Quilting Calisthenics

I have nothing new to post so I thought I would repost something I posted on my main gardening blog in January of 2008. Since this is now my quilting blog, the post will mean more to those who make quilts.

So many people think of quilting as something wimpy old ladies do. Well, let's dispel that myth right now!

Sure older ladies can quilt, but they are far from wimpy. One has to be in pretty good shape to maneuver a quilt from the first block to the bed covering it will finally become.

Let's just take a little peek at a few of the muscles needed to "sandwich" a quilt. Sandwiching is the process of putting the backing fabric, the center batting, and top together so that it can be quilted. I use safety pins for this.

Most of us are not lucky enough to have a huge quilting studio with enough space to wrestle around with the 10-foot piece of fabric required by a king-sized quilt. For me to get a quilt sandwiched, I must crawl around the kitchen floor for over two hours.

Here are a few of the positions I was in and just a few of the muscles I used this morning:

squatting:
quadriceps, Rectus Femoris
Vastus Lateralis (Externus)
Vastus Intermedius
Vastus Medialis (Internus)


raising arm to sew batting together:
deltoids, Flexors


Pushing body back to expose more batting surface:
deltoids, biceps, triceps, brachioradialis muscle, upper and lower leg muscles


Smoothing wrinkles from batting:triceps, biceps, thigh muscles


standing, bending to rearrange top: glutes, abdominal and thigh muscles
standing, bending, walking in same position to cut excess batting:
glutes,


Reaching/Stretching to smooth corner:
glutes, abdominal and thigh muscles



So if your new year's resolution is to have stronger muscles, you might want to consider taking up quilting!

This is what I ended up with after two hours of work.


A quilt top with 260 pins holding all 3 layers in place so that I can begin hand quilting it.

I feel so good now that this is done (it's my least favorite part of the quilting process).

I am happy to report that this quilt has been finished since Sept. 9, 2008. I had it on my bed for most of 2009.


Comments

Anya said…
Love the quilt and the post that made me smile!
GREAT post! Here's to you for exposing the physical side of quilting! Loved it...and love the quilt!
Diana LaMarre said…
Thanks, Anya and Tile Lady.
Quilter Kathy said…
This is a gorgeous quilt! WOW! And hand quilted?!?
I loved reading your post...thanks for the giggle today!
Gayle said…
Very entertaining post...and the quilt is incredible!