Many sewists make accommodations — little work-arounds — that help them overcome the hurdles that keep them from sewing. Just as everyone’s sewing situation is unique, so are accommodations! We would love to heard about the tips and tricks that get you going.
As a teacher, the word “accommodation” has a very specific meaning. In the classroom, an accommodation is a change to how a task is done, but the student still achieves the same end goal. Common accommodations include extra time, chunking of tasks, graphic organisers, use of technology like voice typing, or completing the assignment in another form, like a slideshow instead of an essay or speech. Every child is entitled to accommodations, without the need for any kind of extra paperwork or Individual Education Plan. This to me seems very similar to the sewing world — everyone can do a task in whatever way suits them, and we all end up with a garment in the end!
Here are some examples of accomodations in sewing:
- Ergonomic tools, as we covered in this recent post (the comments include all kinds of great tips!)
- Machines with air-threading or automatic threading gadgets
- Machines with a push button instead of a foot pedal
- Taking frequent breaks
- Chunking steps and making notes so you don’t lose your place in the instructions
- … And so on!
We hope you’ll share your accommodation strategies that make sewing easier or possible for you. You never know who will read the comments and learn something that will help!
Gillian is co-founder of the Sewcialists. She lives in Canada with her three cats, three sewing machines, and just one husband. Gillian teacher English as a Second Language for Grade 1 – 8 students. You can find her at @craftingarainbow and https://craftingarainbow.com/
My accommodations mainly revolve around cutting. I find it more and more difficult to cut paper patterns out and usually resort to patterns I’ve used before. And sometimes I have to cut in sessions. I haven’t made jeans in a long time because it legit takes me like 3-5 days to cut the pattern pieces. If the denim is weightier, I have to cut single layer and pretty much cut one piece per session – one front leg one day, the other another day, the back pockets and yoke another, etc.
I’ve learned to sew without pins as much as possible – too much fine motor skills required sometimes to place them.
Another change I have to make – my iron is never full of water. It’s way too heavy for me when full of water and I keep it to like 1/3 of the way full.
Some of my tricks for dealing with aches and pains are (apologies for any repeats) :
. self opening scissors – I have 2 pair of Fiskars shears, and I know Gingher also makes one
. clips instead of pins, especially on fabrics that pins don’t go through easily
. tape can be used to place patch pockets or other similar bits – careful how long you leave some of types on the project though!
. sharpie marker to outline quilt templates or pattern pieces so they are easier to see
. seam roller can help reduce time using a heavy iron, especially when making quilt blocks
. elastic wrist support/warmer, preferably worn before my wrist starts to hurt
. proper height cutting table was a game changer for me – no way can I cut patterns on the floor now, and no back aches from bending over a too low table
. good lighting – keeps my eye strain down and prevents back aches as I unconsciously bend over the work trying to see. I like 100W daylight . equivalent LED bulbs right now.
. magnifiers of various types – for similar reasons as good lighting. I use readers, hand held, built into a light, etc. each has times one will work better than another.
. self closing rotary cutter – while not exactly ergonomic, it can save accidental injuries from forgetting to close it or dropping it
. if I’m must do something that has a tendency to flare things up (like the garden weeding) take aspirin before starting
. breaks, lots of breaks – it’s so tempting to keep going especially if things are going well, but that’s went the aches seem to creep up and Wham! Even having to get up and walk a few steps between cutting table, sewing machine and ironing board can serve as a break.
Besides a push button control on the sewing machine, many vintage machines in cabinets have a knee control.
I have not done this, you can make custom fit handles for tools like seam rippers or crochet hooks with polymer clay.
I put bed/sofa loft supports (?) under the dining room table so raise it for easier cutting!
This is a small change compared with many people’s challenges. But I mostly sew in the summer.
An eye problem makes me over sensitive to contrast and movement, so daylight (March till October) works better than any lamp combination I have found. I’ve trained myself to focus on the fabric edge, not the needle, when stitching, to avoid pain from looking at the moving point. And I can thread the needle by muscle memory (most of the time) even though I can’t see the eye well. My smartphone works as a magnifier to read those tiny size and type markings on the needle shank. Any temporary stitching is done in a different colour thread so I can see which lines to remove. Like many contributors, I have to time each session so I don’t overtire.
The other accommodation is for cutting out. Kneeling on the floor in trousers brings out eczema behind my knees. So cutting out is done in skirt or shorts. Again a summer activity here!
Small things, though, like masks, can be cut out on a mat on the ironing board, and stitched even in winter at lunchtime if the daylight is at its best.
Hope this helps someone.
1. I changed out my machine bulbs for brighter LED ones.
2. I second the proper height cutting table.
3. I have my ironing board at seated height so I can just roll from machine to ironing station.