Looking after our crafty selves!

I recently had a reminder from the lovely Pip Lincolne from Meet Me At Mikes of how important it is to look after yourself while still enjoying your craft, and I thought it might make for an interesting read. While we all know what ergonomics are {the science of fitting a task to suit the individual while improving a person's comfort, health, and productivity} we probably don't often associate it with crafting.

 If you think about it though, as stitchers, quilters, knitters or crafters in general, we may be particularly susceptible to eye strain or damage, repetitive motion conditions like tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome or migraine. I don't know how many times I've had a sore neck or shoulders {or even a numb bottom} from sitting too long at the sewing machine, or hunched over a stitchery in bad light!

Here are a few tips I've found around and about the web to help prevent or alleviate these symptoms related to these kinds of activities, most of which are pretty much plain common sense:

• Make sure you're comfortable. Get a chair with a seat height that is right for you and that provides comfort and support to your body. Your feet and the floor should be at a 90-degree angle. If you can’t adjust your chair, use a footrest. Anything can be used as a footrest, even a stack of old magazines or old box {I had a friend that used to use old stock image books - which are sort of like big coffee table books}. A chair that does not provide good posture can lead to back pain. If the chair that is too high can cause loss of circulation in legs and feet. The small of your back should press against the chair back. If it doesn’t, use a pillow or rolled up towel.
• Sit up straight. Do not slouch or hunch over. Try some neck or back stretches to relieve those crampy or tired muscles. Most of these can be done while still sitting in your chair.
• Use task lighting that is close to your work versus general overhead lighting. Try to avoid lighting that creates a glare.
• Make sure the area you're working in is at a comfortable temperature.
• Try to avoid hand and wrist strain. If your hands or wrists hurt, do wrist and hand exercises {like these} to relax and relieve the stress and strain.
• Avoid unnecessary reaching or stretching to reach supplies by assembling all your supplies in front of you on a desk or work surface.
• Take a break after long stretches of crafting. Get up and go for a walk or go and make yourself a cup of tea/coffee/water.
• Remember to stay hydrated!

President's Natter - July...

Well ladies it certainly has been so cold... yes our mild winter has definitely vanished and we are being faced with quite low temperatures especially in Gisborne/Macedon/Tylden... but I guess the one thing we have on our side is that it's great weather to sit by the fire and sew. I am still hand piecing my Tumbling Blocks and they are certainly multiplying.

Several members including myself went to the Melton Quilt-In last Saturday (9th July) and it was a wonderful day, with friendly sewers. There were several patch workers from Rochester, who were badly effected by the floods, who enjoyed a relaxing day getting away from it all.

The guest speaker was a well known textile artist Helen Godden, who has been awarded several placings in the Housten Quilt shows over recent years and she is one very talented lady. Her specialty is free motion machine quilting. She takes 30 hours to bleach and paint fabric and another 50 hours to quilt and sew her designs. She was extremely free with her show and tell and we were able to be hands-on while we inspected her amazing, award winning quilts.

One of Helen's gorgeous quilts - source

One quilt she made was themed "quilt things that come in pairs" and in doing so  related her connection with her mother (who is also a patchworker) who she sometimes works in conjunction with. She had magnificently quilted in the background with items that come in pairs, ie. salt & pepper, shoe & sock, bat & ball.

To give you an idea of the scale of the competitions she takes part in, one of her quilts sold for $10,000. When you win a prize at the Housten Show, you also win a flight over to the show. One year Helen won two prizes and upon asking for the two flights, Housten decided from now on you are only able to win one flight no matter how many prizes you win.

What sets Helen apart from other high profile quilters is that she is quite naive in regard to her ability. She was a textile artist before stumbling onto quilting, and she is simply, a natural. I am pleased to say I was lucky enough to win a prize in one of the raffle draws. I chose a free motion quilting book which I am happy to donate to our library.

On to other news, I'd like to let you all know that the new ladies who did the back to basics table runner did an amazing job and it was great to be part of helping them to work on their creativity. Basic cutting, using both mat and rotary cutter and piecing blocks were some of the techniques we covered. Di got a lot out of helping them use a light box, to applique and embroider the designs on their table runners as well as teaching them to cut and sew on the binding.

Any new member please feel free to see Esmae if you would like to purchase one of our club badges. I would like to thank all our committee members who continue to do an amazing job for our club, it takes a lot of work behind the scenes to make such a successful club run so smoothly.

I hope all our members who are enjoying their travels away from this cold winter are happy, safe and especially enjoying themselves.

