Replies

1. 
   rodezzy | Jan 10, 2008 09:23pm | #1

   Oh MarshaK, I'm so sorry for your accident.  Speedy recovery so you can create. 

   Was it the right or left, and are you a righty or lefty. 

   Either way, you can still draw with one hand, yes?  There's so many other creative expressions available to you. 

   Sometimes these things bring out a whole new form of creative expression in a person.  I've heard lots of stories from quilters, artists, and sewers as to how they started doing something else to express their creativity because of sickness or physical inability and ended up discovering a whole new love for something else.  Check it out.  Good luck.

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 11, 2008 12:07am | #4

   Hi and thanks for the sympathy, I'll take any and all! It was my left wrist, fortunately I'm right-handed, in most things. I'm hoping fabrics don't feel the pain as I did when we cut, pin and stitch them. I had to have surgery with a plate and pins to hold the bone together. I guess I'll consider this my 'learning' time and read or re-read my huge stash of books and magazines. Marsha.

2. 
   Gloriasews | Jan 10, 2008 09:31pm | #2

   Really too bad about your wrist - & what a time to have that happen!  Bummer!  Glad that you're back to our group, though, as we haven't heard from you for quite awhile - were you lurking in the background anyway?

   I can imagine your disappointment & frustration, though, in having to wait to get to know your new machine.  On a positive note, you now have the time for creative dreaming - we all have those mental projects on the go.  We wish you well for a speedy recovery.

   Gloria

    

    

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 11, 2008 12:15am | #5

   Everyone's been telling me winter is a good time to have broken my wrist, meaning I suppose that there's so much more to do during the summer months. Not true in any one's life who sews and does other crafts, we're year round, right?

   Yes, I have been in the background, didn't have anything to contribute, so I just read what everyone else has been up to. I hope my wrist will be strong enough to do some bag carrying come March 14th when the sewing show is on in Edmonton. I know you are in the city, will you be going?

   Thanks for the good wishes for my recovery. Marsha.

1. 
   Gloriasews | Jan 11, 2008 06:59pm | #7

   Not only is the wrist a nuisance when you want to be doing what makes you happy, the practical, every-day stuff could drive you nuts - like putting on your snow boots, shopping, dressing, etc. 

   So the sewing expo is in March - I'll check the Canwest site & see what I find.  I haven't decided whether I'll go - I hate going to Northlands - I far preferred the Shaw Conference Centre.  Thanks for letting me know about it, as I'd been thinking about it lately, knowing it was going to be in the spring.  Take care.

   Gloria

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 11, 2008 09:38pm | #9

   I'm getting quite good at doing some things one-handed, like doing up buttons, opening and closing the toothpaste. My husband helps out by not tightening the tops on containers I need to open when he's out at work. I'm not too concerned about getting dressed up in winter gear to go out, I've been staying indoors, just step out for a few breaths of fresh air, (small town, 100 miles from the city so we still have it out here).

   I'll have to check the Canwest site out too, last time it said an Exhibitors list would be put up. Marsha. 

1. 
   Gloriasews | Jan 11, 2008 10:05pm | #12

   I know your town - very pretty landscape around.  I've been there many times, as some relatives came from that area.  (I am assuming you're the same person who sends letters to the editor of the paper from time to time, eh?)  :)

   I've been too busy on these threads today to get anything done or to check out the Canwest site, but will do so in the next few minutes. 

   You're doing well if you are able to do up buttons - and having your husband to help you is a big plus.

   Gloria

2. 
   MarshaK | Jan 12, 2008 01:32am | #14

   Hi Gloria, so there's someone out there who knows my town! If you meant am I the person who sends Tips in to Threads (letters to the editor of the paper from time to time) yes, that's me. Now you have me curious as to who your relatives are that you mentioned visiting. If you'd like to tell me their names, you can send me a private e-mail. Marsha.

3. 
   Dogscatschickens | Jan 10, 2008 10:54pm | #3

   Sorry about your wrist.  I had a total knee replacement with a complication that kept me in a straight brace for the past 6 weeks... sewing was difficult.  I purchased a Janome felting machine ( Christmas Present from husband) ha ha.  I have made a design on a cell phone cover type thing so far.   I would like to try and make a baby blanket with it.  My idea is to punch yarn onto flannel and see how it looks.   take care ..

