Sewing And Ergonomics by John J. Kovacs

With an increase in overseas garment manufacturing, many apparel plants in the U.S. have very low profit margins. It may seem that investing in ergonomics is a luxury in such a difficult economic climate, but it may in fact be a necessity. Up to 30% of operators in some apparel plants report symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, such as tingling in the hands and fingers and aches and pains in the arms, shoulders, and neck. Without intervention, these symptoms are likely to turn into costly lost-time injuries.

Ergonomic changes can reduce discomfort, pain, and injury. The return on investment in terms of improved quality and productivity and lower workers' compensation claims and turnover may justify the expenditures on workstation improvements.

The Problems

A table that is too low forces workers to hunch forward, which strains the neck, back, and shoulders. When the table is too high, workers must raise their shoulders unnaturally, which tires the neck, shoulders, and upper back. Reaching into the distance to access, position, or move material puts a strain on shoulder and elbow joints and on the back. Resting forearms or wrists on sharp edges of tables blocks circulation and pinches nerves, increasing the risk of injury to hands and arms. Poor lighting requires workers to strain their eyes and bodies in order to position themselves to maximize illumination. Sitting or standing in awkward positions or for long periods of time is tiring and contributes to strain on legs and back. The operation of sewing machine pedals contributes to musculoskeletal disorders of the feet and legs.

Equipment Solutions

For most operations, worktables should be positioned so the top surface is at elbow height and the operator can work with straight wrists. Adjustable tables allow workers to customize the height of their workstations. This is particularly important where operators share workstations. Sit/stand operations allow for even greater flexibility. Work surfaces that tilt 10-15 degrees keep materials in line of sight and reduce awkward arm, neck, and trunk postures. Tilting away from the operator helps pull heavy fabric through the machine without a lot of force. Ergonomically designed chairs contribute to the adjustability and comfort of the workstation. For standing operators, anti-fatigue mats help prevent back and lower extremity circulation problems. Adjustable task lights with optional magnifiers allow workers to position lights where they need them and avoid glare, reflections, and shadows. Padded or rounded table edges reduce pressure on wrists and forearms. Pressure sensitive foot pedals allow activation with just a gentle weight shift.

Other Solutions

Sewing machine operators require training in recognizing the symptoms of ergonomic injury. To make maximum use of ergonomic equipment, operators need training in how to use it. For example, an adjustable height workstation does no good if workers don't know how to change the height. Regular rest breaks can relieve tired muscles. Cross training or job enlargement may reduce stress on the body by allowing employees to work on different types of tasks.

Is It Worth It?

An assembly plant that invested US$57,000 in workstation redesign, including adjustable worktables, saved US$490,000 over 12 years. Turnover decreased 30% and ergonomics-related lost workdays went down 57%. A study of 132 U.S. apparel manufacturers found that the companies that invested in ergonomic sewing equipment increased both productivity and quality. Successes such as these justify investments in ergonomic equipment. In these tight economic times any way to boost profitability is worth consideration.

For your FREE "Insider Report On Ergonomics" with case studies please visit www.KesslerAmerica.com

About the Author

John J. Kovacs, aka The Workbench Guy, is V.P. & G.M. of Kessler America. He has been providing numerous industries with top-quality ergonomic products such as industrial workbenches, sewing machine stands, pedal systems and anti-fatigue mats.

Make Simple Curtains and Valance for any Window by Robin Hall

Making a quick set of curtains and a valance is something that you can do even if you don't have much sewing experience. It's just a matter of thinking through the process and calculating for fabric needed and knowing how to use a sewing machine.

Tools needed: calculator, pencil and paper, tape measure, yard stick, pins, scissors, iron, thread and sewing machine.

Decide what color or pattern will work best with your room décor now. Going to the fabric store is always one of my most fun times, I keep my imagination open and get swatches of fabrics (and prices) the first time to see what all my options are. Take swatches home and start eliminating them by laying them next to major parts of the already decorated room (couch, chair, tables, walls, etc). Once you've decided on your fabric start measuring.

To measure for material, decide how long you would like the valance to be. Where will you place the curtains in the window? Will you do them café style or halfway down the window? Maybe you only want a small space between the valance and curtain, use your imagination, draw a sketch of the window and do some placements on it to see what looks good.

Once you make these decisions, measure from your top reference point (top of window, top of rod) down to where you want the valance to end. Add additional 7" for top and bottom hems(this will give you 3" for top hem, which rod will go through and 4" for bottom hem). Let's say you want your valance to be 10" long, add 7" for hem and you have 17". Now measure for your bottom curtains. The same goes here, measure from top reference point (where your curtains will start) to just BELOW or ABOVE the windowsill. Add the 7" to this length. EXAMPLE: 32" bottom curtain length, add 7" = 39". Write all this down. For width across, measure across window from outside to outside molding. Depending on how "full" you want the curtains will be the deciding factor on how much material you purchase. Normal fullness recommendation would be twice the window width, or at least ½ again as much. We are going to be very basic, let's say a normal window is 36" across X 60" length. This means you will need to calculate double the width for the valance and curtains, but remember the curtains are split in the middle. Most material will run 36"-44" (regular material) to 60" (drapery & upholstery material) in width. If you choose a fabric width of 36"- 44", it will be easier to just use the width and cut a little off the ends it needed.

