It’s time for another Free Stuff Friday! Today, we’re giving away Crafter’s Comfort Gloves and a Shoulder Saver from Creative Comfort by Dritz. 
For your chance to win, answer this question in the comments section:
Do you have any special tricks or tools to help you stay healthy in the sewing room?
Post your answer by 9 AM ET on Monday, when we’ll announce the winner. Good luck!
I have an ergonomic chair that rolls. I keep a bottle of water so I don’t “forget”. And my room is decorated with personal “treasures” and pleasing colors to enhance my mental contentedness.
I really do love my sewing room.
I try NOT to keep everything within arm’s reach. This makes me get up and move across the room to iron, to get pencils, etc. Otherwise I would sit for hours sewing without moving.
I have bad arthritis and my hubby has toned down the movability factor on my wheeled sewing chair after it slide out from under me and I landed on the floor. I also use a rotary cutter for most cutting that I need to do since it is faster and doesn’t hurt my joints as much. I have a ottoman to prop my legs on to keep the swelling down (which can happen in as little as 5 minutes) and then just use the stop start button on my machine instead of the foot pedal. Anything that gives me a few more precious minutes in the sewing room.
I find it best to “not” use the factory approach to sewing. It allows for different activities and movements. Also having an organized sewing room helps to reduce the stress.
I think most of my tips and tricks have been mentioned in other responses. Keeping water is a safe place in the sewing room is essential. Having tables at the right height is even more essential. I use risers meant for raising beds up, to raise my tables to the proper height. A rolling secretary chair is an asset in the sewing room. I have four sewing stations and had to change chairs when I changed machines. Now I roll from station to station and have less furniture in the room.
After a hard sewing project do an easy one. That makes it nicer for your body and mind. Take a few breaks also and walk around some. I use a rolling office chair which I love to roll around and get to things easier.
Having your tools readily available to use your time wisely.
Lights!! Posture!! Have FUN!!!
Large, sturdy table for my machines and a tool chest for easy organization of all my hand tools, scraps, accessories; good light, comfortable chair. Everything in its place, floor and work area clean and uncluttered. Cat sleeping by the window, dog sleeping on the floor by my feet, radio for company.
I think mental health is as important as physical health. Just allowing myself the time to sew is huge for me! I crank up the music and try to enjoy every minute.
Bottle of water handy to keep hydrated. This will, in turn, require that you take an occasional break because of the fluid intake.
I only sew for one hour per day as I can’t sit very long because of recoverning from a broken hip
I made sure that my cutting board and ironing station are seperate from my sewing station so I have to stand up ever now and again.
I agree with getting up and moving around frequently to stretch your muscles and get your blood flowing.
I keep a tube of chapstick in my sewing table, a little on the lips and run the end of the thread for the needle thru my lips. Stiffens the thread just enough to thread the needle the first time!
I have arthritis so I get up and move about every hour so I don’t stiffen up, I also learned the hard way (tripped over a cord and sprained my wrist) to keep all my loose cords out of traffic areas, I usually see how long I need it to be and then I wrap the excess and put a heavy duty rubber band on it to keep in place this way no cords to trip on.
just read my post and you maybe wondering how I could trip on a cord and sprain my wrist when I tripped tried to catch myself before falling and alls that did was made it worse. Man the longest week of my life until I could get back to the sewing machine believe me I tried with the brace on just didn’t work
Take a break every now and then.
Music, lighting, the right chair, and remembering to move around are all on my health/safety checklist. Being a barefoot sewer, picking up needles and pins so they don’t wind up in my feet is a major concern! Alas, my eyes aren’t as sharp as they used to be. To solve this problem I use my lighted magnifying lens to scan the floor before I get out of my chair.
Good lighting is important. Don’t forget to stand up and stretch. I have a kitchen timer and set it for one hour. Because I tend to get so involved in my sewing I even forget to eat sometimes.
My cat Paco sitting under my sewing table keeps me in a positive mood–even if my project isn’t always going as well as I’d like !!
This summer, a FAN was a must. Normally wheeled chair and rotary cutter are my favorite things to have.
I have asthma & fibromyalgia so I MUST keep my sewing room healthy.
Most important to me is good lighting! I prefer “daylight” lights.
A clock to keep me from getting “lost in time” and forgeting to get up and move,
Always have a drink to stay hydrated,
An ergo. chair can be adjusted 101 different ways to support my back working at the sewing/embroidery machine or crafting,
Keep things off the floor to avoid tripping hazards & use magnetic pin notions to keep them off the floor, or to help gather them up if they are dropped.
Good lighting and the right tools, so I don’t stab myself trying to pry something apart with a pin!
I have a OttLite over my machine to provide plenty of light to prevent eye strain and I have to get up to go to the iron and cutting table which helps me stretch out and not stay humped over the machine too long.
I would love to have these!
proper lighting!!
