How many hours stitching per day?

by Lily
(Spain)

How many hours a day is it alright to embroider? To cross stitch in particular?

I get quite carried away sometimes and I know it's not good for back and eyes... So what is the "healthy norm"? :)


Carol answers...
That is a very good question, Lily. It is so easy to get carried away and keep stitching to "just finish this bit" isn't it?

There are a number of things to consider here.

One is your eyesight. It is a good idea to refocus your eyes on something further away every now and then, rather than staring for hours at tiny stitches close to your face. This is especially important if you use a magnifying lens to see your work more clearly.

Next, think about the position you sit in to stitch. If you hunch your back, and keep your neck bent at the same position for a long time, then you could suffer for it. Try shrugging your shoulders every now and then, and rolling your neck in a circle to free things up a bit.

Perhaps the most problematic issue encountered if you do a lot of stitching is RSI or repetitive strain injury. I wrote a page on how to prevent RSI that you might like to take a look at. You don't want to end up unable to stitch at all, so it is important to be sensible here.

I would suggest stitching for no longer than an hour before getting up and doing something different for a short while. You can then come back and do some more.

Stitching is a lot less dangerous than some other occupations (such as sky diving or motor racing) but you still need to look after yourself.

I hope this helped.

Regards,

Carol

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