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The equipment in your studio depends on what you make and how you work, so your needs will not be exactly the same as mine. This article mainly covers basic equipment and few handy hints. I hope that there will be a smorgasbord of diverse ideas from other members in future newsletters.
This must be your first consideration. Unfortunately it usually takes many, many years for any adverse effects to show themselves, so we tend to be unaware that the way we tackle tasks over a long period can have cumulative effects that will eventually cause problems. By the time we realise what is happening, it may well be too late to repair or reverse any damage. It pays to make changes, to work out better ways of performing those seemingly harmless household and quilting tasks before problems occur.
Your body can suffer if you constantly push it to extremes. It's worth taking the trouble to make sure that you're not overstressing it and inadvertently risking future problems by using unsuitable or faulty equipment. All equipment must be easy to use. Worktops and chairs need to be at your optimum personal working height to avoid fatigue and injury. Tables of different heights (or adjustable tables) for standing and sitting at are a must. If using any of your equipment hurts you hands, back, shoulders etc it's probably doing damage that will eventually shorten your quiltmaking life! Don't put up with stiff taps or door handles, stubborn bottle tops, heavy stiff scissors, blunt pins, or anything else you have to strain at. Strain + pain = damage. So be prepared to carry out regular maintenance and promptly repair or replace what doesn't work for you.
We're all using scissors constantly so they must be well maintained. Keep them sharp and lubricated. Stiffness should not be a problem if you regularly drizzle a tiny drop of lubricant (eg WD40) between the blades where the rivet is. Work the blades repeatedly, wiping away all excess lubricant before use. Regular professional sharpening of all scissors is advisable, but in an emergency you can sharpen them yourself. Try cutting many times into a piece of sandpaper or firmly cut at the neck of a small glass bottle, eg an essence or perfume bottle. If nothing makes your scissors work effortlessly consider throwing them out. I have a great pair of scissors by Fiskars, full size, but light and with the same sort of spring action as those little thread snippers and garden secateurs. They do not strain the hands, even when working for extended periods.
It's important too to think about the way you do daily household tasks. This will sound strange to some of you and all too familiar to others - but I now regret not looking for a better way to use a pot scourer (amongst other things) years ago! Now I'm belatedly trying hard to make sure that my hands will be fit for many more years of quiltmaking! If you're a handy woman or gardener beware of large, heavy tools made to fit men's hands and bodies, especially if you're a small person or have small hands. Unsuitable equipment that's a struggle to use is tiring and can do a lot of damage. Expensive heavy duty tools are certainly appropriate for heavy duty tasks (in heavy duty hands), but I've found that the cheaper versions are usually smaller and lighter, and they're perfectly satisfactory as I really only have 'light duty' tasks for them. My little electric drill was inexpensive. I bought it mainly because it was the only one available at the time that was small and light enough for me to handle easily; that was 25 years ago and it's never let me down. There are now excellent tools made especially for women though they can be expensive and are not always easy to find.
You can also help your body by alternating the kind of tasks you're doing throughout the day. It's tempting to push yourself to cut, cut cut, or sew, sew, sew all day long, especially when there's a deadline looming. But it's much more sensible to alternate between several tasks and also take little breaks throughout the day. This could mean changing the way you work quite radically, but it could also mean much less fatigue and pain. My back used to suffer when I sat at the sewing machine all day, so I don't do that any more. Instead I move between sewing machine, cutting table, sketch book, and computer and sometimes just go for a little stroll around the garden or briefly catch up with quilt related reading. It's refreshing and means that my working day can actually be longer.
Finally you could consider consulting your doctor, physiotherapist, or even an ergonomist, for professional advice tailored to your particular circumstances. Just make sure that they know you're there to find out how you can keep doing what you want to do (if at all possible), not to be told to stop! It may be that you really do have to give something up, but if in doubt it would be worth seeking a second opinion from someone who can show you how to modify rather than cease an activity.
We all know that there are many products, including those commonly used by textile artists, that can be harmful to health. Always follow instructions, and If in doubt, contact your major state craft organisation for detailed information.
Acids and other chemicals in raw timber and particle and fibre boards like MDF, chipboard and masonite, cause fabrics to become discoloured and can eventually weaken or even rot. Bare steel shelving is also unsuitable for storing textiles. The solution is to seal these materials thoroughly before allowing textiles to come into contact with them. In all cases seek expert advice on suitable primers and compatible paints/finishes for the job.Â
If you must temporarily use cardboard boxes, which give off the same damaging chemicals, they should be lined with plastic.
You can never have too many tables in various sizes, and of course you need chairs, a desk, a place for your computer, a phone, filing cabinet, lots of shelving for fabrics, books, slides, photos, CDs and miscellaneous equipment. Some of these items could go in a storeroom if you have one, but there are lots of other options. You could build a large storage unit with your work table on top if you don't want to be able to move it. Or you could support one or two simple shelves under an ordinary table by fitting supporting rails to the legs. Stackable boxes (not cardboard) on the floor are inexpensive and convenient. I go another step and place them on a dolly (just a sheet of MDF on castors) so that they can easily be moved when the tables are moved.
