Originally Posted by Grambi
Originally Posted by Wunder-Mar
Originally Posted by irishrose
Not when piecing, but SITD gets me every time. I think it's the tension of it having to be so perfect. Plus the quilt is getting bulky by then. I was looking at those Posture Pleasers. I ended up putting 2 pounds of weight in a child's backpack. My back didn't get sore FMQ this time. I also need to keep my chair the right height so I'm not bending forward. That makes a huge difference.
I bought one of these years ago and when I know I'm going to HAVE to sew quite a bit, this helps immensely. Without realizing it, while sewing, slowly over several minutes I start hunching my shoulders like a turtle peeking out of its shell.
I mentioned this to my husband, an engineer, who noticed height relationships of everything I did while doing the process of quilting. He designed a sewing cabinet with a dropdown cutting/work table (24x60) leaf, a tabletop that is "my" perfect height (my forearms rest flat on the surface while moving fabric through the machine), and bought an expensive (but not top of the line) office chair that met my height relationship needs. My cutting table, ironing board, sewing cabinet work surface and my chair ALL coordinate. Three-quarters of my physical discomfort disappeared; I still have to use the Posture Pleaser to counter all those decades of hunching over "wrong height" tables and chairs.
I also recently bought the Gypsy Sit Upon which I use at my computer desk, just a few feet from the sewing table. (It's kind of a silent whoopie cushion on steroids.) Very minute movements of my hips on this thing as I use the computer or do deskwork, make all the difference - no more locking hip joints, even after HOURS of sitting.
Wow, my husband is good at bending things, but isn't an engineer. Maybe your DH would consider doing some kind of tutorial, or explanation on how sewing surfaces should be designed for different height people that we could use to get our own work surfaces adjusted. I've heard that engineers like that kind of detailed work and your DH obviously does, so could you present him with the challenge. Pretty please, with sugar on top????:):)
I just read my post above and have know idea why I wrote "bending" things when I meant "making" things. Must have been in la-la land. Sorry, everyone.