AROUND THE FRAME

Happy International Left-hander’s Day!

Once again it is time for me and my fellow southpaws to celebrate International Left-handers Day on August 13.

The father of a dear lefty friend recently shares with me how he used to teach diversity awareness at St. Francis University. One day the students come to class to find the pencil sharpener has been reversed. Mr. Didier instructs the students to line up and sharpen their pencils. Frustrated, some students pick up the sharpener and attempt to return it to its original position which he forbids them to do. Now these students have a small inkling of what it is like for Lefties living in a right-handed world! Funny thing is I go to work, dust off the old manual sharpener, set it up and while attempting to sharpen my pencil left-handed manage to unscrew the handle and the sharpener falls apart.

While at the Quilters Hall of Fame Celebration I noticed a vendor busily crocheting left-handed. Janet Miller is the owner of The City Stitcher, Centerville, Ohio (near Dayton) where she sells crochet and quilting supplies and creates her own patterns. She proudly informs me she is the only person she knows who writes pattern instructions for both right and left-handed crochetiers-Way to go Janet! To view her patterns go to www.quilterswarehouse.com/

Click to advertise on this website

Janet and I share a similar horror story: trying to cut fabric with left-handed pinking shears. Although the scissors may accommodate the left hand fingers, apparently the blades were not reversed resulting in shredded fabric. A quick look on line for left-handed scissors brings up advertising copy proclaiming “true” left-handed scissors. Another website displays all sorts of scissors including left-handed ones depicting the blades the opposite of the featured right-handed ones. Vindication at last! t isn’t me, its defective design.

This year everyone is in for a double-treat. Cheryl Stano owner of Rockin’ Ruby’s Vintage has moved into my building-124 W. Wayne Street-upstairs. Although she writes right-handed she does everything else in her life left-handed. We are celebrating Friday, August 12 from 4-7 and Saturday, “Our day to shine” from 10-2. I will be giving out left-handed cookies while the supply lasts and giving demos on left-handed quilting and crocheting. Cheryl is having a big sale of late 1960s-1980s vintage. Whether you are in your “right mind” or not, join us!

Visit Lois’s virtual store at www.etsy.com/people/BornAgainQuilts