Quilting, sewing, needlework, crochet, stitching, embroidery, and knitting are just some of the textile hobbies that millions of people all over the world have found to be a pleasurable, and sometimes addictive, leisure pursuit. Quilting may sound like a diversion only reserved for the 50+ crowd, but think again, young and old, disabled or not, people of all ages and abilities can participate in these textile pursuits.
Advice from the pros Millie Becker, a 52-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair from Massachusetts, is an expert when it comes to quilting. She started quilting just a few years ago and specializes in making wheelchair bags that hang perfectly off the back of wheelchairs. She even sells them online and showcases them at local tradeshows.
Millie uses a software program to design her quilts called Quilt-Pro. That and online quilting groups, says Millie, have greatly enhanced her quilting skills. “Since getting Quilt-Pro last July, I use paper-piecing for my designs [for wheelchair bags]. This has been a boon to me, as tracing and making templates was getting harder and harder due to the fact that it takes so much muscle control. Since beginning quilting, I haven't been able to use a scissor, and have always used a rotary cutter for every single cut. This was very hard and very time-consuming. With this method I can do a bag a week. . . now it is much easier and much faster!”
Judy Laurence, a bed-bound woman with MS, also has a few tricks to share for the person with a disability who’s interested in knitting. Her first knitting tip is to count rows as you knit by using a plastic paper clip hooked into the stitch every 10 rows. Her other tip is for preventing sticky needles. In order to prevent this she recommends getting a tube of solid talc (“pearly powerscents” by Avon), and rubbing a bit on your needles and they will never stick again.
No Comments
Sign In | Join Disaboom Today!
Popular Blog Posts
