Thimbles For Arthritic Hands
Summary: This article describes thimbles designed especially for arthritis suffers. Helps to make your hand sewing and basting far less painful. Several different models are available so that you may choose the one most comfortable for you.
It can be so frustrating, the thought that we may have to give up our
favorite hobby because our hands simply can't keep up. It used to be
that we could sew for hours and hours a day, but our fingers feel weak
and sore after just a few minutes, and that soreness can last for days.
Well, don't give up too quickly. Just as there are now can openers and
ice cream scoops that are specially made for people who suffer from
arthritis in their hands, now there are ergonomically designed tools for
hand sewing that can take the pain out of the process, and help
compensate for the stiffness and weakness that often goes along with
arthritis. One of the most important inventions, along with
cushion-handled scissors and ultra-lightweight irons are thimbles
designed for arthritis suffers.
And there are several different models, so you can choose the one that
works best for you. The first type is designed primarily for the sewer
whose fingers have become so sensitive that pushing the needle through
cloth is just too painful. These thimbles are soft and flexible, but
have a firm tip that is broad angled tip to help you control the needle.
The soft body will not cause painful pressure, and the firm tip protects
you from needle sticks while not pressing too hard on the bone and
muscles. Their soft body hugs the finger and they come in many different
sizes, so that your finger muscles do not have to strain to keep the
thimble in place.
If your problem is that your fingers are no longer nimble enough to
manipulate a needle properly, or to apply enough pressure to push it
through the cloth, you may want to consider an alternative thimble that
looks more like an old-fashioned awl. These have a large handle of wood
or soft plastic, about the size of a broad-tip marker. Instead of
curling your fingers around a tiny needle, you simply hold on to the
comfortable handle. The handle is attached to a needle with two
threading points. The lower one, closer to the handle, is used for
general sewing, while the one further from the handle is used for making
small tight stitches, or when the material is too thick to penetrate all
the way to the end of the needle. Either of these devices can allow you
to sew longer and more comfortably.
However, it is important to take good care of your hands, and not let
these assistive devices tempt you to overdo it. Give your hands frequent
breaks, and gently stretch your hands and forearms during these breaks.
Don't try to go from a few minutes of sewing a day to a few hours all at
once; build up gradually, a few minutes a day. Also, use your assistive
thimble as just one of the tools to help relieve strain on your hands.
Ergonomically designed scissors, threaders, seam straighteners, and
other devices can enhance one another. You can create an entire sewing
box of tools designed to keep you sewing for a long time to come.
For more information about
Thimbles visit:
http://thimblesweb.com/index.htm
For more information about
Arthritis visit: http://www.arthritiscures.us/