Temporary tables
Temporary tables, useful for many purposes, can be improvised by setting up an extra ironing board. I bought some for a few dollars at charity shops. They're light weight, height adjustable, and easy to fold away when not in use. Extend the top by placing a (not too large) sheet of sealed plywood on top. Do not fix it to the ironing board, but stop it from moving when in use by gluing a few small blocks to the underside of the ply so that they fit snugly around the ironing board top. Make even more temporary table space by using two boards to support a larger sheet of sealed plywood.
I'm very enthusiastic about castors. They make spring cleaning and rearranging the furniture very easy as I can cope myself. No need to find a helper as strong as an ox!
Free standing drawer units and some shelf units can easily be fitted with castors though tall or narrow shelves really need to be fixed to the wall for safety.
Things you use constantly can be kept handy in a moveable drawer unit or a trolley with multiple trays.
Filing cabinets can be placed on a 2cm thick sheet of MDF or chipboard fitted with castors, but be sure to organise this while they're empty!
A desk can be improvised with two drawer units on castors and a bench top. If you don't want to fix the top to the drawers, glue small blocks of wood to the underside of the bench (where they won't be seen), to stop it from sliding about on the drawer units.
Large tables on castors could be a hazard if someone leans on them and they move unexpectedly so I only have castors on small tables. I must investigate those castors with built in brakes, but in the meantime, a piece of felt under each table leg makes moving relatively easy.
In some instances gliders (flat discs) could be a better option than castors and good ones cost about the same. One manufacturer claims that theirs perform just like castors on all kinds of floors. They are available at hardware stores.
As well as a full-size ironing table, it's useful to have a small one that can be placed at right angles next to the sewing machine when working on small items or quilt sections. A swivel chair with no arms will allow you to turn from sewing machine to ironing table and back very easily.
My handy little ironing table is about the size of a standard pillow case. I made an excellent ironing pad by folding an old woollen blanket to fit and slipping it inside its own specially made 'pillow case' cover. Sometimes I put it on my large work table when it's easier to take the iron to the quilt rather than the other way around. This kind of ironing pad is also easy to take to workshops or demonstrations as it can be used just about anywhere. For ironing very long seams, bindings etc, you can improvise by folding an old blanket lengthwise and wrapping an old sheet around it. Placed on the long side of a large table it makes a tedious job quick and easy.
If you haven't got one of those special cabinets that accommodate your sewing machine at a convenient height you can improvise. For blocks and small articles, my sewing machine sits on a small height-adjustable table on castors, the kind that were sold as TV stands in the 1980s. Caution - tables on castors are not compatible with using a knee control to lift the presser foot. When assembling blocks or sewing large articles I place the small machine table at right angles to one long side of a large table which supports the work. At the opposite side there is a standard ironing board at table height, so whether sewing or ironing, the work is always fully supported on the large table. There's minimal lifting, handling is simplified and there is no risk of the work trailing on the floor; better for both quilter and quilts! This works best if the table has a reasonably slippery surface.
Another option is to adapt a sturdy wooden table by cutting out a section to suit your machine. A strong shelf underneath at exactly the right height to support the machine, can dramatically extend the size of the sewing machine's table area. This would take some careful planning and reasonable woodworking skills, but I have seen it done very successfully by a competent handyman.
Whether you fold quilts or roll them on tubes you'll need storage facilities where they will be protected from dust, light and moisture and ideally be easily accessed. Special shelving or museum style racks would be ideal. My own solution is a very large box that fits under a table, and yes, it's on castors so that it can be pulled out. All quilts are rolled around a tube (PVC plumbing pipes of various sizes or cardboard tubes from fabric shops well wrapped in cling wrap). Strips of fabric - they leave no marks on the quilts - are tied around the rolled quilts to secure them, then they are wrapped in fabric and secured with more fabric strips. Each quilt is labelled as they're impossible to identify once wrapped. Plastic wrapping is not generally recommended because any trapped moisture will cause mildew.
There are always some quilts 'stored' on my studio walls because I need to look at them and also it indicates to visitors that this is a working studio. If you have the space you could devise a rack to hold a number of quilts. I've seen a very successful one in a gallery. It consisted of about 15 wooden arms that rotated in a quarter circle around a post installed in the corner, making all quilts easily accessible. The arms were fitted with hooks to take a loop of fishing line fixed to a dowel at the top of each quilt. Or how about a rack hanging from the ceiling? Or... you tell us!
I always enjoy welcoming visitors into the studio. Over the years it has seen many meetings and gatherings as well as lots of individual visitors. Stackable plastic/metal chairs to accommodate everyone are supplemented as required by various chairs from the house. There's an urn on a small heat proof table and a trolley stocked with everything needed for making tea and coffee can be ready to wheel in at very short notice.
Our household insurance does not include public liability for the studio so I was forced to look elsewhere. Fortunately I was able to insure with a company that has an arrangement with CraftSouth (SA Crafts Council). This insurance is available to professional members for a very reasonable cost. To find out more phone 08 8410 1822, or email craftsouth@craftsouth.org.au. Website: www.craftsouth.org.au. Or your own state crafts organisation could have a similar scheme.
Goods and Services Tax (GST) For art quilts purchased in Australia, a Goods and Services Tax (GST) is applicable to those items labelled "includes 10% GST".
For international purchases, the GST is only applicable to those items labelled "includes 10% GST" and where a quilt is purchased and not delivered within 60 days of the date of purchase.
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