If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#21
|
|||
|
|||
Placement of sewing machine
Polly Esther wrote:
Something else I was too polite to mention was that some of us have more in front of us than others (in addition to accurate bi-focal distance). No. I was too polite to mention that. Polly I have my machine as close to the edge of the table as possible -- 6.5" is the measurement. Of course, I have to squish my pulchritudinous self right up close to the edge of the table so that I can actually see the needle -- LOLOL! CiaoMeow ^;;^ |
Ads |
#22
|
|||
|
|||
Body Obstacles
er....32F? Is that some kind of a British bra measurement? Or a 32 year
old female? L "Kate Dicey" wrote in message ... lisa skeen wrote: ROFL. Being a 32F is noticeable in these circumstances! I quite often bump my chest when digging lint out of the machines... Especially the treadle, which is fixed to its table! And I had to stop sewing towards the end of my pregnancy because the bump got in the way! I felt like I was MILES from the needle and sewing by remote control! And you lot wondered why I only have one kid... ;P -- Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons http://www.katedicey.co.uk Click on Kate's Pages and explore! |
#23
|
|||
|
|||
Placement of sewing machine
Interesting question - I've just been pondering that meself and doing
some measuring. Disclaimer first: I've got no certification of any sort in ergonomics, so this is "IMHO" and "YMMV". Claimer: I'm a career-long computer worker who has spent much time learningthrough medical and physio treatments for repetitive straing injuries - I'm educated and can read and the ergonomics of sewing/quilting joined my topics of interest beside computer ergonomics when I got serious. The "rules" for a good sewing station are similar to those for a computing station. Ideally, start with your chair height. Sit on chair, adjust so your feet are flat on the floor, and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Your desk/sewing table *height* is next, and should be based on this: sitting in your properly adjusted chair, sit up straight, relax your shoulders, and bend your arms 90 degrees at the elbows. Elbows in this position rest directly at your sides, approximately at waist height. The correct table height is actually slightly LOWER than your flat palms in this position. At least for keyboarding, because a typical keyboard will have its key surfaces about an inch above the table's surface, and your 90 deg. angle should bring your palms to "floating" slightly above the tops of the keys, so that if you relax your hands so your fingers droop to a neutral position, they droop to touch they key surfaces. In keyboarding, your work surface is actually the surface of the keys. It is considered acceptable for your work surface to be slightly lower than this, eg, your elbows will be at an angle of slightly more than 90 degrees if this is your comfort/preference. If using an angled keyboard or keyboard tray, the angle should be tilting down, away from you - that is, the number keys, top row of keyboard, are lower than the space bar. Most keyboards and desks to that wrong, even ergonomic ones - they are angled to hyperextend the wrists rather than accomodate relaxed flexion. Position: Sit in the center of the alpha keys on the keyboard, so each hand has to move an equal distance toward the body's centreline to be in a touch-typing position. OK - so the above is based on "what I know" - eg, stuff that is documented ergonomic advice and or that docs/physios have told me. After this point, I am extrapolating to my own knowledge of sewing systems and what best works for me in sewing. Chair mechanics: same. Invest in a good chair. Arms might be less advised for a sewist than a computer geek (more arm movement, particularly if free-motion quilting). Table: incorporating the above with respect to basic table position, realize that your work surface level is now the top of your fabric. This means the machine plate is essentially your work surface (given fabric thicknesses in millimetres). If you have a sewing station where the machine bed sits flush with the table surface, this is your table height, if your machine sits up on top of the table, you actually need a pretty LOW table, applying ergonomic "rules". To me this means my ideal sewing table is an inch or two higher than my keyboard tray/table but has the cutout of course. (It is still below the height of most non-adjustable office desks). Position: everyone who has ever mentioned this to me of course says to sit centred in front of the needle. Distance from edge: I suspect from the other comments this is the most variable and subject to personal preference. I'll ask a physiotherapist if I ever have another chance but I suspect