Hand-quilting a king-size quilt: sixty thousand stitches, give or take. Helen has made seventeen of them over forty years. Each one tests her hands differently.
"Machine quilting is faster. Hand quilting is better — for the quilt and for my soul. But my hands pay the price."
The Quilter's Hands
Needle pricks. Thimble pressure. Thread tension cuts. The small injuries accumulate over months of work on a single quilt. Helen manages them like a long-distance runner manages her feet.
"Tape on my pushing finger under the thimble. Tape on the finger that guides the needle underneath. Small protections that add up over sixty thousand stitches."
Seventeen Quilts Later
At seventy-two, Helen is working on quilt eighteen. Her hands move slower than they did at thirty, but they still move. Protection and pacing have preserved her ability to do what she loves.