Now it's time to go get your material! Take your swatch, sketch and measurements with you! I would recommend a pliable fabric that is easy to work with (cotton, broadcloth, etc). Have your material store sales person help you with calculating the amount, and give you any details in laying especially if it has a design going a specific way or has a nap. In most cases, 3-3½ yards should be plenty per window.

Pre-wash the material if you choose. If you do not pre-wash material and wash the curtains later expecting them to be the same length, you may be surprised! If you have pre-washed your material, take it out of dryer, fold in half, wrong side out (if you can tell), like it was previously from store off the bolt, and lay it on your surface and smooth it out (table, floor, etc). Do the same for 60" width material; this will make it easier to handle. You may want to touch up with an iron.

Time to mark the fabric and cut! Your material is now laid out (not many wrinkles). You'll want to get an even line across the top using your yardstick. Mark a straight line with a pencil along the top (if darker material a pen will work or even chalk if you have it). Eyeball it to make sure it looks even, sometimes the fabric store will not cut it even so it's up to you. This will be your starting reference point (this will be a cutting line for you). Get your calculations for the length for each: valance and curtain. Now measure from that straight line down for valance length needed, do this twice because it needs to be doubled for fullness (unless 60" width fabric). Make a mark. Do the same halfway across and on the folded edge. Now put your yardstick across from mark to mark and draw a line (this will also be a cutting line). Do the same for curtains. Each curtain side gets its own length (unless 60" width fabric). Grab a couple of pins and pin just inside the edges and lines of each section you marked. Cut along lines. You should now have 4 pieces cut, 2 for the valance and 2 for each curtain side. Once again were going to mark, this time on the right side of fabric. Open up your pieces, right side of fabric up, lay them out straight, using a pencil, lightly mark 3" down from straight top on each piece, make several marks across. Use yardstick to connect marks to make a straight line. Do the same on the bottom, 4" up from straight edge. Mark 1" in on both side edges of each piece. Mark all pieces. Make sure all marks are lightly placed on outside of fabric, but dark enough so you can see them. Sew two valance pieces together. Press seam flat. Sew outside edges of all pieces turning under ½" twice (will be 1" all together, pencil line should be on outside edges), press & stitch along inside folded under edge. Press up hems to inside of material along all marked lines. Fold them under ½ of width and press again. Stitch along that folded edge on inside. Holding fabric as you stitch to make sure fabric doesn't bunch up. You should have a 2" bottom hem for each piece and a 1½" hem for top hem to slide curtain rods through. Make sure to backstitch when you begin sewing and at the end to reinforce stitching from coming out. Voila', there you have it! This process should only take about 1½ hours. Put your rods through the top hems of curtains. Put up valance and curtains.

About the Author

About the Author: Robin Hall has been a successful Tailor with over 30 years in business. She has sewn everything including home décor items. She has just started an online home décor store where you will find great products including great tips on decorating and home improvement. Stop by and see us/her at www.coollampsnstuff.com or send email with questions to sales@coollampsnstuff.com
Article Source: http://GoArticles.com/

Sewing Tables - Providing You With The Perfect Place To Sew By Jennifer Akre

You love to sew, but your current set up is just not working out like you wanted it too. Well, there is actually a great way to turn your work room into one functional space, which is with lovely sewing tables. One would be perfect way for you to get organized.

Sewing tables are a great buy if you're a sewer for a variety of different reasons, the first of which is that it provides you a nice area to work on your sewing projects. One will generally feature a nice area for your sewing machine, allowing it to lock in place so you don't have to worry about movement or anything of that nature when you're hemming or stitching. Some will even come with hidden compartments for your sewing machine, so when you're not using it, you can hide it away to use the top of the table for other things. That table top also offers you a fine area for marking and cutting fabrics and some of these furnishings even come with drop down leaf extensions, offering you even more room.

In addition to providing you with a fantastic working area, they will also help you easily get your work space organized. How so? Well, it is because they come with many storage options, perfect for putting away extra thread, needles, patterns, and any other items you might need for working on your sewing projects. Some of those storage options include drawers, cabinets with shelves, cabinets with storage bins, and just open shelving areas.

Basically, sewing tables are pretty practical and some of the other features that they can have include pressure driven lifts so you don't every have to hassle with your struggling to move your sewing machine and wheels so you can easily move it from place to place if you don't have a specific room designated for it.

When looking into purchasing these for your space, one of the main things that you need to keep in mind is to get ones that are made out of sturdy materials. If you don't go with something that is sturdy, you are going to be out of luck when your table breaks down because it can't handle you leaning or working on it all the time. Now, some of the better options include pine, oak, cedar, and a number of sturdy engineered woods.

For a great way to check out all the sewing tables that you could possibly purchase for your space, just hit the Internet for some online shopping. It's really convenient because you don't even and to step outside of your home to do it and when you do come across something that you like, it generally is at the best prices around. Your selection will even be shipped right to your home so you don't have to worry about carting it from here to there.

If you love to sew, then sewing tables are something that you should really look into. They're the perfect way to create a functional space for you to work on your sewing projects.

Author Jennifer Akre is an owner of a wide variety of online specialty shops that offer both products and information on how you can easily furnish and decorate your space. Whether it's your living, bedroom, or even your deck or patio, there are many tips you can use to make your space both functional and beautiful. Today, she shares her insight on how to create a fabulous outdoor area by using elegant wood end tables, versatile tables and classic console tables. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Akre