Posted a day early for June 15, 2015
It is that time of the month for using up scraps and making something fun and/or usable!
It is Scrap Happy Time
These fabric scraps were strip pieced and the resulting new cloth was then cut on the diagonal. Next I used it to practice my free motion machine quilting… I have no skill so there will be many more small items made in my future (pot holders, mug rugs, coasters and more). I want to get this talent mastered! However, I was frustrated when I got my mini quilt assembled, and then had to let it sit for two months til I could find my sewing machine. It actually wasn’t lost, but it definitely was not set up for me to use and I surely didn’t have the time. Today I made the time to turn the little mini quilt into a case…
Not a glasses case but the contents certainly help me to see!
This case holds a magnifying lens so I can read the fine print when shopping without blowing my vision out. Close work and fine print cause my eyes to go fuzzy and as time goes by it happens more quickly and lasts much longer.
So, the case holds the lens in my purse and prevents it from getting scratched. My magnifier is at the ready for price tags, product contents and instructions, etc.
That strange reflection is only one light, but oddly it is triplicated on the lens surface.
Now I don’t have to be embarrassed by asking other shoppers to read for me. 😉
At home I have two very powerful magnifying ring lights, one stationed at the machine and the other on my cutting table. For reading my Kindle tablet enlarges the text quite nicely to avoid eye strain. My eye Doctor doesn’t seem to find anything to worry about in this situation, but I truly do worry about it. What if it becomes permanent?
Life on the Farmlet 
Another present from the ageing fairy! I’m convinced they’re making the print on food packaging smaller and smaller – nothing to do with my eyes at all. I have to check there’s no palm oil, not too much sugar, etc. etc. but it’s getting hard to do without reaching for the specs. I had a worrying episode with my eyes recently but, like you, the opthalmologists seem to think it’s normal and nothing to worry about although they did say ‘if a black curtain comes down over your vision seek help immediately’. WHAT??
I agree, Lynn! It’s all those added chemicals and non foodstuffs they would like us to believe are edible. That dark curtain is retinal detachment and does need immediate help (even on the weekend or a holiday). I had a friend who experienced that and they were able to save her vision for her. Unfortunately, this magnifier is for use with my glasses. I can focus down and actually read the small print, but immediately after I have a fuzzy circle in the central part of my vision. 😐
I’m not sure if this fits what you’re describing Linda, but my great aunt had Macular Degeneration: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macular_degeneration
Thanks, Deb, but this is not it.
Oh good!
If it’s in the central part of your visual field, and if it lingers, I’d suspect what’s called posterior vitreous detachment. I experienced that several years ago — maybe fifteen years, now that I think of it — and it did resolve on its own. My primary symptom was about a nickel-sized blurry circle in the central part of my visual field. And, my eye doc said the same thing: that it wasn’t anything to worry about, and that it would go away. It did.
Was this blurry circle intermittent? Mine comes on after 15 to 20 minutes of close work, lingers for a few minutes to a few hours, then resolves.
No, it was there until it wasn’t, which pretty much means you’re dealing with something different.
I did something very similar for my sunglasses; I need two different sets, one full prescription pair and one set of clip-ons for my ‘big’ regular glasses for casual use, and I needed a case that would hold both. It’s an excellent use of scrappy bits and quilting practice, and your version is very pretty; I particularly like the black and yellow contrast.
Thank you Kate, I had fun making the fabric and not so much fun with the quilting. Yellow and white stripes started OK and then my brain-hand-motions just spazzed. 😀 I do think I did much better on the “wood-grain” quilting for the light blue side. It will definitely be worth the exercise making all this little things. I can already see a difference over time. Will your new case feature two pockets, and will you share it with us when you make it?
I had to use a magnifying light when I did cross stitching. They are a great help.
Tom, I don’t recall reading about your cross stitching. Have you posted your work on your blog? I would love to see it. Magnifying lights are keeping me making wonderful things. They’re great!
It’s an old post from a couple of years ago, and you can find it here:
https://talltalesfromchiconia.wordpress.com/2016/07/15/scraphappy-july-2/
It only has one pocket, but it’s large enough to take a small vinyl case for the clip-ons plus a pair of regular size sunglasses. I haven’t added a closure because this way I can reach into my purse with one hand and retrieve whichever pair I want without having to fiddle with buttons or snaps.
Kate it is gorgeous! I left mine open for the same reason. I didn’t want to be fumbling to get my lens out. After seeing yours I am seriously planing to make another case for my sunglasses. I neglect wearing them when I drive because it is such a hassle to dig out the hard case and then open it. It’s a snapper too when negotiating the one handed close. LOL!
Make sure you make it in a nice bright colour, so it doesn’t get lost in the dark depths of your purse. Once reason I went for those lovely bright pinks.
I love making little things to practice quilting on instead of just practice sandwiches. I’m going to need a magnifying lens for reading maps (when I use the old fashioned paper kind, which I still like).
Exactly, Claire! I never practiced when it was just practice sandwiches. Just too dreadfully boring and, to my mind, a horrible waste of materials. Much better to make a usable object. 🙂
Very pretty creations!
Thank you and I had fun too!
Just noticed, that midblue print is very south of France!!
I have a length of red with a similar motif
Gill, I think, but I’m not certain, that this was billed as a Civil War reproduction, and many of our CW prints would have be European in design. Would love to see your red print!
Good for you, finding such an excellent way to practice your skills and making something useful in the bargain. I hate doing test pieces or practice pieces; this is a brilliant solution!
Sue, apparently we aren’t the only ones to feel this way! Knitnkwilt and Kerrycan feel as we do! We need to make not waste. 🙂
I really like that you made your practice piece into something so useful–I need to do more of this!
Kerry, I was really surprised at how many of us feel this way. It sure does making the learning aspect more enticing! 🙂
Here’s something else that crossed my mind. When doing close work of any kind (computer, sewing, varnishing) we tend to blink less. That means our eyes dry out more quickly. After my cataract/lens replacement surgery, I was having trouble with blurriness, and my surgeon said it’s quite common. He recommended keeping a bottle of Refresh tears around for occasional use, and it’s amazing how sharp and vivid my sight becomes when I use them. I rarely use them more than once a day, after hours at the computer or being out in the wind, but it really helps.
Something else he said reminded me again of how important it is to drink water. Apparently dehydration reduces the amount of tears available to our eyes, too. Since drinking water and using natural tears are easy, cheap, and as close to risk-free as you can get, you might give it a try, just out of curiosity.
I do have dry eye and have had a prescription for Restasis for years. I use natural tears when my allergies are bad because I still don’t make enough of my own. It is hell when you chop onions and can’t cry! 😦
I was just looking again. I think I have found the problem and it makes perfect sense! It is a spasm of the eye muscles that control the lens of your eye. To do the close up work your lenses are refocused to allow a clear picture (like focusing your camera for near and distant pictures). In my case the muscles are spasming and can’t relax. It also seems that this problem, when it exists gets worse with age. BINGO! I will still be discussing this with my eye doctor when I see him soon. 😉
That makes sense. I suspect that’s why”they” say when you’re doing computer work for long periods of time, you always should stop and refocus on distant objects for a while. The dynamic’s the same — you just have a very special variation of the phenomenon!