Low Vision Sewing and Crafting

Submitted by Marcia Moore

An insider’s tips and encouragement for those with less than perfect vision.

            As we age our eyes become less able to take in light needed to see and less proficient at screening out light we don’t need like glare and reflections.  Low vision can come in many forms such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which I am adjusting, to living with.  While AMD rarely causes total blindness it does pose challenges: light/glare sensitivity, cloudy central vision, diminished color recognition (pastels, purple/brown) as well as altered depth perception (scissors) and the ability to track lines.

            Diminished vision does not mean having to give up the activities you love but some adjusting and adapting may help keep these hobbies pleasurable and rewarding.

            I gladly share my tips.  Please share yours.

LIGHTING

            Central to the process of vision is adequate and appropriate lighting. Multiple desk and floor lamps, all with adjustable arms and shades, work for me.  I have six lamps plus the overheads.  Lighting color is important to us creative sorts and full spectrum light (FSL) bulbs do this best. Ottlight (https://ottlite.com/) and Stellalite are well known lamp brands (also pricy).  FSL replacement bulbs are available at home improvement stores.  Best tip is that replacement LED sewing machine light bulbs are available for some machines online and well worth the money.

For the best focused light I use my Petzl headlamp (https://www.petzl.com/US/en/Sport/Headlamps).  Wearing the Petzl is comfortable and puts the light where my eyes are looking!  The lamp is rechargeable and compact to pack.

GLARE

            Glare from intense lighting or poorly aimed light sources have a negative effect on low vision and can cause discomfort.

            Task lamps should have opaque shades and the bottom edge of the shade should fall just below user eyelevel.

            Glare also can come as reflected light from white or shiny work surfaces.  Incorporating neutral color and matte surfaces provides better work surfaces.  The solution I used was to cover my two work surfaces with gray ironing board fabric (available by the yard).  The ironing board fabric works great for me as a non-reflective and durable surface.

            Glare originating from out of doors can be reduced by wearing a wide brim DARK hat (such as Walleroo SPF rated hats, https://wallaroohats.com/).

            Indoors a visor can help.  I have made up a pattern for a visor that fits over the arms of eyeglasses and several visors can be cut from one sheet of black craft foam.  If wearing a visor indoors sounds silly think about old time card dealers and bank tellers wearing green visors!

CONTRAST

            Contrast allows us to see the edges, shape and dimension of an object.  In addition to adequate lighting, using “contrast boards” can help.  The contrast boards are easily made at home with white cardboard or canvas boards from Dollar Tree.  I leave one side of the board all white then flip the board and glue half and half solid gray and solid black fabric on that side of the board.  The contrast boards provide three-color shade choices to see which shade is most helpful.

            These boards can be made from lap sized down to 1 inch by 1 inch.  The 1×1 helps me with threading sewing machine needles.

            Kitchen tip: Having both white and black cutting boards are good for contrasting food chopping.

            For gluing projects two silicone mats (Amazon), one white and one black were sewn together.

            Hand sewing contrast can be helped by placing and taping a piece of tissue or other thin paper between a dark button and dark fabric, reverse for light colors.  When finished sewing, the trapped paper bits can be pulled off.

            Distinguishing shapes, edges and contours is challenging eye/brain work.  Minimize eyestrain by clearing clutter.  Practice leaving a tidy work surface

MARKING

            Purchase at least a 12 pack of Sharpie pens.  Put one in every location where writing or marking may be needed.

            Purchase nail polish in dayglow green and orange, also Whiteout (Dollar Tree).  Use them to mark on/off buttons, and to highlight other black-on-black controls.  Paint dots on ports and cables to match correct sides up that go together.

            Low vision slows down processing time.  Save so much effort by clearly labeling supplies, controls, and cords.

            Because blue painters tape is safe to machine stitch through it is valuable for marking stitch lines on the fabric or on the bed of the machine for seam allowances.

            Save on repetitive reading of instructions by underlining or boxing key information. Underlining is also helpful in the kitchen on food box directions.

NEEDLES & THREADS

            My experience using self-threading hand sewing needles is mixed.  One design loads thread through a notch on the eye side (Amazon).  The side notch tends to catch on fabric.  The Clover brand loads through a notch at the eye end.  Each brand did fine using a single strand of thread but I was hoping for help with heavier threads.  Use wax or thread conditioner (or even Chapstick) to tame hand-sewing thread and reduce knotting.

            In order to quickly spot the correct size hand needle leave a short thread tail in the eye when returning it to the cushion.

            When machine sewing, manage the thread tails by ending each seam by sewing on to a fabric scrap, leave scrap attached.  These scraps are easier to spot than the threads.

Rotating the machine hand wheel to raise the thread take up lever to its highest point before the first stitch helps prevent thread nests.

ADAPTIVE INSIGHTS

Choose projects in sizes and colors that still “work” for your eyes.  Attempting to sew black on black is torture and forget about 9 foot drapery panels.

            Maintain a clutter free work surface with needed tools within reach. Clearly labeled supplies are a MUST.  Looking for supplies can become a time wasting nuisance!  Label, paint or adapt to problems when you notice them.

            Four tools I use daily are (1) a pair forceps for holding, stuffing, and turning, (2) a one inch contrast square for needle threading, (3) a head lamp, and (4) a fabric pusher made from one half of a spring clothespin (Remove the spring and you get two pushers!).  These pushers can be used to protect your fingers, machine needles and assist with sewing multiple layers.

            When a third hand is needed use rice filled weights that are made using socks in a variety of sizes/weights from men’s size to baby size.  When gluing use a loosely filled sock that will conform to an irregularly shaped object and thus holding it in position for the required drying time.  I have found that Dollar Tree rice and socks closed with multiple rubber bands work just fine.

            Mine is the first AMD generation to fully benefit from the Internet.  My iPad and YouTube keep me entertained and motivated.  I can experience a sense of accomplishment by just watching a tutorial and I don’t even have to actually make the project!

            The best online professional instructions I have found are at www.hadleyhelps.org.  Look for the recreation workshops (3-5 minutes) on knitting, sewing, and crafting.  The instruction graphics are excellent.  The Hadley site also offers opportunities through Zoom to connect with others who have shared interests and concerns.  The site is customizable for user visual comfort.

My best advice may be to find a sewing group or guild to join.  Membership in the Plano Chapter of the American Sewing Guild (https://www.asg.org/) has played a big role in my sewing life and social life.  The Guild has provided opportunities to share information, learn new techniques, make friends, and find support.

            My hope is that by sharing my experience I will encourage other low vision sewists and crafters to continue their creative journeys.  I saw a bumper sticker that said, “Sewing heals the soul”.  I know that when I am deeply engaged in creative work, my mind has a place to go when I have to stay where I am.

            I wish the same for others.