Some New Things

I am slowly trying to get things made and listed in my shop though my hands haven't improved at all. I can still sew as long as I don't do any one task for too long. Mass amounts of rotary cutting have proven very painful. Anyway, I've managed to get a few things made from that cool monkey fabric I picked up last week.


I'm pleased with each of the monkey bags and hope to come up with some more later in the week. I've got some custom items to get made first.



I also started listing my new mini wallets. I hope to add the pattern for this design to the shop at some point too. And if you're wondering about the shopper tote pattern, it's coming along slowly. It takes quite a long time to get a sewing pattern laid out and written, and my hands don't enjoy spending much time on the computer. I'll get there, some day. It's amazing how little you can do when your hands are out of commission. It's very hard for me, being one of those people who can't sit still.

I'm just going to go watch my morning dose of Little House while coveting my new fabrics. I can dream, can't I?

Oh! And remember to stop by Jenn's blog today and wish her a Happy Birthday! She's 29 again and giving something away too.

Ergonomics

When I had a regular job, I suffered a lot of pain from my work station. The trouble seemed to subside when I left work, but it's definitely back. Overuse is the cause, but I think the way I work has been a problem too.

The first step toward feeling better was my sewing table. Nick has built me a wonderful new table for my sewing machine!
The new table has rounded edges so I don't have to rest my arms on a sharp surface. This is a huge improvement over my old cabinet (it's made for the job, but is not well designed for comfort). I've also got more room to sit directly in front of the machine. The old cabinet would not allow me to sit far enough to the left, so I was always pressing my leg against a hard edge and twisting my back. This new desk is a wonderful treat and I love it. Thanks Nick!

Some other steps I've taken to avoid permanent damage to my nerves....

An ergonomic seam ripper. Much easier to hold than the old skinny kind.

A new ergonomic rotary cutter. I got mine at Beverly's with a 40% off coupon.

I picked up a new ergonomic keyboard and mouse. I have a lot of trouble at the computer, I'm hoping these will help.


This mouse helps me relax my hand a little. I tend to tense up too much and put a lot of strain on my hands.

I've also got a nice tall cutting table and a good chair to sit on. I've placed an order for some squishy sleeves for my crochet hooks, I've read lots of good things about them. It's important to set up your work area with proper ergonomics in mind. Take a look at OSHA's website for some tips on how to do it. And remember to take breaks. Repetitive activities are soo hard on the body. I know this from experience. Be careful and take good care of yourself, or marry a handy woodworking type and he'll build you a gorgeous new desk. ;)

A Great Wednesday

That's all I'm saying.

Oh Bamboo

Today's post is all about bamboo, batting that is. I picked up a package of this stuff a while back and have finally found some time to give it a try. I have to say, I really like it. I tried another environmentally friendly batting back in January. Remember? That one was made of corn. It was alright, but ended up very thin after ironing and washing.

Lately I've been using either 100% cotton or a cotton/polyester blend. I like all cotton batting, but this bamboo batting is going to be taking 100% cotton's place at my house.

Bamboo is naturally antibacterial, a plus for many folks who suffer from allergies & such. The bamboo batting is made from 50% bamboo fiber and 50% organic cotton. I feel better using a renewable resource and a portion of the proceeds go to help support environmental and ecological initiatives. That's pretty cool. Check out the poly-fil website to read more.

It's hard to tell this apart from the 100% cotton batting. It looks and feels very similar, just softer and a tiny bit thinner.

And after washing this new quilt in the machine, I'm super happy with the weight and look. I'm a big fan of those wrinkles you get with washing and this batting offers an estimated shrinkage rate of 2-3%. I'd say that's accurate.

You can get bamboo batting online in lots of places. I believe the 60x60in. pack I bought retails for about $14. I got mine 40% off with a coupon at JoAnn.

p.s. While I'm on the subject of environmental awareness, let's wish our Canadian friends a Happy Canada Day! The environment is one of the top 3 priorities at election time in Canada. Awesome.