# What kind of chair do you sit to sew in?



## amylou62 (Jul 14, 2008)

I got a new sewing machine for Christmas after many years of not having one.
Needless to say I have been spending alot of time in front of it lately.
My question to you is what kind of chair do you all sit in? I am using one of our dining room chairs and my back has been getting really tired and hurting. 

What works best?


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

I have a secretary type chair without arms on it. 
That's what we bought for my daughter when we got her a cabinet for her machine.
Regular chairs are not really good for your back on these sewing projects, in my opinion.

Angie


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> I have a secretary type chair without arms on it.


Same here.


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

omg I WAS GOING to ask this very question.. i have an PC chair (no arms) and cause of me being so short.. OMG my neck kills me!!


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## Pink_Carnation (Apr 21, 2006)

Office chair but I also have to really pay attention to my posture.


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## amylou62 (Jul 14, 2008)

Thanks for the info everybody.  I'll have to keep my eye out for an office chair.


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Hmmm.......I'm the exception. I sit in an old straight back kitchen chair (my grandparents had them since the 1930's). I like it because it is light weight and easy to move back and forth in. Right now while it is cold I do like to put something on the seat because my backside gets to hurting from the cold.

Frankly, I hate working at my desk at work in my office chair I can't imagine sewing in something that would MOVE! But, I also can NOT sew w/ my shoe on. I take off the right shoe always. Makes for fun when I realize I have one shoe on and kick the other off. Then I have them in two different places.

I'm not sure how to tell you to fix your back issues because I don't lean back in chairs unless I am reading something or talking to someone.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

I have 2 of these in my sewing room, it's a super comfy chair and has a ton of adjustments.

I splurged on these when we bought the house.


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

countrysunshine said:


> But, I also can NOT sew w/ my shoe on. I take off the right shoe always.
> QUOTE]
> 
> 
> LOL MY hubby makes fun of me for this as well!! I cant sew w/ a shoe on!!


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## Ruby (May 10, 2002)

I use just one of the cheap office chair. I'm up and down so much and back and forth from the serger to sewing machine or hemmer I would have to have a chair for each machine.

My older New Home is in a cabinet that has it's own stool that the seat raises to reveal a storage space. But I hardly ever sit on it because it's a little high for my short legs.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

giraffe_baby said:


> countrysunshine said:
> 
> 
> > But, I also can NOT sew w/ my shoe on. I take off the right shoe always.
> ...


Me neither! LOL

Though I will say, I have an old Singer and the foot pedal is just a one inch button to make 'er go. I _have_ to have a toe available.


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I have two stools... one is an antique, solid heavy thing (at the sergers) and one is a clawfoot, swivel seat organ stool that's been here at least 100 years.

My back doesn't hurt if I observe proper posture.... my former piano teacher would be so proud... lol

I know it's not for everyone, but it works perfectly for me.

dawn


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

I have two of the same chairs in mine so that I don't have to move the chair very often (I have three machines set up). I have very good posture at the machine, too. It makes it far less tiring for me and I do it w/out thinking. I can tell right away if I start to slouch because my shoulder starts burning. So, I get up and move around a minute and go back to it.

That is when I kick off that second shoe! Yesterday I found one under my machine and one under the ironing board.


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## DW (May 10, 2002)

I use an old bentwood kitchen chair (light weight) but I'm thinking of getting an office chair w/rollers.


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## Iddee (Sep 25, 2005)

I will give you a secret I have used for 30 years in sewing factories. The operators that sit for 8 hours a day at their sewing machine would always complain about back trouble until i could convince them to try it for a full week. It will be very uncomfortable for the first few uses, but once you adjust to it, your back and neck pain will be gone.

Using the straight chair, such as a dining room chair, put 1 inch blocks on the back legs, or shorten the front legs by 1 inch. You will feel as if you are going to slide off it in the beginning, but if you stay with it, it will become more comfortable, and the back pain will go away.

The problem with chairs is, they are made with a rise toward the front of the seat. When you sit and use your feet, the rise cuts the circulation from the back of your legs just above the knees, thus causing back and leg pain. When you lift the back of the chair, it shifts your weight from your legs to your buttocks, where it should be.


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## Jaclynne (May 14, 2002)

I use a rolling office chair with arms. I need the arms for getting up after sitting long periods, I have knee problems. I need the rollers because my sewing room is too small for multiple chairs and I can roll from the machine to ironing board, to computer, etc. Plus, I can adjust the height, since my sewing table is higher than my computer table.

I kick my right shoe off while sewing too, but slip it back on before 'rolling' to the ironing board. I didn't realize so many others did that.

Iddee - you are right about the front tilt chair. I used to have a desk/chair combination with the chair slanted forward and you could work there for hours without that cramping neck pain.

Halo


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## giraffe_baby (Oct 15, 2005)

LOL Iddee, i may have to try that, but in my case ( being im only 4'11) i would probably have to cut off 2" !! LOL


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## Miz Mary (Feb 15, 2003)

So are the office chairs with the rollers built correctly ...without the backward lean ????


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

I also use an office chair with rollers and the arms removed.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

Miz Mary said:


> So are the office chairs with the rollers built correctly ...without the backward lean ????



Mine doesn't really tip either direction... '
It seems like the seat is quite flat, with a little extra padding/support under my thighs. But it doesn't feel like it tips up at the edge... :shrug:


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## Shepherd (Jan 23, 2005)

I have a padded steno (office) chair with no arms. I have my computer straight ahead, my quilting table to my left and my sewing machine to my right. I have a U-shaped work area with my chair in the middle; works excellent for me. 

My chair's old - I bought it used from our office when they were remodeling. I had to replace our kitchen chairs a couple years ago and I ended up buying similar steno chairs for the table - for comfort. They can be raised, lowered, they swivel and are on wheels. I could have gotten an extra one for my desk chair but they just didn't 'fit' my comfort needs as much as this older chair does, so it's still here.

My chair doesn't lean backwards.


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## Glenda in MS (Sep 15, 2007)

I use an office chair with arms. I need to take the arms off; my iron cord gets caught on it and I have pulled it into my lap several times....


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

AngieM2 said:


> I have a secretary type chair without arms on it.
> That's what we bought for my daughter when we got her a cabinet for her machine.
> Regular chairs are not really good for your back on these sewing projects, in my opinion.
> 
> Angie


Me too. I especially like that I can roll from table to table in the sewing room without getting out of my chair!


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