The Sewing Place

Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing

Morgan

Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing
« on: October 09, 2017, 22:56:29 PM »
Suggestions and advice needed please.


D has the use of only her left hand and sews using a Janome SMD 3000, mostly household and craft with a little dressmaking.  We have found several things which are useful - washaway wondertape, a 3rd hand/sewing bird, clamps/holders, table top needle threader, and so on.
Now she really, really wants to tackle some FMQ.


So far D's efforts at FMQ have been frustrated because she cannot both spread the fabric around the needle area and move it around so she is looking for an adaptive aid that she can used one handed.


Looking around we wondered if something like the Babylock free Motion Quilting Grip could be a solution, especially as it has rulers/templates that can be fixed to the grip as shown in the video demo.
There are other grips around eg. the HusqV grip and there are some other ruler systems but they don't seem to have a way to lock the ruler in place.
Also there are things like the Octi Hoop which can be used one handed as shown in the viedo.




Which system do you think will be the most versatile and practical for setting up and working with using just a left hand?


Also it would be very helpful if any one handed stitchers would be willing to share their suggestions, advice and experience.


Thanks in advance.

StitchinTime

Re: Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2017, 09:09:15 AM »
I have a HusqV grip that I picked up secondhand off Ebay a few years ago. I've have yet to use it so I don't know if it grips as it should, but I am happy to send it to you if you would like to try it before buying a new one.

Morgan

Re: Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2017, 12:26:39 PM »
Oh wow, stitchintime, what a stunningly kind offer.
I'll mention it to D when I see her tomorrow evening.


maliw

Re: Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing
« Reply #3 on: October 12, 2017, 16:16:27 PM »
At leisure on the leisure penninsula

Holly Berry

Re: Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing
« Reply #4 on: October 12, 2017, 17:30:13 PM »
I also have the Husqvarna grip. The only problem with using it holding on one side is the other side might lift off the fabric. I’ve only used it for embroidery though.

When I first started FME I used the largest embroidery hoop I could fit under the harp and placed the hoop upside down so the fabric was in contact with the machine bed. As the fabric is held so taut, I always bind my hoops, it doesn’t need the equal pressure like the Husqvarna one does. For quilting you almost need something like the old fashioned tennis racquet press, with the quilt stretched and sandwiched. I’ve just found this video https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-oxLKUQtedg
Procrastination get behind me

Morgan

Re: Adaptive aids for Single handed Quilting & Sewing
« Reply #5 on: October 12, 2017, 17:47:01 PM »
Thanks Maliw - the Husky glide hoop is the like the one that Stitchintime has offered for D to try out. 
For embroidery she has some wooden hoops that she uses for cross stitch but for this venture she' definitely wants something that will work for FMQ single handed.



HollyBerry, thanks for that video of the Octi Hoop.  How she holds the top and bottom hoop whilst moving them was useful to see.  The video I'd seen of the Octi hoop mentioned one handed use but didn't show how. 


Chatted to D last night and she's excited to give some of these things a try.  She's concerned that she'd lose the position of the bottom hoop with the octi hoops as they don't seem to be held together by anything.  She's worried that it might slip under the foot/needle.   She's going to watch the videos again and look into things a bit more over the weekend.  Like all of us, buying and trying out all the different systems isn't really an option so she's trying to work out which she might have the best chance with especially as she will be very much a beginner at FMQ.


If anyone has got any of these types of aids, it would be so helpful if they could do a little tryout one handed and see what they think.