also that I won't get a clear opinion. I'm currently amusing co-workers with some strange fiddling at my desk, but here's how I've just figured out where I seem to like my needle: Sit in your adjusted chair, at your proper-height tabled, and scoot up as close to the table as is just barely a "natural" seated postion. EG, tummy right up to the edge but don't "squish" any ample parts into the table or have to work to hold yourself that close. Rest your forearms and hands, palms down, on the table surface and double-check that 90 degrees or slightly more at the elbows, with shoulders relaxed and hence elbows staying right at your sides and off the table. In this position if I drew a line between my index fingers, my needle would come down on that line, or slightly on the near side of of it (closer to the edge). I figure this is approximately right for me, because I will not usally work with belly RIGHT up to the edge of the table, but that is offset by the fact that I DO usually work with my hands' neutral position being slightly in front of the needle as they control fabric feeding in So to actually touch the needle from my natural "working" position requires a slight reach forward with the hands/arms, but NOT so much of a reach that my body must lean. Hope that description makes sense. For me, my absolute maximum measurement would be needle 9.5 inches from the edge, and I think I would actually place it between 7 and 8 inches from the edge. Because you can always "back up" from the table, but cannot get closer due to the physical barrier of the table edge, I would err on the near side. The only problem I could forsee with putting my needle closer to the edge, say, 4-5 inches, is that when sitting up straight in my proper chair, the angle would be such that I couldn't SEE the needle. This would lead to me curving my back and neck down and possibly tilting my head to the side to get a view of my needle. If you are very short, that's not a problem. If you are very tall it could be a BIG problem. Since you've got the luxury of custom design, try out the measurement/placement and "fiddle" with it, then measure exactly what works for you! Wow, that got long. Sorry! Can you tell I've spent some time on this very topic? Hope it is of some use to you, or someone else. |
#24
|
|||
|
|||
Body Obstacles
Something I have never been able to do is get a professional fitting and OH
I wish I could. I have the issue of 40 DDD or possibly an F but who knows (yes au natural)? I wear what I can get into and that's that. Besides, they are bloody EXPENSIVE to purchase! Where I live, we have no lingerie shops or specialty shops for those women who don't know how to measure their bazooms.......... and now? my poor poor daughter is turning 14 and wearing at least a 36 C right now... and even those look too small on her.... As you are a garment maker, how do you measure for the correct fit? And why do you prefer the underwire? I would love to be able to measure her and at least get close to what size she should be wearing........ lord knows mother nature will have her way with all of them eventually but if I can make it comfortable for her now, maybe she will keep up the measure and fit part. Oh lord how does one get from machine placement to bazooms??? Women and the track the conversations take! ~KK in BC~ whose bazooms have lost their zoom but maybe there is hope for the daughter LOL "Kate Dicey" wrote in message ... lisa skeen wrote: er....32F? Is that some kind of a British bra measurement? Or a 32 year old female? L Bra sizes are the same here as in the USA. 32 band size, F cup size. There's more front than back here! And I'm 49, not 32 years old! Bra cup sizes got up to J if you look in the right places. My problem is that the bra-makers expect someone with my measurements to be a 19 YO with plastic enhancements, rather than a 49 YO au naturelle! As a professional dressmaker, I pay a LOT of attention to bras and whether or not they fit properly. Did you know that more than 75% of women wear the WRONG size? And the most common error they make is buying too big a band size with too small a cup size. Bras are like shoes: the 'right' size in one make may fit you better than the right size in another. A good fitter will be able to fit you into not just the right size, but also the right style and make for your shape. I find the best fit for me at present are Fantasy and Marks & Spencers (and a lot of their bras are made for them by Charnos) in a 32F. The best style is a half cup with underwires and no padding. -- Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons http://www.katedicey.co.uk Click on Kate's Pages and explore! |
#25
|
|||
|
|||
Body Obstacles
Ok, I have to ask this. If your 'bazooms' are so large and uncomfortable,
