The Crafty Princess Diaries

Tammy Powley’s Crafty Weblog

When Crafting Hands Rebell!

| 3 Comments


I have struggled with hand issues for many years. This is no big surprise. Many crafters half problems with their hands because of the repetitive motions that activities like jewelry making and crochet require. Add to that the constant rat-a-tat-tat of the keyboard, which I do as a writer and also teacher, and my hands (especially my dominate right hand) often rebel.

It has been particularly bad lately, to the point that my right hand tingles pretty much 24/7. Since I have to work on a keyboard, I have had to cut back on my crafting for awhile in the hopes that, if this just doesn’t go away, it will at least subside at some point.

Now I am pretty much a work-a-holic, but since I can’t craft during my limited down time, I have been trying to think of things to do that are semi-craft related:

  • Get organized. My work bench is a total disaster area right now, so I’m sure once I can get back to some serious jewelry making, I will be really appreciative of a clean and clear work surface. I may even see about getting a few new organizers for all this overflow that keeps invading my work space.
  • Catch up on craft reading. I have jewelry books and even some DVDs that I really need to read/watch and review. The review part requires typing, but reading and watching will give my hands a little break.
  • Take photos. I am not breaking any records over at my Etsy shop, but I still want to keep it well-stocked, and boy, wouldn’t it be nice to have photos of extra items to list so that when I sell something I can add new items fairly quickly and keep around 50 items listed? What a concept.
  • Enjoy some social networking. I still keep a toe in social networks, but I don’t get to read as much as I’d like in some of the forums and other sites I enjoy visiting. As long as I don’t type too much, maybe this is worth adding as well.

What do you do in your down-craft-time? I sure could use some ideas!

Author: Tammy

Welcome to the Crafty Princess Diaries, my weblog and site where I get to blab about my passion for crafts, primarily jewelry making, and my crafting career. My name is Tammy Powley, and I decided to call my blog the Crafty Princess Diaries because of this very dorky picture I have of myself and because my husband often refers to me as β€œthe princess and the pea,” which is just another way to say that I tend to be particular sometimes. Along with this weblog, I have a number of jewelry making books published.

3 Comments

  1. I do a bit of some other activities that don’t move my hands in the same ways (like play video games), but sometimes being strapped up in wrist braces just takes it all out of me and all I can seem to do is watch tv. It’s like, without the ability to keep them working on something, I can’t do much of anything. They might be hard-wired to my brain by now hahah! I wear splinted wrist braces to bed (which rests them and helps reduce inflammation of scar tissue) and “thera-glove” style gloves when I craft (which really helps with poor wrist posture and provides support which lets me crochet longer). I also take care to use good tools (like different kinds of round-nosed pliers to use for different loop-jobs, and Crochet Lite hooks with nice big handles on them). Anyway, I hope you’re taking good care of your hands and recover soon!

  2. I may try one of those gloves. Thanks for the suggestion. I really didn’t get how they worked until you explained it. I am really missing the hook and the beads and wire too!

  3. You’ll be hearing a lot of “I feel your pain” in response to this post, Tammy. The combination of typing on the computer and crafting is definitely hard on the hands. I got myself a more ergonomic mouse and a pen tablet to vary my computer input movements more.

    And like you, I try to take breaks as necessary from the really repetitive tasks.

    Yesterday I took a break from the pc to put together your Raku bead earrings. I just love them and will blog about same soon πŸ˜‰

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