A new year is the perfect time to start fresh, not just with new projects, but with better habits, too. We’ve put together our favorite self-care habits and maker-approved products that are easy on the body, so you can stitch longer, feel better, and enjoy every creative moment along the way. Here’s to a year of comfortable, happy making! 🧵✨
Our Favorite Movements for Active Breaks
It’s important to take regular breaks while stitching to prevent stiffness and fatigue. We love taking short, active breaks every half hour, using gentle stretches to recharge and stay limber. Watch the video below to see how we care for the areas of the body most affected by long stitching sessions.
Our Favorite Products for Self-Care While Stitching
If you know, you know! Lap Apps are a must-have for stitchers. This small, adjustable lap table gives your hands a comfy place to rest, elevates your work to help reduce neck strain, and comes dressed in a gorgeous designer fabric cover. Bonus: a replacement cover pattern is included, so you can sew your own custom cover, too.
ViviLux XL Clip-on XL Magnifier + Craft Light
Clip it onto your Lap App and bring your stitching into clear focus. The extra-large magnifier provides crisp, detailed views of your work, while the bright built-in light illuminates every stitch—reducing eye strain and eliminating the need to squint. Perfect for hand stitching, embroidery, and detailed work when you want comfortable, well-lit precision.
The Lap App Steel Sheet makes your Lap App magnetic! Designed for hand stitchers and EPP lovers, it keeps your magnets right where you need them. Plus, did you know it pairs great with the ViviLux Clip-on XL Magnifier + Craft Light! The light magnetically connects to the base clip, but with the Lap App Steel Sheet, you can move the light anywhere!
SewTites Magnets let you line up your pieces, snap them into place, and stitch with ease. Say goodbye to hand fatigue, fiddly clips, pins, and constant repositioning. SewTites Lite Bars are especially helpful for makers with arthritis or other hand challenges—they slide apart easily while still holding your work securely.
Whether you struggle with slipping while cutting, want more accurate cuts on all types of materials, prefer cutting patterns and templates without pins, or simply need cutting to be easier on your body, SewTites Magnetic Cutting Mats are the answer!
Famore Rotary Cutters make cutting effortless. The ergonomic handle fits comfortably in your hand, reducing fatigue, and the ultra-sharp blade glides through fabric so smoothly you barely have to press. Perfect for long crafting sessions, these cutters make precise, comfortable cutting a breeze.
Magical Thread Easy and Other Threaders
Threaders simplify sewing by effortlessly guiding thread through needle eyes, easing the strain on your eyes and reducing hand and neck fatigue. With less squinting and fumbling, you can enjoy longer, more comfortable sewing sessions and focus on your creative flow instead of the small, fiddly details.
Shibui: Embracing the Beauty of Aging Book
A thoughtful self-care gift for yourself or someone special. Filled with gentle reflections and inspiring insights, it encourages slowing down, savoring everyday moments, and embracing the aging process with grace, mindfulness, and a sense of calm. Perfect for anyone looking to nurture themselves and celebrate the beauty of life at every stage.
Slimline lamps offer bright, even illumination that’s easy on the eyes, helping reduce squinting and eye fatigue during detailed work. Their adjustable, sleek design lets you direct light exactly where you need it, encouraging better posture and less strain on your neck and shoulders. Lightweight and space-saving, these lamps make long hours of crafting, reading, or working more comfortable for both your eyes and your body.
There’s nothing like a cozy cuppa in your favorite Sue Spargo mug to keep you company while you stitch. Handcrafted in the U.S., each mug is glazed in soft, soothing colors and finished with an embossed Sue Spargo logo—a tactile detail that makes every sip feel special. Perfectly sized and balanced, these mugs bring warmth, charm, and craftsmanship to your creative space, inviting you to relax, recharge, and sip in style while you work on your favorite projects.
Enjoy the soothing effect of this lotion bar on your rough hands and feet, chapped lips, painful split fingers and more. As you rub the bar between your hands, your body temperature will melt and soften the oils + beeswax, allowing your skin to be replenished and deeply moisturized.
Soften your cuticles, strengthen your nails, and show your hard working hands some extra love! This unique 6-oil blend effectively heals cuticles and helps prevent peeling or cracking nails. The easy-to-use brush applicator makes ragged cuticles and messy cuticle oils a thing of the past! Keep one in your purse, car, project bags, and gift some to loved ones!