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 11, 2008 12:25am | #6

   I bought my felting machine as a present to myself, for Christmas, but it has now become my birthday gift from my husband, he paid the credit card bill for me, yesterday. I only got to try out some samples of yarns and ribbons, I have an idea for a jacket, multi colored or varigated yarns striping a black fabric, saw something similar in a catalog. I think the possibilities for creating with this machine are endless. Especially if you have as large a yarn and ribbon stash as I have to work with! Marsha.

1. 
   Dogscatschickens | Jan 12, 2008 06:12am | #15

   I have seen some coat projects that I am also keen to try.  I really like the scarf type item that is in the Janome add , it apparently just meshes together whatever you have in your stash.  I really do need to view the DVD!  I don't envy you having to put on boots and gloves ect to go outside.  Today I went to PT and my right sock was half on! Cindy

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 12, 2008 09:43pm | #17

   That scarf in Janome's ads caught my eye too, unfortunatately they don't show how it's done in the DVD. Unless it's on the other DVD, the extra one the dealer gave, it's called Janome Creative Series Artistic Xpression DVD. I really should watch it and then we'll know, won't we? The picture of the girl wearing that scarf is even on the cover of the DVD. In the instructional DVD the woman explaining how to use the machine is wearing a light and airy vest that I really like, also no instruction on how it was made.

   Marsha.

4. 
   Josefly | Jan 11, 2008 07:35pm | #8

   Sorry about your wrist. I broke my arm at the shoulder a few years ago and had the pins, screws, etc...so I know a little what you're in for. The creative juices should really be building up and ready to explode, though, by the time you're able to get back to it. A bit of advice - move your arm as much as you are allowed, and fingers too, if that's possible. I had several months of therapy after I healed, and my muscles didn't want to go where they hadn't been for the weeks of healing.

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 11, 2008 09:48pm | #10

   I have ideas upon ideas floating around in my head, quite a few were from the period of time before Christmas when I was baking and all that. I have several sewing and fabric embellishing DVDs that I didn't have a chance to watch right after I received them, now I can, but then I want to get down and try whatever I've seen, but can't.

   I can move my fingers, even my thumb although it is numb. Some of the nerves were manipulated and cut, but the surgeon assured me the numbness should go away eventually. Marsha.

2. 
   damascusannie | Jan 12, 2008 07:15am | #16

   >>A bit of advice - move your arm as much as you are allowed, and fingers too, if that's possible. I had several months of therapy after I healed, and my muscles didn't want to go where they hadn't been for the weeks of healing.~~when a good friend of mine broke her wrist, she figured out that by trimming her cast down a bit around her thumb and fingers, she could get enough mobility to knit and crochet. The gentle action of these activities did help her keep a little muscle tone in her hand and wrist.
   Oh, and for Christmas I knitted her a sweater with one extra big arm to accommodate her cast. When the cast came off, I undid the big arm and reknitted it to match the other. She still wears it!Annie

   Edited 1/11/2008 11:16 pm ET by damascusannie

5. 
   ctirish | Jan 11, 2008 09:58pm | #11

   Marsha, I am sorry to hear about your wrist. Please take care of yourself, if you don't you can end up with problems, so treat yourself like a princess for a while. I won a Baby Lock Embellisher at our State annual ASG meeting in November. I recently took it out of the box, although I am not really sure what to do with it. I think it will be great once I do some reading and research, and have time to do some thinking about what to make with it.

   Maybe, you would like to do all the reading for those of us who have one and fill us in on all tips and techniques for using the machine. I have read and seen some of the work that can be done with wool. You mentioned ribbon and yarn; how would you use them with it?

   jane

   
   

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   Edited 1/11/2008 2:03 pm ET by ctirish

1. 
   MarshaK | Jan 12, 2008 01:26am | #13

   Thanks for your message. I am trying to stay out of trouble in regards to my wrist, whenever I try to do something with my 'good' hand, I seem to tense up on the other one. Which I guess is a sign not to do whatever it is I was doing.

   Lucky you to have won the Babylock Embellisher. I was looking at one when I decided to buy a felting machine, it's got 7 needles, right? And is supposed to run faster than all the others. Mine came with an instructional DVD as well as one that shows four projects, haven't watched that one yet. Did you get a DVD with yours? It seems anything you buy now comes with one. The ribbon I tried is actually a yarn, called Incredible, I just 'stitched' it down to the base fabric I was playing on. This ribbon yarn and the batik fabric strips end up narrower than they are once the needles punch them into the base. Now I really wish I could be playing with my toy! As I learn more I'll let you know. Marsha.