Christmas in July will be here soon and 'unfortunately' I won't be able to attend as 'fortunately' we are heading north all the way up to the northern tip of Australia... to Cape York... may I say to the warmer weather... thongs will be the go. The scenery is just fabulous up there and there are four cars in our convoy which will be joined by a fifth when we hit outback Queensland. So, our Vice President, Andrea Sheddick will take over chairing the meetings while I am away. By the time I return at the beginning of September there will be a new President in the chair. I wish them all the best and would like to say I have enjoyed my Presidency and am pleased, especially with all the charity work we have done  over the past two years. I would also like to thank the committee for all their support and hard work... we have worked well as a team for the good of the group.

Take care everyone and keep stitching, as I must go and thread another needle or should I start packing ...well er my thongs!!!

Lyn

Quilting is good for you!

While doing some internet exploring I came across this wonderful information about how good quilting and other crafts are for us.  Another reason to add to our stash!  Follow the link and enjoy feeling good about your hobby!

Cheers Glo :-)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2002862/Why-quilting-uniquely-good-us.html#ixzz1RQSsZwl4

even when you're learning, quilting is good for your health!

Don't forget!

Hi Ladies,
Don't forget that Tuesday July 12th is a "stay at home and sew" night as we don't have access to the church hall that night. But the following week, Tuesday July 19th is business as usual.

Wish you were here! Postcard from Joy

Radient Rachael at Uluru

Hello Ladies!

Wednesday - We've just left Alice Springs having been there for a week of shopping, resting and sightseeing the West McDonnell Ranges. There are about 6-7 gorges that we had to walk to, climb up or go down to which are awesome and massive. Some are too steep or rough for me to attempt with my ankle which is healing well with all this exercise I am doing.

We are in a place called Wycliffe Wells 385Ks north of Alice (UFOs were sighted here a long time ago supposedly). It has a lot of character and weird space martians about the place but no phone or computer coverage and most of all no TV working! We are heading for Tenant Creek tomorrow. Unsure what coverage will be there.

Our trip is going really well. We have been doing all the touristy things. Rachael* has been doing her own thing and not listening to me at all! My sister-in-law, Bev, is encouraging her to do all these things like more planking, dancing, climbing rocks etc. She is uncontrollable! It was so cold, down to 1 degree at night before getting to the Rock so I knitted her a beanie, scarf and mittens. She lost a mitten so I had to make her another one, totally out of control she is believe me!

I miss you lot very much, especially on Tuesday nights. I have been busy, haven't done any sewing as yet, but I have knitted and made up a Teddy which Judy gave me the pattern for. She/he is sooo cute and gets along with Rachael. It's a bit hard to crochet cats while travelling in the car, so I am knitting easy dish cloths.

Friday - We are in a Roadhouse/bush caravan park, 300Ks this side of Katherine and would you believe there is once again no phone or computer and worst of all no TV coverage!

Beryl, there showers and loos here are all unisex ATCO sheds, clean but older than you and I put together. I have been lucky so far that I haven't had to follow a male (phew!) and there will be no showers either tonight or in the morning. I will wait until I get to a proper park, just as well I have heaps of deodorant!

Saturday - We are heading to a place called Daly Waters which, 14 years ago when we did this trip, they had a pub, oval to park vans on and a night meal of Barramundi and Beef and a singsong which was excellent. It also had a set of traffic lights which are always on red outside the pub. Nothing else, but it was great fun.

The weather is starting to warm up. I think it was 22 degrees here today but in the car travelling along it was a lot hotter. Tomorrow the 3/4 pants and singlet top and sandals are getting taken out of the box under the bed and hat, scarf and coat are being put in there even Rachael's. She will have to wear her dress once more.

Sunday - Here I am in Mataranka for 2 days where there is computer coverage. Brian is fiddling around with TV aerials to get TV and would you believe everyone else in the camp have reception except us! I am about to fly home just to get TV!Tomorrow I'm going swimming in the thermal pools here where the temp of the water is always 34 degrees. So sorry about the weather down there! Today was just 30 degrees, tomorrow 29 degrees, something I will find hard to take!!! (Ha!)

Bye for now!

Joy

* The brief history of Rachael. A while ago Sunbury quilters made trauma dolls and one Tuesday night we took them to a meeting to fill. Glo's trauma doll was stuffed so full she became deformed and we joked that she wouldn't even be accepted at the Reject Shop! Joy (of course!) was the biggest stirrer, winding poor Glo up and as revenge Glo stitched a new doll with all kinds of lumps and bumps and deformities and gave it to Nurse Joy to fix. And Rachael was born! Rachael is now enjoying her caravan trip with Joy and we look forward to seeing the pictures Joy sends us of her escapades.