[Nfb-krafters-korner] Greg -Response to questions about sewing and woodworking

[AUDREY WELLNER]

Mr. Aikens, 
   What country is your friend in overseas?  There are several sewing and woodworking guilds and organizations that offer training programs to prepare your friend to assist in teaching people with handicap and disabilities. Please let us know more, i.e., the age of the people they are trying to train,as we have members throughout the US and a few overseas. Also, please explain the extent of the handicap and whether they are multiple in nature. 
   You can do a web search for "teaching aids for handicap individuals".  I've listed the catalog I use before called S&S Worldwide, their address is www.ssww.com  They have some simple, easy sewing/woodworking projects that would help a person/class get acquainted with a craft to see if it is something they would like to try.
  We have a lady in our Southern Connecticut NFB chapter who is employed as a teacher and is very proficient in what she does, but has gone to school extensively to be certified and employed as a teacher.
  We have quite a few members who have different levels of visual impairments on this site who have stepped up to the plate and offered their knowledge in their own specialized crafting areas, i.e. beading, plastic canvas, knitting, soap/candle making etc. to teach classes via the telephone to other members who are visually impaired so as to better relate to special problems that might occur that a visual teacher might not pick up on.  It is very different for a visual person to accurately explain the nuances of crafting to those who are not sighted. That's why are ladies are excellent at what they teach. It takes a lot of time, patience and good verbal skills to accurately get a point across. You can also check our web site for what classes we are offering and join in.  www.krafterskorner.org
   Glad to have you on board, 
   Audrey J. Wellner
   Secretary to Krafters Korner
 
--- On Tue, 3/30/10, Jewel S. <herekittykat2 at gmail.com> wrote:


From: Jewel S. <herekittykat2 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Nfb-krafters-korner] question about sewing and woodworking
To: "List for blind crafters and artists" <nfb-krafters-korner at nfbnet.org>
Date: Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 6:07 PM


Hey Greg,

I do a bit of sewing, mostly handsewing because I don't have room to
leave my sewing machine out. I make clothes for stuffed animals, book
covers, and some other craft items. I would certainly be willing to
connect with you and your friend on brainstorming.

A few ideas:
1. For threading a needle (not for the sewing machine), whitch's
chimneys are great. These are automatic threaders, though they take a
little practice. Different needles require different size chimneys,
though.
2. Threading any needle: Good for threading needles, buy those
flossers for braces. These are very cheap and very easy. They work
like the threaders that come in sewing kits, but are easy to
manipulate.
3. For buttons, start with a single-hole button, and once they master
that, go to a two-hole, and then to a four-hole. Easiest to hardest.
4. For hand sewing, use a piece of tape that is about a fourth of inch
wide (scotch tape is easiest to feel). Tell the sewer to sew on the
edge of the tape, and afterward, pull the tape off. Make sure not to
put tape on plush fabrics' fronts, like velvet, as it'll mess up the
plush.
5. For sewing with a sewing machine, there are hem guides that are
really useful for keeping straight. Some machines have the attachment,
and others come seperate.
6. For patterns, make the pattern with white cotton (quilting cotton
is the cheapest, and white is the cheapest of that type). Then, if the
student gets the pattern off a little, they can fix the mistake by
cutting off excess or sewing on extra as needed to fix it. Can't do
that with paper, and with the white cotton, you can pin the pieces
together and try it on or put it on whatever first, to make sure the
pattern is what you want.
7. Solid colours are easiest, and if a pattern is necessary, make sure
it's a raised pattern that can be felt (like embroidered images or
every other strip raised a little). Don't expect a blind student to be
able to line up visual strips without lots of help.

That's just a few ideas. Depending on what kinds of things they want
to sew, I know more for different topics. Can't help much with
woodworking...I've only done a popsicle stick-style plant holder
*blush* They might consider basketweaving, too, though. That is just
as easy tactilely as it is visually, and basket weaving is a good
profession.

~Jewel

On 3/30/10, Greg Aikens <gpaikens at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
> I am brand new to the list. I am doing some research for a friend
> overseas who is doing occupational training with young adults with
> disabilities. She is hoping to reach out to the blind and visually
> impaired community in her area and is looking for resources to help
> her figure out how to gear their current occupational training toward
> blind students. They plan on teaching students woodworking and sewing.
> I am totally blind, but these are not areas of expertise for me. I
> thought there might be some experts in this area on this list though.
>
> I don't have any specific questions yet, but if anyone could point me
> toward resources which might be helpful in looking at doing
> woodworking and sewing while blind, I would really appreciate it.
> Also, if anyone would be interested in connecting with me and my
> friend to brainstorm on some of these things, I would also appreciate
> it.
>
> I hope these topics are pertinant for this list.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
> Greg Aikens
>
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