Left foot sewing - how's that working out for ya?

[Eileen K.]

Yeah - that's me - a left foot sewer... now anyway :lol:

I was walking down the street and my left foot twisted and I fell off my shoe. My right foot decided it would be a good idea to try to help catch me so I didn't completely fall. I ended up possibly fracturing my 4th metatarsal... why 'possibly' you ask? Well... the xray's showed I have a bone lesion/cyst that is blocking the view of the possible fracture. I have to go to the ortho this week to have them take a look at it.

In the meantime, I'm in a splint which means I can't drive... that includes driving a sewing machine. I decided yesterday I'd try to control the foot pedal with my left foot and after a bit of too fast, then too slow bits, I think I finally got the hang of it :lol:

I don't dare to try to do any quilting on my frame... I'd have to stand up too long. I have a beautiful quilt on my frame about half done that I'd love to finish!

[Eileen K.]

Ouch, Kimber!! Where there's a will there's a way! But now, you're an ambidextrous quilter! Take care of yourself.

[Diana L.]

Several years ago, I had so much pain from arthritis in my right hip that I could barely walk, let alone sew. I refused to give up quilting so I switched to using my left foot. It did take a little practice but it worked for me. The pain is now gone in my right hip but I'm so used to "driving" the machine with my left foot that I haven't switched back. Good luck.

Diana in NY

[Diana L.]

Well Kimber, this could've happened before your trip to Hawaii, and that would NOT be good...

Also, a teacher at my son's school had some foot surgery, and she had a nifty "scooter" contraption that she knelt on, with the bandaged foot hanging behind her, and scooted thru the school-- so if this turns into anything major, ask about that! I can see you now scooting from one side of the frame to the other! :roll:
Florence

[Diana L.]

gone

[Diana L.]

Christi - very true! I never would've tried my left foot if I didn't have to :lol:

Diana - how funny you kept using your left foot. If I could only be ambidextrous in my hands, I'd be good to go!

Florence - no doubt!! I had a dental emergency the day before we left to Hawaii. With all the water, walking, and fun, an injured foot would've been horrible! I would've gotten loads of sympathy from my co-workers who were there though. The scooter contraption sounds like a load of fun - even without an injured foot :lol: May have to look into something on wheels if it turns out to be a multi-week thing.

Kat - nope - not an air boot, but I've heard those things are awesome! As much as casts bug me, I'd never cut one off - too much effort :lol: I have taken off my splint already though - once to re-wrap it and once to take a bath. I'll be putting it back on shortly though.

[Judith T.]

Kimber, my son had a scooter when he had surgery on his foot. He got around the office and didn't have to miss any more work after the initial post surgery wait. My DGD liked to ride on the scooter with Daddy. Take it easy and follow the doctor's orders.

Judy in AZ

[Judy R.]

When I took lessons at my LQS, they suggested that one learn to use the left foot because you could use the right one to operate the lever to raise the feed dogs on a Bernina. So, as a result, I did that and now never use my right foot to use the foot pedal. It really works great!

[Judy R.]

Wow! Two Judy's in a row :lol:

I'll follow doctor's orders for sure - though getting into an ortho is proving to be difficult!

Good point on the bernina. My Juki has a knee bar, but I don't use it since its on my frame all the time.

I was able to finish a kimono for my friend's baby and a hawaiian shirt for my husband yesterday. I accidentally hit my pedal with my injured foot and boy did the machine go! I'm more careful now :lol:

[Patti P.]

Kimber since we live so close and plan to meet sometime anyway, please let me know if you need help. I'm not worth much in housecleaning because of my own disability but would be glad to drive you somewhere and I work afternoons so have daytime hours available. Have Toyota will travel! (altho I say it's so small I have to shake off my leg when I get out of it!)

[Patti P.]

Thanks so much, Patti! I'm lucky enough to have my husband home to take care of me - and I work from home, so I don't really need to leave if I don't want to :lol:

I saw you posted you work at the airlines - NWA? Are you a gate agent? I travel for my work, so I'm at DTW a fair amount. How funny would it be if we've already met! :lol:

I'm excited to meet you!

[Lynn K.]

I've done the sewing with the left foot and using the right for the knee lift for years, since discovering the knee lift for my Bernina 830. Now i use it on my Janome 6600. Can't imagine sewing without it!

Was at a quilting retreat recently and only two of us used it! By the time it was over, we had several more converts! some of them didn't even know what it was for!

My sister was here last week for a visit. I left to go to work one day and she was going to use my sewing machine. She'd never used a knee lift, but I explained how the machine, including the lift worked. When I came home, she said, "Well I like MY machine alot better. I just couldn't get that knee thing to work. I finally just used the foot pedal."

When I asked why she would use the foot pedal instead of the knee lift when they did two totally different things? She said, "It wouldn't work-I thought you said the knee bar was supposed to run the stitching and that she kept pushing the knee bar over as far as it would go and the machine never would begin stitching, so she gave up on it!

She thought it ran the motor...........not lifted the presser foot!

We had a good laugh about it. :lol: :lol: :lol: :roll: :roll:

[Sherry B.]

When I got my first Bernina with the knee lift, I had to train myself to use my left foot; because the machine I learned on back in the 50's was run by my right knee. Who would think that after all these years, that instinct was still there - must be kind of like riding a bike! So I was having all kinds of problems as I was sewing along and lifting the presser foot at the same time Now I love the knee lift and my feet are ambidextrous (sp?) :-)

[Sherry B.]

I seem to remember a machine my sister had that the knee lift actually did run the motor - but it was a really, really old machine. I bet you & your sister had quite the laugh :lol:

Now I'm wishing my Viking had a knee lift!!!

[Sherry B.]

Well I got home from my cruise it was great had so much fun with the McCall's ladies we had 105 quilters and 4 of them was men well on Tus I had surgery on my right foot so when I am not on the pillsto make me dum I will be sewing with my left foot Happy