Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Making Changes


Since Life Goes On, one way or another, so changes continue in the studio.

For decades, I wound bobbins by standing up at a counter.  Unfortunately that wasn't the best posture and with my current body issues, I was finding standing to wind bobbins less and less comfortable.

The other day Doug cleared the cone winder out of the other end of the studio and I had a chance to do some rearranging.  Again.

Last night I moved a small folding wooden table into that corner and set up the bobbin winder and a chair so that I could sit while winding.  The table is not very large, but big enough I can put a small box with the pirns that needed emptying, plus the small plastic box with the empty plastic bobbins.  There is an overhead lamp (out of frame) so the fact I am sitting with my back to the window and the room's central light means I still get good light in the work area.

Since I sit so much at the looms, I have always tried to do other tasks standing.  More and more, my body is objecting to standing for any length of time, especially in awkward postures.  So far warp winding is ok, but standing to serge things and wind bobbins was really beginning to hurt. 

With the goal of being able to continue weaving for as long as possible, I need to start thinking about ergonomics, more than ever. 

If it means sitting more?  I can do that.  If I have to stand, I will have to do those jobs in smaller chunks.

'Acceptance' does not mean capitulation.  It means figuring out what my new 'normal' is and working within that.  Sometimes you can't fix what is wrong, you just have to figure out work arounds.

And onwards we go...

1 comment:

picotsnkeys said...

I like your term Acceptance. 25 years ago, I had to accept that I would not be a concert organist anymore. I cried for months. I still get sad. I still play. No more than an hour or two at a time. That makes earning money as an organist well nigh impossible. So I've pivoted: tatting designs based on music. Still learning how to do this artist gig after training to do the organ gigs since I was 10 years old.
Good luck in learning how to do what you love with what you are now. I know you will find a way!