year before I could go near that cutter. Never stopped quilting, just used my scissors. Went back to sewing about a week later from the needle incident.

I did that on my first try at fmq. It hurt like the dickens but I was on a deadline and had to finish the quilt I was working on so I put a band-aid on and continued. I was a little jumpy for an hour or so, but I finished that night.

40+ years ago. The cat sat on the foot pedal. Index finger impaled. Hasn't happened again!

Didn't do it myself but I was 'floor girl' at a sewing factory years ago when one of the operators had a needle go through her finger. She asked me to rotate the wheel manually to raise the needle. I'm not sure which of us was more shaken.