Re: RA and Crafts

[Guest guest]

Hi Katriina.

 

I do those same things too.  I love music, rock n roll, Italian opera etc.  It

does help so much to do these things.  I just came back from spending a week

with my girlfriend, and we painted 3 days together.  We do folk art and we

spent those days just having the wonderful time together.  I find having a

craft to do is something to look forward to.  I am also doing a needlepoint

from Murrays, her Mermaids.  It remeinds me of the Cape and all things I

love about the ocean.

 

I can't sit and paint for too long as I get so stiff, and my feet swell badly. 

I get up often, walk around, then sit for another spell.  I used to sit and

paint all day but can;t do that anymore.  I am just happy I can paint, even for

a short length of time.

 

I am a reader too.  I have made it a rule if I can;t do a craft, then I will

read longer.  It just feels good to do something.  I hope other here will

check out hand crafts, etc. and maybe they will find something that interests

them and they will give it a try.

 

When my feet were in just awful pain, I would be off them, and found it was good

to be able to do something.  When my feet were better, I then could do the

things around the house that needed to be done.

 

Nice to read you do so many things.  I am a hand quiter and love that too. 

Wishing you pain free days ahead.

 

Hugs,

 

Barbara

From: Katriina Alanko <oknala@...>

Subject: [ ] RA and Crafts

Date: Monday, January 10, 2011, 10:29 AM

 

If it weren't for crafts and sewing and quilting and reading and music, I

think I might just completely give up. Most of the time I find that when my

hands are bad, keeping them warm and moving really helps. I make my own

therapy gloves from cotton lycra and they really do the job. Quilting

(patchwork) has become almost an obsession. I've collected more patterns

than I'd ever be able to make in a lifetime. In the last little while, the

creativity has kicked in and I spend many pleasant hours designing and

planning patterns of my own.

The weather here in my backyard is very cold. This morning it started out

at -18C (0F). The snow is pretty to look at, but it's hard to wade through

with heavy boots. It also makes walking quite painful because of the uneven

surface. It's much better to stay inside and create something. It's also

more satisfying. The cold is tough on the joints affected by RA and it also

makes my nose run, so, I prefer the company of my sewing machine and bits of

fabric in a warm house. ( I can hardly wait for spring. )

Keep warm, be creative, and stay healthy.

Katriina

[Guest guest]

I'm in Seattle where the winter temperatures are generally about 30 to 52

degrees, which is not what I'd called harsh winter weather. However I

accidentally discovered that if I wear gloves, even if the temperature is a mild

55 I reduced my finger and hand flares by a good 40%. I think it's the

difference in temps going inside and outside that can induce flares. Just

thought I'd pass it along.

Stan

Seattle, Snow?

[ ] RA and Crafts

If it weren't for crafts and sewing and quilting and reading and music, I

think I might just completely give up.  Most of the time I find that when my

hands are bad, keeping them warm and moving really helps.  I make my own

therapy gloves from cotton lycra and they really do the job.  Quilting

(patchwork) has become almost an obsession.  I've collected more patterns

than I'd ever be able to make in a lifetime.  In the last little while, the

creativity has kicked in and I spend many pleasant hours designing and

planning patterns of my own.

The weather here in my backyard is very cold.  This morning it started out

at -18C (0F). The snow is pretty to look at, but it's hard to wade through

with heavy boots.  It also makes walking quite painful because of the uneven

surface.  It's much better to stay inside and create something.  It's also

more satisfying.  The cold is tough on the joints affected by RA and it also

makes my nose run, so, I prefer the company of my sewing machine and bits of

fabric in a warm house. ( I can hardly wait for spring. )

Keep warm, be creative, and stay healthy.

Katriina

[Guest guest]

Hi Stan.

 

Nice to see you posting, and I am really happy that you found something to help

your hands.  I suffer more with my feet but sometimes I have hand pain.  I

wrap a towel around my hand with the heating pad on low and find this to be very

soothing.  I hope the gloves continue to work well for you.

 

Hugs,

 

Barbara

 

 

From: stanpfister@... <stanpfister@...>

Subject: Re: [ ] RA and Crafts

Date: Monday, January 10, 2011, 5:29 PM

 

I'm in Seattle where the winter temperatures are generally about 30 to 52

degrees, which is not what I'd called harsh winter weather. However I

accidentally discovered that if I wear gloves, even if the temperature is a mild

55 I reduced my finger and hand flares by a good 40%. I think it's the

difference in temps going inside and outside that can induce flares. Just

thought I'd pass it along.

Stan

Seattle, Snow?

[ ] RA and Crafts

If it weren't for crafts and sewing and quilting and reading and music, I

think I might just completely give up.  Most of the time I find that when my

hands are bad, keeping them warm and moving really helps.  I make my own

therapy gloves from cotton lycra and they really do the job.  Quilting

(patchwork) has become almost an obsession.  I've collected more patterns

than I'd ever be able to make in a lifetime.  In the last little while, the

creativity has kicked in and I spend many pleasant hours designing and

planning patterns of my own.

The weather here in my backyard is very cold.  This morning it started out

at -18C (0F). The snow is pretty to look at, but it's hard to wade through

with heavy boots.  It also makes walking quite painful because of the uneven

surface.  It's much better to stay inside and create something.  It's also

more satisfying.  The cold is tough on the joints affected by RA and it also

makes my nose run, so, I prefer the company of my sewing machine and bits of

fabric in a warm house. ( I can hardly wait for spring. )

Keep warm, be creative, and stay healthy.

Katriina

[Guest guest]

I too am an avid quilter, and sew clothes and things for grandchildren. I have

an embroidery machine/sewing machine and love to do embroidery for folks. I

embellish wiht hotfix crystals, etc. My hands do better when kept active.

There are times I get frustrated as my hands don't work quite as well as they

used to, but I manage. It is my stress relief. I work about 50 hours a week.

My disease appears to be progressing so I am determined to do as much sewing as

I can squeeze into my lifetime!

Dale Ellen

[Guest guest]

That's so cool! I also quilt, sew, and have an embroidery machine. Make lots

of baby gifts. I want to expand and make purses and other accessories. I knit

and crochet, too. I remember my mother saying she didn't want to stop (crafts,

piano, etc) because her hands got stiff. I wonder now if she had RA. It was

never diagnosed and she died in 1977 at the YOUNG age of 60!

My hands are doing better now - responding to mtx - so I plan to keep going!

Roselyn in Louisiana

>

>

> I too am an avid quilter, and sew clothes and things for grandchildren. I have

an embroidery machine/sewing machine and love to do embroidery for folks. I

embellish wiht hotfix crystals, etc. My hands do better when kept active.

There are times I get frustrated as my hands don't work quite as well as they

used to, but I manage. It is my stress relief. I work about 50 hours a week.

My disease appears to be progressing so I am determined to do as much sewing as

I can squeeze into my lifetime!

>

> Dale Ellen

>