why do you keep them? I have a friend who is 5'2" and MAYBE 100lbs if she's soaking wet and holding a can o' soup.... anyway, she was in the D+ range and had reduction; she says it's made a huge difference. Mine are C, and I'd have them reduced if Ic ould afford such.... L "~KK in BC~" wrote in message news:Yhzvf.51770$AP5.41098@edtnps84... Something I have never been able to do is get a professional fitting and OH I wish I could. I have the issue of 40 DDD or possibly an F but who knows (yes au natural)? I wear what I can get into and that's that. Besides, they are bloody EXPENSIVE to purchase! Where I live, we have no lingerie shops or specialty shops for those women who don't know how to measure their bazooms.......... and now? my poor poor daughter is turning 14 and wearing at least a 36 C right now... and even those look too small on her.... As you are a garment maker, how do you measure for the correct fit? And why do you prefer the underwire? I would love to be able to measure her and at least get close to what size she should be wearing........ lord knows mother nature will have her way with all of them eventually but if I can make it comfortable for her now, maybe she will keep up the measure and fit part. Oh lord how does one get from machine placement to bazooms??? Women and the track the conversations take! ~KK in BC~ whose bazooms have lost their zoom but maybe there is hope for the daughter LOL "Kate Dicey" wrote in message ... lisa skeen wrote: er....32F? Is that some kind of a British bra measurement? Or a 32 year old female? L Bra sizes are the same here as in the USA. 32 band size, F cup size. There's more front than back here! And I'm 49, not 32 years old! Bra cup sizes got up to J if you look in the right places. My problem is that the bra-makers expect someone with my measurements to be a 19 YO with plastic enhancements, rather than a 49 YO au naturelle! As a professional dressmaker, I pay a LOT of attention to bras and whether or not they fit properly. Did you know that more than 75% of women wear the WRONG size? And the most common error they make is buying too big a band size with too small a cup size. Bras are like shoes: the 'right' size in one make may fit you better than the right size in another. A good fitter will be able to fit you into not just the right size, but also the right style and make for your shape. I find the best fit for me at present are Fantasy and Marks & Spencers (and a lot of their bras are made for them by Charnos) in a 32F. The best style is a half cup with underwires and no padding. -- Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons http://www.katedicey.co.uk Click on Kate's Pages and explore! |
#26
|
|||
|
|||
Placement of sewing machine
That was very interesting and helpful, and I'm looking forward to
checking out the height of my chair, position of my machine, etc. when I get home. I was right with you until the last part, when you mentioned how it would be bad to have to bend over to see needle...I had a flashback of me trying out the blind hem stitch for applique this week for the first time. I was in a lovely ergonomically proper position in my chair, arms 90 degrees...then as I started to stitch, I hunched my back, leaned waaaaaaay over and down, simultaneously stretching my neck and upper torso to the left of my needle, nose right there next to the needle, trying to see where the needle is actually landing (if only that guide which is supposed to be doing me so much good would get out of my way so I could see the needle)... praying I don't sew through my nose... looking like a hunchback. You mean that isn't good for me?! Lynn, who apparently needs to reevaluate methods tonight. FurrsomeThreesome wrote: Interesting question - I've just been pondering that meself and doing some measuring. Disclaimer first: I've got no certification of any sort in ergonomics, so this is "IMHO" and "YMMV". Claimer: I'm a career-long computer worker who has spent much time learningthrough medical and physio treatments for repetitive straing injuries - I'm educated and can read and the ergonomics of sewing/quilting joined my topics of interest beside computer ergonomics when I got serious. The "rules" for a good sewing station are similar to those for a computing station. Ideally, start with your chair height. Sit on chair, adjust so your feet are flat on the floor, and your knees are at a 90 degree angle. Your desk/sewing table *height* is next, and should be based on this: sitting in your properly adjusted chair, sit up straight, relax your shoulders, and bend your arms 90 degrees at the elbows. Elbows in this position rest directly at your sides, approximately at waist height. The correct table height is actually slightly LOWER than your flat palms in this position. At least