Quilts & More - USA (2020 - Summer)

16 Quilts & More | SUMMER 2020

Take Action

Visit your optometrist.

Proper corrective lenses

can help prevent you from

squinting at your work,

alleviate eye strain, and

eliminate the need to hunch

forward to see better. For

most people under 50 years

of age, you should visit

the optometrist every 2–

years. If you are over 50,

or if you have a history of

vision problems, you should

go yearly.

Plan to sew with the light.

Try to adjust your schedule

to sew during the day so

that the room has more

natural light. If you must sew

at night, compensate with

additional daylight and LED

bulbs to see properly and

reduce strain.

Buy a magnifying glass,

especially for handwork.

A magnifying glass will

greatly decrease eye strain

as well as the temptation to

squint. Even more benefi cial

are products that combine

the magnifying glass with a

daylight bulb.

Eye strain can result from intense use of your eyes, whether working

on the computer for hours or concentrating on your sewing, and it can

lead to headaches, a sore neck, and many other problems.

The actual cause of eye strain is the small muscles around your eyes

tiring over time. You often notice the symptoms of eye strain as

soreness around your eyes, behind your eyes, and in your forehead

as well as a dry, burning sensation when you close your eyes.

Eye strain is uncomfortable but temporary. It is often relieved by

stopping the activity that is causing the strain for a while, resting

your eyes, and then starting the activity again.

Did you know?

3

2

1

I take lots of

breaks. If I feel

my eyes getting

stressed from

sewing monotony,

I get up and walk

around or change

what step I am

working on (for

example, I switch

from piecing

to pressing or

from pressing to

cutting).

— Kelli Marshall, designer of

Pop Star on page 

Sew Healthy

Lighting matters. Good, natural

(or simulated natural) lighting

helps reduce eye strain, whereas

poor lighting tires your eyes

quickly. Evaluate the lighting in

your sewing space and make

adjustments as necessary.

Try the 20-20-20 rule to prevent

eye strain. Every 20 minutes, look

at something 20 feet away for 20

seconds. This allows your eyes to

relax. It wouldn’t be a bad idea

to get up and stretch as well, since

that will help prevent back pain

from sitting too long.

Don’t position your work too close

to your eyes or your face. Sewing

involves many sharp pins and

rotary-cutter blades, and it is best

to keep your eyes a safe distance

from them. If you have to get too

close to what you’re doing in order

to see, look for other solutions like

getting reading glasses to help

magnify your work or increasing

the light in the room.

I try to move around and not sit for too

long focusing closely on my project.

— Jessica VanDenburgh, designer of Pack Your Bags: Summer

on page 

Eye Health

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