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Sewing is dangerous! I’ve been sewing for 20+ years, and I’ve had my fair share of injuries.
When I was in high school, I heard of someone sewing over their finger. Luckily, the needle hit the fingernail and didn’t do much damage. But still… sewing is a hobby with risks! You need to be careful of everything from pinpricks to shoulder strain. Check out these nine ways you can get seriously injured while sewing.
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Hit in the Eye by a Needle
One of the scariest things that can happen when you’re sewing is a needle breaking. It can snap off and fly at your face. People have gotten serious eye injuries from sewing machine needles breaking. To avoid breaking your needle, always use a new one at the start of every project and never sew over pins. Glasses can also provide you with a little extra eye protection.
Sewing Through Your Finger or Hand
Sewing through a finger is another possible sewing injury. As I mentioned earlier, you can accidentally sew over your finger. Your sewing machine needle is sharp enough to pierce through your skin and do some damage. Keep your fingers away from your presser foot and don’t sew faster than you can handle. if you sew over your finger, you could end up needing a tetanus shot or worse. If you’re worried, you could buy a presser foot needle guard.
Stepping on a Pin
I always worry when I lose a pin because they are dangerous. If you step on a pin, you might need a tetanus shot booster and possibly antibiotics to avoid getting an infection. Your feet are extremely sensitive and stepping on a pin hurts a lot! Always keep track of your pins and don’t let them fall on the ground. You should also wear shoes in your sewing room.
Tripping Over Your Machine’s Cord
You can trip over anything, but be wary of your sewing machine’s cord and foot pedal. Watch where you step and keep your cord out of the way of foot traffic. You could fall and get seriously injured!
Burned by Your Iron
Your iron is the most dangerous tool in your sewing room. People have received third- and fourth-degree burns from touching it. Couple an iron with a flimsy ironing board and this is a disaster waiting to happen. Always turn your iron off when you’re not using it and store it in a safe place. Also, get a sturdy ironing board that will not get knocked over easily.
Oliso offers a cool safety iron that helps prevent accidental tipping and burns.
Cut by Your Rotary Cutter
Rotary cutters are fantastic tools that make sewing faster, but they are sharp and should be handled with care. Don’t simply set your rotary cutter down when you’re finished cutting. Always cover the blade when it’s not in use. This way you won’t accidentally bump it with your arm or finger and get a cut.
You can also use rotary cutter safety gloves.
Swallowing Pins
Pins should never be placed in your mouth because you could accidentally swallow them. If you swallow a pin, you could need surgery to remove it and repair your esophagus and stomach. Keep a pin cushion on your wrist or near your sewing machine so you’re not tempted to temporarily store pins in your mouth.
Backache from Hunching While Sewing
Posture is important when you’re sitting at your sewing machine. Hunching for too long will give you a backache. Also, be careful not to hunch over when cutting out your fabric. If possible, get a task chair that has good ergonomic support and adjust it to a comfortable height for your back. You’ll get a lot more sewing done if you can sit comfortably without getting a backache. A high cutting table also helps.
Burned By Your Sewing Machine’s Lightbulb
Burns hurt and take a long time to heal. If you have an older sewing machine with an exposed lightbulb, be careful not to touch the bulb with your hand or arm. Be especially careful if your sewing machine has been on for a long time because your lightbulb can get very hot.
Hair Sucked into Your Machine
Sewing machines have a lot of moving parts that can grab your hair. Your hair can get snagged by your thread take-up lever or sucked into your feed dogs. Never lean too close to your sewing machine and always pull your hair out of the way when you’re sewing to avoid injury.
Be careful out there! Have you ever had a sewing injury? I’d love to hear your story in the comments below.
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I did once sew my finger, years ago at my first factory job. The needle went all the way through my nail and out the other side of my finger. I was surprised how little it bled.