AllPeopleQuilt.com 1When I was 13 years old, I was
diagnosed with the back condition
scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the
spine, and was told I’d need to wear
a back brace for the next two years.
It was the first major medical issue
I’d had, and to my teenage mind,
it meant my life was over. It wasn’t,
of course, but having scoliosis did
change some things. My doctor told
me the important thing was to “know
my limits” (well, that and no sustained
lifting, but the idea of acknowledging
my limitations was my favorite
takeaway). It turns out learning to understand my limits was pretty
good life advice in general. How many of us struggle with things like
stress and burnout because we push ourselves too hard and take on
too much in our daily lives? We always think we can do it all, but it’s
okay to admit that we can’t.I was lucky because all my favorite hobbies—sewing, knitting,
drawing, and reading—were back-friendly. However, after one
particularly long bout of sewing on a deadline, I found that I could
barely move the next day. It made me realize that even activities we
don’t think of as active, such as quilting, have ramifications on our
bodies. It made me evaluate what healthy sewing meant to me.It turns out I wasn’t the only one talking about it either—the idea
of healthy sewing has become quite the buzz-worthy topic around
the office. We’ve compiled some of our favorite sewing health and
wellness facts and tips into a story called “Mindful Making,” starting
on page 14. If, like me, you’ve ever come away from a sewing
session in pain, I urge you to read it. We’ve also scattered “Mindful
Moments” throughout the issue that provide reader tips or health-
related ideas for particular projects. My hope is that you’ll continue
quilting in fun and healthy ways.Joanna Burgarino
EditorWhat does“healthy sewing”mean to you?Sewing is healthy when I’m
careful to keep it a positive part
of my life—both physically and
emotionally. It means setting
guidelines for myself so that
I don’t wear down my body
physically through poor habits
or overcommitting myself to
deadlines but also guarding
against psychological dangers,
like dwelling on criticism.
Healthy sewing doesn’t
happen by accident.^
— Heidi Staples, designer of
Two Can Play on page 58People often laugh and say,
“sewing is my therapy.” This year,
after my husband passed away,I found (^) sewing really was the
therapy I needed.^ Hard projects
give me something to think about
besides him. Sewing 500 triangle-
squares lets me unwind with
repetitive work. I think it would
be accurate to say I’m quilting my
way through grief.
— Jo Kramer, designer of Yankee
Doodle on page 48
Healthy sewing means happy
sewing. If it’s not enjoyable
because it is too stressful or too
frustrating, then it’s not healthy
to me.
— Kelli Marshall, designer of
Pop Star on page 64
Quilting is my creative outlet and
helps reduce my stress levels.
There’s nothing more satisfying
than some one-on-one time with
my Innova long-arm sewing
machine.
— Vicki Ruebel, designer of
Abstract Floral on page 92
search: American
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from the editor
From the Editor.indd 1 FINAL 3/17/20 11:17 AM