for keyboarding, because a typical keyboard will have its key surfaces about an inch above the table's surface, and your 90 deg. angle should bring your palms to "floating" slightly above the tops of the keys, so that if you relax your hands so your fingers droop to a neutral position, they droop to touch they key surfaces. In keyboarding, your work surface is actually the surface of the keys. It is considered acceptable for your work surface to be slightly lower than this, eg, your elbows will be at an angle of slightly more than 90 degrees if this is your comfort/preference. If using an angled keyboard or keyboard tray, the angle should be tilting down, away from you - that is, the number keys, top row of keyboard, are lower than the space bar. Most keyboards and desks to that wrong, even ergonomic ones - they are angled to hyperextend the wrists rather than accomodate relaxed flexion. Position: Sit in the center of the alpha keys on the keyboard, so each hand has to move an equal distance toward the body's centreline to be in a touch-typing position. OK - so the above is based on "what I know" - eg, stuff that is documented ergonomic advice and or that docs/physios have told me. After this point, I am extrapolating to my own knowledge of sewing systems and what best works for me in sewing. Chair mechanics: same. Invest in a good chair. Arms might be less advised for a sewist than a computer geek (more arm movement, particularly if free-motion quilting). Table: incorporating the above with respect to basic table position, realize that your work surface level is now the top of your fabric. This means the machine plate is essentially your work surface (given fabric thicknesses in millimetres). If you have a sewing station where the machine bed sits flush with the table surface, this is your table height, if your machine sits up on top of the table, you actually need a pretty LOW table, applying ergonomic "rules". To me this means my ideal sewing table is an inch or two higher than my keyboard tray/table but has the cutout of course. (It is still below the height of most non-adjustable office desks). Position: everyone who has ever mentioned this to me of course says to sit centred in front of the needle. Distance from edge: I suspect from the other comments this is the most variable and subject to personal preference. I'll ask a physiotherapist if I ever have another chance but I suspect also that I won't get a clear opinion. I'm currently amusing co-workers with some strange fiddling at my desk, but here's how I've just figured out where I seem to like my needle: Sit in your adjusted chair, at your proper-height tabled, and scoot up as close to the table as is just barely a "natural" seated postion. EG, tummy right up to the edge but don't "squish" any ample parts into the table or have to work to hold yourself that close. Rest your forearms and hands, palms down, on the table surface and double-check that 90 degrees or slightly more at the elbows, with shoulders relaxed and hence elbows staying right at your sides and off the table. In this position if I drew a line between my index fingers, my needle would come down on that line, or slightly on the near side of of it (closer to the edge). I figure this is approximately right for me, because I will not usally work with belly RIGHT up to the edge of the table, but that is offset by the fact that I DO usually work with my hands' neutral position being slightly in front of the needle as they control fabric feeding in So to actually touch the needle from my natural "working" position requires a slight reach forward with the hands/arms, but NOT so much of a reach that my body must lean. Hope that description makes sense. For me, my absolute maximum measurement would be needle 9.5 inches from the edge, and I think I would actually place it between 7 and 8 inches from the edge. Because you can always "back up" from the table, but cannot get closer due to the physical barrier of the table edge, I would err on the near side. The only problem I could forsee with putting my needle closer to the edge, say, 4-5 inches, is that when sitting up straight in my proper chair, the angle would be such that I couldn't SEE the needle. This would lead to me curving my back and neck down and possibly tilting my head to the side to get a view of my needle. If you are very short, that's not a problem. If you are very tall it could be a BIG problem. Since you've got the luxury of custom design, try out the measurement/placement and "fiddle" with it, then measure exactly what works for you! Wow, that got long. Sorry! Can you tell I've spent some time on this very topic? Hope it is of some use to you, or someone else. |
#27
|
|||
|
|||
Body Obstacles
You hit the nail on the head there, afford.
