I was working on an applique project and I sewed my finger to the fabric. This is going to sound hard to believe, but when the needle went into my finger it took a very shallow stitch of my finger. So shallow that it didn't really hurt, I just through it poked me and slid along my finger. When I pulled the thread tight I was shocked to feel the pull of thread sewing my finger to my material!

What is the cotton thread spit trick that you used to get the blood out of your white? That sure sounds like it hurt a lot!

The worst injury happened years ago when I was sewing clothing for myself. My finger got in the way of the machine needle and the needle went through the top of my index finger nail on my left hand. The needle actually broke off in my finger and I went immediately to our family doctor to get help getting the needle portion out of my nail. He said he got it all out....but days later, I could tell some of the needle was still in my finger. Weeks later I could see a dark spot on my finger and felt something hard. One day I gave a small squeeze to my finger and the little piece of needle rose right up from the skin just like a periscope - no bleeding or pain at all, it just came straight up. It was very weird!

Teresa - who has never had that type of accident since and always keeps her fingers away from fast moving sewing machine needles!

Lola - using white cotton thread - chew on it to soak it with your own saliva, lay it on the blood drops in a heap, and the thread will wick most, if not all the blood out of the fabric. Obviously, you can't do this if you just ate something like a red lollipop ~lol. This works on men's shirts when they insist on using dull razors to shave, as well.

It was only a medium hurt - today it hurts more - maybe I should have cleaned it :).

Teresa - I sewed thru the middle of my fingernail also - that was very painful for a long time. Onetime - in highschool, during those very impressionable years-I got my face too close to the needle takeup and it hit me so hard it split my fore head open- that was a trip to the ER-I got a butterfly---I was so embarrassed.

I really am not a klutz in my non - sewing life :)

Well, I haven't sewn myself to a quilt yet, nor have I stitched through my finger.

Nope, I just used a pneumatic stapler to staple my finger to a piece of furniture. Like Lola, I just caught a bit of flesh, but I had to drag the chair a couple of feet to reach my staple puller.

Ouch, OUCHIE, ouch!

It hurts just to read these. I've been very lucky. A pin stick now and then is all. But, I make stained glass windows and always have bandaids on fingers doing that.

The only time I have "stitched" my finger with the sewing machine was when I was a child and tried out my mom treadle, sew thru the index finger, as I didn't know how to stop I did it a couple of times. A good lesson not quickly forgotten. Did cut an artery in my hand with the rotory cutter that required a trip to the ER. Not very clever either.

I haven't had any serious physical accidents sewing, but you want to talk wringer washers?

SharonG/FL-IN

The worse I have done is sticking myself with needles. I have dropped pins and stepped on them, that hurts. I cringe when I watch videos of FMQing and see how close their fingers are to the needle.
Rosa

Forgot - sliced into my finger with a rotary cutter at the retreat last October. I wasn't used to talking to people around me while cutting fabric. Stupid of me but had lots of aid on the spot. Healed up quickly and I learned a good lesson.

Who was it that posted pictures on this forum of the major cut to her thumb with a rotary cutter? I always think of that when I'm using one, LOL. This was years ago, BTW.

Not to put a jinx on myself, but I have managed to avoid major injuries so far. I have bled somewhere on most of the quilts I have made, but just from pin sticks. I have trimmed most of my fingernails with a rotary cutter, but never a finger. I have sewn myself and glued myself to my work, and ironed my fingers, but nothing serious. Now, that said, I am off to quilt, so we shall see if I am jinxed or not.

beverly

Sewn fingers to quilts while doing hand applique, nicked fingers with scissors and blades - and even had a needle break on the machine and embed it in my lip! But the worst I ever did was step full onto a long, thin quilter's pin while barefoot. It went all the way into my foot.
Yes, it hurt. A lot.
No, it didn't teach me to wear shoes while quilting.

I have a retreat injury too! Do you think I should share? or will it scare people away from coming?!?!

Retreat 3 years ago (?) I was up late sewing and sewed through my finger nail. Decided that sewing at 1am, with a glass of spirits next to me, was too much and went to bed. (Finger healed fine.)

Yes, geezerfolks, I've had my whole arm go up a wringer washer! And yesterday the drill slipped with a screwdriver bit in it and I practically screwed by knuckle to the wood! Still hurts!

Wow, I thought I was the only one who ever sewed through her finger. I just got caught up in the moment and the next thing I knew, part of a needle was sticking up in my finger.
Now, I too also bleed on just about everything I make due to pin pricks.....man those babies are sharp. But I have operated a chain saw with never a mishap! Thank goodness.
Murphy

peroxide will remove blood stains from fabric - works well on fresh blood

I started reading this post and it gave me the Heebie-jeebies! I can not finish.

But I will tell a story.
Back int he early days of my quilting my daughter was about 2. I had left all my rotary cutter on the table- it was closed!!!! I went out to hang laundry and left her in the house with her siblings. When I got back in the house she was in a chair at the table, the table and her hand were covered in blood. My heart just sank, I grabbed her up and ran to the sink to wash her to see how bad it it was. She had the tiniest little cut on her and I still to this day don't know she got it with the cutter closed and how on earth it bled that much!!!

I was fussy cutting hexagons for my first I Spy quilt with a rotary cutter and plexiglass template. I was using the coffee table so I could watch TV at the same time. Brilliant strategy, right?

I dropped the open cutter onto my bar foot and gave myself a lovely gash. It made me develop the habit of never putting the cutter down without closing the safety first.

Over the years, I've also nicked fingers in the sewing machine, but have never gone clear through. Yet. As my eyesight continues to deteriorate, I anticipate more exciting first aid moments while sewing.