Earlier this week on one of my discussion groups, someone asked about what kinds of aids there were for stitchers who had suffered a stroke and thereby lost use of one hand.
This is a subject close to my heart, because my initial MS attack was misdiagnosed as a stroke for over five years until I had a second ms attack. Many of the problems I’ve had are similar to those people with strokes have.
Obviously the most useful tool here is a stand. which holds your needlework firmly in place. There are many kinds of stands from ones which sit on the floor, to ones which sit on your lap. They are big investments, which improve anyone’s stitching, so test out some and think about how and where you stitch before buying.
Scissors can be a real problem, but Fiskars makes a pair of shears with short blades which you squeeze to cut. They have nice padded handles too. These are great and could be used to cut thread ends. They may have a smaller size out by now, but if people need smaller scissors, they should look for Thread Snips, which also work by squeezing.
There also may be some problem threading needles. I haven’t tried them but Clover makes an automatic needle threader. I think you load up with needles and put the thread in a press a button. I read that it worked with all kinds of needles.
Lights, especially florescent, are a problem because of flickering. You may find LED bulbs better than something like Ott Lights. Good light may help a lot.
Tacks for mounting canvas are also a problem (it’s that fine motor control thing). Get big head tacks or brass stitcher’s tacks. The best large tacks I’ve found are quilter’s tacks, they are stronger (and cheaper)than other large tacks. To get the tacks out, try a lever-style staple remover. Then you don’t have to work as hard or have as much strength to get the tacks out. Buy quilter’s tacks at quilt shops and fabric stores and brass needlework tacks at your LNS. Store them in a tin can or box.
I also find that the more I can do in advance, the easier stitching is, so I do things like cut my skeins of thread as soon as I open the package, put things onto thread tags so I don’t lose labels, mark my stretcher bars with the sizes big enough so I can read them, and buy project bags, lots of them, so each current project is in its own bag. I also buy lots and lots of needles and keep them in used containers, because I can drop three in one evening of stitching.
Even with all this, there are times I can’t stitch because of weakness, when this happens I get out some old needlepoint books and look at the projects and dream of future things to stitch. When my hands start to hurt, or the stitches start to bee too hard, I always take a break for awhile, because continuing makes it worse. I stitch much more slowly than I used to.
The hardest thing, I think, of having a stroke is learning how to go easy and slowly. It can be hard and depending on your customer’s attitudes you might even want to say (and it’s true) that these tools will help anyone stitch more easily.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!! Before my mother had her stroke 2 years ago, she loved doing all kinds of craft/needlework project – since her stroke I have been desperate to find something that she can do with one hand. Whenever I’ve asked at a needlework shop – they just shrug & say “can’t be done”. Having a project to work on would be great therapy for her.
In addition to the Fiskars for cutting, I’ve come across a couple of other things. For small scissors look for snips (sometimes called tailor’s snips). I’ve also seen scissors which are connected across the tops where the finger holes normally are. I think they are some sort of surgical tool, but I don’t know the name.
Keep Stitching,
Janet
For someone with a weakness in one hand, it might be helpful to have someone else thread a lot of needles ahead of time and group them according to their colors onto a pin cushion a square of fabric or even a magnetic strip. Based on the design and where the stitcher is going to work, you could limit the number of colors needed at any specific time. For thread scraps, I always tape a small paper or plastic bag to the edge of the table where I am working. Having a small button sized magnet is great to park needles for a while at the end of a stitching session. For me, I rebel a bit when I hear someone say “It cannot be done.”. Often, with a bit of creativity, many things are possible.
I do this with the tic tac box to.
I also have a disorder like MS. Smaller projects that are less tiring and more conquerable has to be included for starting back up. It is hard to accept that I can’t do what I used to — putting on some calming music helps me to just slow down and relax. I,too, read books when I am really bad and come up with plans of things to do. Multiple pin cushions help — placed around the environment so you don’t have to go fetch one. I also “box up” my projects so that I don’t forget parts and pieces/colors etc. It means some redundancy in items, but it cuts down on forgetting things.
I had a stroke 3 years again order to continue my beloved needlepoint I purchaSED A K’SLAP STAND THAT HOLDS THE WORK horizontal and flips upward -useless for a large piece(anything over 5″ or so causes me to have to lean so far back I can’t reach the pieceymmv – I ordered another style that holds the piece from the side, I’ll lt you know how that goes when it arrives – fingers crossed! I bought an automatic needle threader nut it won’t take a tapestry needle so be sure to ask b4 u buy it never occurred to me this could happen I am fortunate to have a husband who supports me in what I do – always happy to thread (or re-thread) I am 90% sure a floor stand will work for me )on order will let you know) for me he even brings me brownies fiber one 90 cal) when I get frustrated (again) I bought a cross stitch project $4 just to see if I could mount the fabric in the ring alone(nope: ( I can’t separate the strands w/one hand *any advice?) but I can’t get the clamp to hold the stitch hoop ick – time for a brownie! as he keeps reminding me – find a challenge find a work around, repeat as necessary, and try to accept this may be needed many, many times per project, this is a great subject and I hope all of us coping in our own little parts of the world, will share their solutions we can all benefit from! I will be back often!
I can relate my MS was originally mis-diagosed as a stroke. I’m probably about the only person for whom an MS diagnosis was a step up. Like you I wish someone would make an automatic needle threader for tapestry needles.