It is only half covered by medical. Half of it would be medical reasoning, they consider the other half to be elective and therefore not covered. I do not have the extra $8,000 or so to get the job done because the infamous "they" consider it to be a cosmetic thing. ~KK in BC~ who has done the appointments and research and found out it is cheaper to get em stuck on that to cut em off......... friend of mine got some put on for about $4000. "lisa skeen" wrote in message nk.net... Ok, I have to ask this. If your 'bazooms' are so large and uncomfortable, why do you keep them? I have a friend who is 5'2" and MAYBE 100lbs if she's soaking wet and holding a can o' soup.... anyway, she was in the D+ range and had reduction; she says it's made a huge difference. Mine are C, and I'd have them reduced if Ic ould afford such.... L "~KK in BC~" wrote in message news:Yhzvf.51770$AP5.41098@edtnps84... Something I have never been able to do is get a professional fitting and OH I wish I could. I have the issue of 40 DDD or possibly an F but who knows (yes au natural)? I wear what I can get into and that's that. Besides, they are bloody EXPENSIVE to purchase! Where I live, we have no lingerie shops or specialty shops for those women who don't know how to measure their bazooms.......... and now? my poor poor daughter is turning 14 and wearing at least a 36 C right now... and even those look too small on her.... As you are a garment maker, how do you measure for the correct fit? And why do you prefer the underwire? I would love to be able to measure her and at least get close to what size she should be wearing........ lord knows mother nature will have her way with all of them eventually but if I can make it comfortable for her now, maybe she will keep up the measure and fit part. Oh lord how does one get from machine placement to bazooms??? Women and the track the conversations take! ~KK in BC~ whose bazooms have lost their zoom but maybe there is hope for the daughter LOL "Kate Dicey" wrote in message ... lisa skeen wrote: er....32F? Is that some kind of a British bra measurement? Or a 32 year old female? L Bra sizes are the same here as in the USA. 32 band size, F cup size. There's more front than back here! And I'm 49, not 32 years old! Bra cup sizes got up to J if you look in the right places. My problem is that the bra-makers expect someone with my measurements to be a 19 YO with plastic enhancements, rather than a 49 YO au naturelle! As a professional dressmaker, I pay a LOT of attention to bras and whether or not they fit properly. Did you know that more than 75% of women wear the WRONG size? And the most common error they make is buying too big a band size with too small a cup size. Bras are like shoes: the 'right' size in one make may fit you better than the right size in another. A good fitter will be able to fit you into not just the right size, but also the right style and make for your shape. I find the best fit for me at present are Fantasy and Marks & Spencers (and a lot of their bras are made for them by Charnos) in a 32F. The best style is a half cup with underwires and no padding. -- Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons http://www.katedicey.co.uk Click on Kate's Pages and explore! |
#28
|
|||
|
|||
Body Obstacles
~KK in BC~ wrote:
Something I have never been able to do is get a professional fitting and OH I wish I could. I have the issue of 40 DDD or possibly an F but who knows (yes au natural)? I wear what I can get into and that's that. Besides, they are bloody EXPENSIVE to purchase! Where I live, we have no lingerie shops or specialty shops for those women who don't know how to measure their bazooms.......... and now? my poor poor daughter is turning 14 and wearing at least a 36 C right now... and even those look too small on her.... As you are a garment maker, how do you measure for the correct fit? And why do you prefer the underwire? This explains fit fairly well. http://www.bravissimo.com/bravissimo...rafitting.aspx or this one: http://www.fashionforms.com/Bra-Fitting-Guide.html Underwire is a matter of shape, how the breast sits on the chest wall, and what you find comfortable. boobs are different shapes, like feet, and some find one thing more comfortable than another. It's also a matter of the shape of your torso: if you have an oval section rib-cage, you may find non-wired bras or ones with a wider space between the cups better. If, like me, your rib-cage is more round in section, you may find those that are set closer together more comfortable. I would love to be able to measure her and at least get close to what size she should be wearing........ lord knows mother nature will have her way with all of them eventually but if I can make it comfortable for her now, maybe she will keep up the measure and fit part. I do hope so. The difference between a well fitting bra and an ill-fitting one is a matter of health as much as style. Oh lord how does one get from machine placement to bazooms??? Women and the track the conversations take! Thread drift... ;D -- Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons http://www.katedicey.co.uk Click on Kate's Pages and explore! |
