Sunday, January 26, 2014

Quilting Sent Me to the ER

Yesterday was supposed to be the annual Elgin Piecemakers sewing day at a local church.  Being January in Canada, we ended up having a bit of a blizzard Friday night and into Saturday so the police were recommending that people stay home and off the icy, snow covered roads.  This is the view out my back door.


The snow was plastered to the wall of my house:

 
Sewing day was cancelled.  My husband had plans to spend the day working on his model train room so I had a sewing day on my own in our dining room. 

I made great progress on the shirt wallhanging in the morning and finished quilting it and got the binding sewn on ready to hand stitch later.




Next, I trimmed a chemo quilt and started to cut strips for the binding for it. I thought I was really  on a roll and I would have lots of hand stitching to do today so I could link up to Kathy's slow stitching Sunday.   I was on the last strip that I needed to cut, when suddenly my rotary cutter jumped onto the ruler and took aim for my index finger on my left hand.  Let's just say my finger lost the battle. BAD ROTARY CUTTER!!!  (Isn't it ironic that Kathy is talking about looking after our hands today at her blog???)

I grabbed a tissue or two and wrapped up my finger and called my husband up from downstairs. I am happy to report that I did not get any blood on my fabric, the cutting mat, the floor, the table or myself!  A quick peek at the cut and I knew we would be heading to the local ER for stitches.   The ER was very quiet since most people had heeded the police's advice and were staying home. In less than an hour, I was stitched up with 4 stitches and we were on our way home.




The doctor was very nice and took the ribbing of the nurse very well. She told him to do a neat job since a professional quilter would be inspecting his stitches!  I told him that this was not the type of sewing I was expecting to do today!!!  Fortunately, I did not cut the tendon that allows me to extend my finger, and in 10 days, I will be getting the stitches out and be back to my normal activities.

My birthday is in a couple of weeks. I have a feeling that I will be getting a Klutz glove from my husband...
 
 


In the meantime, my rotary cutter is in time out...


It is snowing again today. I did a bit of sewing on the machine but the hand stitching will have to wait.


Have a good week!

27 comments:

  1. Very similar to what I did a month ago, except mine was a sideswipe with the blade. Nothing to stitch up. Didn't deter me, though, and I was able to rotary cut and sew with the bandage. How funny that you put your rotary cutter in time out!

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  2. Oh NO! That is terrible Gail :(
    Another good reminder... it just happens so fast with that nasty rotary cutter.
    Hope it learns a good lesson in time out! You are a riot!
    Take good care of yourself and your hands this week!

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  3. So, so, sorry to hear about your hand. OUCH! What a shame..and you were making so much progress. We have all done this.. you just did an extra good job! Hope it heals quickly!

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  4. Oh no this blog made me curl my toes! Take care of yourself and I hope your rotary cutter makes it out of time out soon!

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  5. Those cutters do a nasty job on skin! Take care and hope you are back stitching in no time. Stay warm with all that blowing snow and crazy weather.

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  6. Love your blog header and so enjoyed your post... but sooo sorry you hurt your finger! A Klutz glove might be a wise investment! Glad it was only 4 stitches and a few days off hand quilting... thanks for sharing what you are up to! And pics out your window too! Kathi

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  7. Ouch! I did the very same thing in a snow storm last winter except I was cutting carrots and my finger got in the way.... Heal up soon!

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  8. I just did this to my thumb two weeks ago. I even own the Klutz glove and for some reason did not put it on. I was only cutting a couple of strips!! I was lucky I have a screw all the way down my thumb, so I knew I could not really do much damage from the surgery I had on it in May. Just a few more stitches!! I feel your pain. I will NEVER cut with my rotary cutter again without my glove on!! Keep it elevated

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  9. You and I both had a cutting incident with the rotary cutters, but mine only got the cuticle on my left thumb. I was SO lucky. Now, I am really careful. Maybe I need one of those gloves. After looking at your other comments, I think I really do need one! Like your quilt so much and loved reading that there is someone else out there without a real “studio.” My dining room table is my studio. Geeze...you all have really been hit hard with the weather. We got a break today, but the frigid temps will be back tomorrow. It is getting awfully old :-(

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  10. Ow!! I'm so sorry, but it sounds like you were looking for the positives in the situation, hunny's home with you, weather kept folks away from going out, the ER wasn't crazy....I am glad you put the rotary cutter on time out, lol. Take care dear Gail!
    :-}pokey

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  11. So sorry to hear about your hand. I suppose it could have been so much worse.

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  12. I am so sorry! Those rotary cutters do jump around. Get better!

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  13. Ow, ow, ow! You have my prayers for speedy healing.

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  14. Ouch, Ouch, Ouch. That rotary cutter needs to stay in his timeout for a bit. Hope you heal quickly.

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  15. Oh my, this was bad. But I hope it will grow fast, and that you will be sewing again soon.

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  16. Oh well at least you have a sense of humour

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  17. OH I am so sorry about your finger and there you have us laughing at the end . Time out...LOL that was too funny ! :)

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  18. Sorry to hear about your injury. I liked the time out for the rotary cutter. One time I had my husband hold a yard stick while I cut fabric along the selvage and I promised him I wouldn't cut him. Well I did but nothing serious. Lucky you got in and out of the ER so quickly. Unusual for Ontario!

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  19. Ouch! Thankfully you can still machine sew and have only to wait 10 days before you can hand stitch again.

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  20. Ouch, ouch, ouch. We've all done it. Sorry to hear it was your turn. I have the Klutz glove. Can't say I ever wear. Do you think having it in the drawer protects your fingers?

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  21. Sorry to hear about your finger.....darn rotary cutter! Good this it is now getting a time out. Glad you didn't cut a tendon!

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  22. a runaway rotary cutter ~ yikes~!
    i was happy to read that you were able to get to the ER safe and sound and that you are all stitched up and healing AND that there was no blood on anything important~! LOL

    take care.

    :-)
    libbyQ

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  23. Ouch! So sorry to hear about your finger! Glad that all is well now.
    Thanks for the chuckle when I saw the rotary cutter in time-out. Hahaha!
    This post is a good reminder to be very careful cutting. It's shocking how sharp those things are.

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  24. Impressive bandage! Hope you are healing well.

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  25. Uhhh seams that this attac of the rotary cutter did big harm to your fingers!!! My best wishes that you get better fast. Kindest bjmonitas

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  26. the first picture - through the window - of your gazebo......lovely!!
    at first i thought it was a quilt block.....
    hmmmm
    xo
    eva

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