I do a lot of sewing for my 10 grandchildren and when making something for them I keep a picture of them in my sewing room to remind me how much they will enjoy whatever I am making for them. I have shelves and bins that are labeled for different sewing equipment. I have a magnet for picking up straight pins that have fallen to the floor or down into the sewing machine. I have a comfortable arm chair and a radio for when I want to do some hand sewing which relaxes me when I am stressed.
in my sewing room:
bay window – so I look up when I see something outside. Relaxes the neck muscles.
small wall mounted TV – to listen to, and look at once in a while, to relax my neck & shoulder muscles.
small love seat – so I have an area to put my feet up to do ‘hand work’ – relaxes my legs, feet & body. Also, hubby comes in once in a while & massages my shoulders! woohoo!
Lights- LED lights on my sewing machine, serger and a floor OTT lamp. all are portable.
AND: my thread catcher is portable too! holds my pins, needles & thread spools on a tall needle as well as my cut threads.
I really pay attention to my posture when I’m at my machines and take frequent brakes. I suffer from rheumatoid arthritis so good body mechanics are a must! Other than that I don’t have any gadgets, but would love to have the ones that are being given away; I’m sure they would help!!
When I have had a very stressful or tiring day, I had to my sewing machine for comfort to get my mind traveling in a different direction. It releaves stress, when accomplishing something at the sewing table.
I have an ergonomic chair and a wonderful Kowala cabinet where my 3 machines can all bet set up at the same time. It saves me lots of time to just be able to go and sew!!
I also have my cutting table up on ‘bed’ risers which brings it up to a comfortable standing level.
I must have good lighting, a comfortable cahier. The I aslo get up and walk around often,(if I remember.
I get up after awhile and walk around. My attention span is rather short, so it is a good excuse to get up and do something else. I stretch periodically, rotate my hands and fingers. I love my sewing room–lots of space–and my computer is in here too, so it is another reason to get up and move.
I have good lighting and comfortable room temperature. A foot rest to put my feet on since I have short legs. Water. Everything in order so I don’t have to spend time looking for something. And most of all: A Patient Husband.
I keep a variety of dried fruit in my sewing room to fight off “the hungries” so I can continue my projects.
I believe that you should have everything in a perfect place. Get up and move around so that you do not get tired. Have more than one project at a time but not too many.
A good confortable chair, nice classic/70′s music, my cat on a bag in my sewing room (or my lap!) water and potty breaks, and rolling shoulders from time to time.
Everything I can get to make it easy on arthritic hands and back: Koala cabinet in extended height, special cutting tools, ergo-chair, padded rugs to stand on, big headed pins, easy to read measuring tools – anything to make it easy and less of a strain on old joints so I can keep up with my mental therapy! Most important is my husband who supports me, helps in every way he can to get these things for me and arrange whatever I need wherever I need them!
Lighting is so important. Use more than what you think you need, and have it come from different directions. And as tempting as it is to sit and sew for hours at a time, get up and move around at least once an hour.
I only have a very small space in which to be creative; and since being creative is directly proportional to my overall health and emotional well being, it is imperative that I make that space as functional and available as I can. I try to make sure all my tools are well organized, the lighting is good, the chair is comfortable and movable, and my machines are always ready to go. Since I am also operating on a shoestring budget, I try to make the most of my tiny room by using organizational items in unconventional but productive ways. In a way, my “creative room” inspires creativity!
Being that I’ve worked sewing furniture most all my life, I still do basic stretches which we had to do everyday, twice a day. Keep all your thread and bobbins up on the machine or in there rightful place not on the floor so you don’t tangle your feet up on them.
I place two rubber door stoppers under the back of my sewing machine – it helps my back and my line of sight!
Don’t sit for too long – stand up and stretch, walk around a bit. Keep everything tidy and organised so you not only know where everything is, but also what you have – especially in your stash! And good lighting is essential, especially when you are not so young any more!
I try to remember to get up, walk and stretch frequently.
Nice cold water with a lemon slice, favorite music, my dog near me & walk around & stretch once every hour, & I’m good!
I do yoga. Sew News had an article about Yoga For Sewing some years back.
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The ironing board is on the opposite side of the room from the sewing machine. That way, I must get up and walk every time I need to press a seam. Keeps the circulation moving and gets some exercise in. Of course, I have become very good at sewing every possible seam I can on the various pattern pieces, so I don’t have to get up so often
Oh, and I try to be aware of the location of my 2 cats, so I don’t trip over them, or run over them with the wheels of the chair.
Hmmm, no specific tips, other than taking breaks.
I guess I do what everyone else has said .. I also do hand and wrist exercises every so often to stretch out.
I had a 4′ x 8′ table built to my height so it is comfortable to stand at. I have all of my tools on a pegboard on the wall next to my table so I don’t need to lean down when I need something. I’ve raised my industrial machine so when I sit at it my knees are at a 90 degree angle. And BEST of all….I found a tool that I wouldn’t live without now that I have it! It looks like a broom handle (about 3 feet long) and at the bottom is a really strong magnet that is about 3″x6″. Now there’s no more crawling on the floor to pick up those pins and razor blades that always seem to find their way down there! It even picks up scissors and seam rippers, etc. LOVE it! (Simple things make me happy!)