#29
|
|||
|
|||
Body Obstacles
ACK! That's quite a cost. Figures it would be more to put 'em in
tho....stupid plastic surgeons. L "~KK in BC~" wrote in message news:M7Avf.53580$AP5.50719@edtnps84... You hit the nail on the head there, afford. It is only half covered by medical. Half of it would be medical reasoning, they consider the other half to be elective and therefore not covered. I do not have the extra $8,000 or so to get the job done because the infamous "they" consider it to be a cosmetic thing. ~KK in BC~ who has done the appointments and research and found out it is cheaper to get em stuck on that to cut em off......... friend of mine got some put on for about $4000. "lisa skeen" wrote in message nk.net... Ok, I have to ask this. If your 'bazooms' are so large and uncomfortable, why do you keep them? I have a friend who is 5'2" and MAYBE 100lbs if she's soaking wet and holding a can o' soup.... anyway, she was in the D+ range and had reduction; she says it's made a huge difference. Mine are C, and I'd have them reduced if Ic ould afford such.... L "~KK in BC~" wrote in message news:Yhzvf.51770$AP5.41098@edtnps84... Something I have never been able to do is get a professional fitting and OH I wish I could. I have the issue of 40 DDD or possibly an F but who knows (yes au natural)? I wear what I can get into and that's that. Besides, they are bloody EXPENSIVE to purchase! Where I live, we have no lingerie shops or specialty shops for those women who don't know how to measure their bazooms.......... and now? my poor poor daughter is turning 14 and wearing at least a 36 C right now... and even those look too small on her.... As you are a garment maker, how do you measure for the correct fit? And why do you prefer the underwire? I would love to be able to measure her and at least get close to what size she should be wearing........ lord knows mother nature will have her way with all of them eventually but if I can make it comfortable for her now, maybe she will keep up the measure and fit part. Oh lord how does one get from machine placement to bazooms??? Women and the track the conversations take! ~KK in BC~ whose bazooms have lost their zoom but maybe there is hope for the daughter LOL "Kate Dicey" wrote in message ... lisa skeen wrote: er....32F? Is that some kind of a British bra measurement? Or a 32 year old female? L Bra sizes are the same here as in the USA. 32 band size, F cup size. There's more front than back here! And I'm 49, not 32 years old! Bra cup sizes got up to J if you look in the right places. My problem is that the bra-makers expect someone with my measurements to be a 19 YO with plastic enhancements, rather than a 49 YO au naturelle! As a professional dressmaker, I pay a LOT of attention to bras and whether or not they fit properly. Did you know that more than 75% of women wear the WRONG size? And the most common error they make is buying too big a band size with too small a cup size. Bras are like shoes: the 'right' size in one make may fit you better than the right size in another. A good fitter will be able to fit you into not just the right size, but also the right style and make for your shape. I find the best fit for me at present are Fantasy and Marks & Spencers (and a lot of their bras are made for them by Charnos) in a 32F. The best style is a half cup with underwires and no padding. -- Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons http://www.katedicey.co.uk Click on Kate's Pages and explore! |
#30
|
|||
|
|||
Placement of sewing machine
Lots of good advice here, and I can recommend the book "Rx for Quilters."
Monique in TX, a fount of bad posture habits! |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
FAQ for RCTQ Dec 2005 | frood | Quilting | 6 | December 8th 05 02:30 AM |
RCTQ FAQ Nov 2005 | frood | Quilting | 3 | November 6th 05 10:22 PM |
FAQs for Newbies and Longtimers | Diana Curtis | Quilting | 21 | December 8th 03 01:52 PM |
RCTN Reminder: NY gathering at Stitchery Row Nov. 1 | georg | Needlework | 23 | November 4th 03 11:32 AM |
Old Sewing Machine Advice | Diana Curtis | Beads | 9 | August 22nd 03 06:01 AM |