There is a tool for separating strands of floss made by Puffin & Co. It really works and might help you out. I reviewed it here: https://napaneedlepoin.wpengine.com/puffin-company-product-review/.
Good Luck!
Keep Stitching,
Janet
Love, love, love my new floor stand only $35 on rbaygot the separator from puffin thanx for the tip- some other goodies, too (just to save on shipping – you understand their magnets are incredibly strong! I think a eedle nanny for each project will be a requirement! if you find an auto threader – you will let us know I trust? does MS affect your vision? I’m waiting on my 3rd pair of new glasses since my stroke – I hope these will let me see well enough to work, it’s been so frustrating to get everything in place, but then not be able to see aarrgh – brownie please! and of course I’ve seen dozens of projects I must have – but must wait until I know I can do them sigh….stashus interruptus
I haven’t had a stroke, but my hands and eyes aren’t what they used to be. I’ve rediscovered grospoint. I’ve found 7 gauge canvas gives me the best of both worlds; big needles, easy to see, and reasonably fine details. One doesn’t see painted canvases in 7 gauge often, so I’ve taken to designing my own.
Great idea! Thanks for letting everyone know.
Keep Stitchong,
Janet
This was very helpful to me!!! I have golfers elbow on both sides but my left elbow is so bad! Had 5 injections, months of occupational therapy, and just was confirmed today I will be getting surgery for it soon! Was told I will be stuck in a sling for 14 weeks after surgery. First thing I do is start brainstorming on how I’m going to continue cross stitching one handed. My friend sent me this link, so glad to have read it, my precious stitching time is looking a lot more hopful!!! Thank you
Best of luck to you!
Keep stitching,
Janet
I too have MS, I have always been a crafter but until I found out I have this ‘wonderful’ disease I did not do near as much as I have since. It is a wonderful way for me to relax. last year my 90-pound dog pulled me off my deck and i broke not one but both ankles. I spent 30 days in a nursing home and decided I needed a new craft so iItook up needlepoint. I have just found your sight and I love it you have shown me that needlepoint does not have to be boring and of just one stitch. I have found I have problems with pulling the needle thru sometimes, I have found that putting floral tape on a small curved needlenosed pliers does help and I don’t scratch my needles. I have been looking at stands for my work as my left hand can not hold the needle work frame I use the snap frames as I can do them myself.
Michelle Spanjer
I just bought some pliers for this but I didn’t think of the floral tape. I’ll have to try that.
Keep stitching,
Janet
I love doing plastic canvas, but have developed rheumatoid arthritis in my left hand. Holding the canvas has become extremely painful. The problem is that there doesn’t appear to be a support frame for plastic canvas. Anyone have any ideas?
Jessie
I know the feeling because I have that [problem as well. There isn’t anything made especially for plastic canvas & the way it’s generally stitched, on pieces exactly the size they need to be when finished doesn’t help.
I can see a solution though. Don’t cut the pieces first but leave margins the way you would on cloth canvas. Use stretcher bars, but be sure to use tacks with longer pins, maybe quilting tacks and push them only through the holes.
If the stitched pieces were small enough, you could do several of them on the same stretched piece of plastic canvas.
Cut out the pieces after they are stitched.
This won’t work for every project but will work for many of them.
Good luck!
Keep stitching,
Janet
Hopefully some suggestions for me to help my mom. She loves to cross stitch but here rheumatoid arthritis has gotten so bad in her hands that she drops the needle I think mainly because of the size. She would get frustrated and then just stop for a few days and come back to her project, now when she tries to sew it’s like major muscle cramps pulling some fingers one way and the rest another. This is happening almost every time now so she gave up. I actually just found out today as she is in a rehab facility waiting for spine surgery after just sitting down on her couch, instead her recliner, fracturing L1 and L2 in her back. She’s bored then I talk with her again and she’s bored so I offered to bring her some of cross stitch stuff to work on and she said she can’t. This coming from a woman that did alterations, designed, and made wedding dresses, prom dresses even way after she retired for certain people. Last wedding dress she made was for my baby sister a few years ago she couldn’t sew all those tiny seed pearls on so she showed sister and friends how and they sat in moms living room with mom supervising.
Spoke to her doctor in regards to this just said I guess she’ll have to totally give up on sewing. She is so discouraged at this point in past I’ve tried the green gloves that support and keep hands warm while sewing that I use with her but when those cramps hit look out, I have recently started having same issue. With the arthritis and I have severe nerve damage in both hands and wrists and total of 8 surgeries, even cadaver tendon transplants on both hands. My mom is 86 years old but acts 58 except when the pain hits and suggestions or where I could go to find help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
I had a stroke on my right side. I was right handed before my stroke and I’ve lost all ability to use my right arm/hand. I’d love to start back with needlepoint but I’m not sure which frame would be the best. I would think that one that rests on the floor would be best. Do you have any recommendations on what brand would be best?
Thank you,
Susanna —
I think a stand would help you lots because it allows you to stitch with only one hand. I don’t recommend particular stands because it really depends on what you stitch, what kind of frames you use, and where you stitch. Two stands I see recommended often are K’s Stainless Steel Stand and Needlework System 4. Before buying you need to go through and narrow down your choices by asking yourself some questions. You can learn about this process in this article.
Keep stitching,
Janet
At 70 I have found the #24 needles for 14 count cloth are getting hard to hold onto to stitch, I wish they would make them longer, maybe 2 1\2 inches. Then I wouldn’t drop them so often. I just keep on stitching abet more slowly.