December Tip

Every quilter can tell you the proper care for your fabric, needles, pins, thread, sewing machine, rotary cutter, rulers, cotton batting and quilt frame. This month we're going to learn how to care for your most important tools: your hands and fingers.
As winter comes to those in the north, and dreary weather to those in the south (and scorching summer to those south of the equator), our skin changes, and can become painful. There are things we can do, though, that will promote healthy hands, hands that aren't chapped and raw.
First, for the quilters suffering winter right now, the number one thing you can do for yourself is to wear gloves when you go outside. If you wear nail enhancements, put those gloves on even if you're just dashing out to get the mail. The enhancements expand and contract at a different rate than our natural nails, and this can lead to painful breaks. If you suffer from chapped hands, use a hand cream at night, one that doesn't contain alcohol. Hand creams are thicker and hold better than hand lotions.
For everyone else, use a good hand lotion after each hand washing, and gently push back your cuticles. Use a good cuticle oil every day, twice a day if they are really dry. Try to find one that is all oil.
You can improve nail growth with certain foods, but it won't happen over night. It takes several months for the new growth to reach the end of your fingers. Eat a well balanced diet with plenty of seafood and calcium, and your nails and skin will be happier. And while you are waiting for your nails to naturally get stronger, you can supplement with a good base and top coat, with any color you wish in between. If you decide to use a nail hardener and notice that after a couple of weeks your nails are becoming brittle, discontinue use. Some hardeners contain excess amounts of formaldahyde, which are great for a couple of weeks, but cause the nails to go beyond hard.
Finally, this holiday season is the perfect time to treat youself to a manicure. Manicures not only take care of nails and cuticles, but include a hand and arm massage to help de-stress you. If you are lucky enough to live near a beauty school, go there and not only will you be pampered, but it will be very inexpensive (and you'll be giving a student the practice she needs to become a true professional).
One last thought. Nails should NOT hurt. Having a manicure or getting a full set of nails put on should be a luxury and not a cause to break out the Advil. Professional nail techs take care to not hurt their clients. If you are coming home from a nail appointment in pain, bruised, or bleeding, and your nail tech doesn't try everything to correct this, find someone else! When properly applied nail enhancements are no more stressful than applying polish.
If you have any nail questions feel free to email me. I wish you all Happy Holidays and happy quilters hands!

If you have any tips you'd like to share with the world, for any type of quilting, let me know! I'm always looking for tips and lessons to put up here, and you'll get the credit. You can reach me at csimmerman@noqers.org.