Sunday, April 2, 2023

Stitching Stuff: Week 13 of 2023

The shoulder fix has been a bit more complicated than in the past.  I guess because I hang out in so many places at home compared to just my one chair/desk when I was working.  So over the last couple of weeks I've determined my purse was part of the problem, I've switched to a small backpack there.  I've discovered which chairs I can and can't sit in to drink my coffee/read/hand stitch.  The positioning of the computer monitor was indeed part of the problem.  After playing around with stacks of books, I finally ordered adjustable platforms for both the full size monitor and my lap top.  A couple of days of playing with the level and I seem to have reached nirvana, or at least have it to the point that I can work on the computer for short periods of time and not hurt afterwards.  I'm slowly playing catch up on replying to blog comments and reading everyone's blog.  




Thankfully all the shoulder problems haven't kept me out of the sewing room.  Though one night this week, I was just so tired that I didn't make it that far. But overall, it wasn't a bad week on the stitching front. 

  • 15 minute days/week = 6/7 days
  • 15 minute days/Mar = 18/31 days
  • 15 minute days/Apr = 1/1 day
  • 15 minute days/2023 = 71/91 days
  • Success rate = 78.02%

My success rate improved by almost 2% points this week, so fingers crossed that I'm back on track with my stitching time now that the shoulder issues have been mostly resolved. 

I did spend one evening trying something new, a flower arranging class.



I'm not 100% happy with my arrangement, but it was still a fun class.  I had more fun with the macro lens trying out some camera angles and extreme close ups of the various flowers.  I've not looked at those images yet so I don't know how well that worked, but I tried hard to practice a few things that I've learned from my photography lessons.  

Did you get sidetracked by something else this week or did you stay focused on stitching stuff?  



1. Gretchen
2. Julie in GA
3. maggie f
4. Marti
5. DonnaleeQ
6. Shasta @ High Road
7. Frederique
8. DawnyK March
9. Carol Andrews
10. Andre
11. Janice - Jannimary

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12 comments:

Julie in GA said...

I'm glad that your shoulder problems are improving, and I hope you continue to get better. Your flower arrangement is so pretty! I bet it was fun to do too.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Including your purse in the changes is probably a really good idea! I love your flower arrangement - was the class online? Have a great Sunday, Kate!

Marti said...

I'm sorry your shoulder is being so troublesome, but at least you are figuring out why. Purses can sure cause pain. I had given them up completely for awhile, but that didn't work well. Now I've compromised with a cross body purse and I keep it light. I hope your shoulder heals soon.

Linda said...

My purse was a cause of shoulder pain for me for years until I got a cross body purse. Smart of you to figure that out so soon. Wishing you continued good luck in ridding yourself of the issue. Those flowers are gorgeous!

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

I hope you will find a way to manage your shoulder. Pretty flower arrangement!
Have a great week.

DawnyK said...

Wow, good luck with the shoulder. So sorry it's bothering you. Glad you switched to a better bag. That's sometimes one of my neck issues. Lovely flowers. Good job on increasing your sewing time. Wishing you the best of luck in April.

Shelina said...

I am glad you are feeling better. We do need to watch our setup and make sure we aren't hurting ourselves. I tend to scrunch up and forget to watch my posture and how awkward my setup is. Flower arranging is a good calming activity.

Barbara said...

Aside from making the ergonomic changes, do you know what is wrong with your shoulder? Your symptoms sound similar to some I had years ago, and I had to have surgery on both shoulders. Not suggesting surgery is in your future, but I’m curious if you know specifically what the problem is. Our shoulders are so important to our comfort. It’s a bummer when they’re painful.

Libby in TN said...

I got rid of the big purse years ago for that very reason. Still struggling with where to sit, though. Glad you are using your scientific analysis genes to figure everything out.

Bonnie said...

Body pains are no fun especially shoulder pains for quilters. I haven't been a fan of big purses for years. I tend to buy smaller ones and then get upset because I can't fit everything in them. Sigh. Your floral arrangement looks good to me!

Carol Andrews said...

It’s good to hear you are finding solutions to help with your shoulder pain Kate. Your flower arranging class looks like it was fun and it’s always nice to try a new hobby. 😉

Andree G. Faubert said...

Hi Kate, I'm happy that you've been able to figure out what makes your shoulder worse. Those darn purses definitely contribute to the problem! Good luck with the photography of the flowers and the flower arrangements :-) I was very productive a couple of weeks ago and then I seem to have crashed...but that's ok - I read many, many books and I seem to be a little more productive sewing wise now. Take care.