Tips for crafting for the vision impaired
Learning a new craft or revisiting an old one can feel daunting with limited vision. But with a bit of thought and preparation, it’s perfectly possible to craft your way to happiness.
Anyone who loves crafting will know how relaxing it can be, but did you know that it can bring a whole host of other amazing benefits?
Research has shown that immersing yourself in a craft such as pottery, knitting, modelmaking or painting can boost your mood, increase your self-confidence and even improve your memory and concentration.
The following tips from our rehabilitation officers aim to help people with a vision impairment get the most out of crafting. We know that everyone’s experience of sight loss is different so feel free to try out the ideas you like and explore what works for you.
Good lighting is everything
People with a sight loss usually prefer a bright environment but, for some, too much light can cause glare. Be aware of getting the balance right for you.
If you don’t have good lighting in your home, think about the time of day for your crafting and set yourself up in a room with daylight lighting.
Think of lighting as two-fold – 'general' from ceiling lights, and 'task specific' from lamps. Think about how you position your lights so you avoid shadows.
Task lighting aimed at your work is crucial for most people with even mild sight loss, but if it’s directed at your eyes or it’s too close you may have trouble with glare.
Most bulbs now sold are LEDs and some come in a daylight colour. You might find a bulb that can be adjusted to different colours (eg daylight and warm) helpful.
Wearing a head torch can be brilliant for tasks as they directly light up whatever you’re looking at and give you a targeted, hands-free light source.
How to organise your materials
It may sound like common sense to organise your craft materials before you get started, but it’s easy to forget. And when you have low vision being organised is crucial for the success of your project as you need to make sure your materials don’t become muddled up.
Familiarise yourself with all steps of the project by reading through the instructions prior to starting. Often projects have parts that need to be completed in order.
Take time to set out your workspace and lay out all the materials so you can identify what’s what. You might also find it helpful to put everything on a tray, but try to avoid reflective surfaces as this can cause glare.
Get used to how each item feels. For example, if you have three paint brushes in a pack, feel the bristles – are they rounded at the top or square? Which is the largest brush and which is the one for small details?
One way to make items easily identifiable is to wrap an elastic band around one or use bumpons or blue tack as a raised tactile marker. Also, if you have lots of small items, you could try grouping them in separate dishes or containers.
The 'clock face' technique can be handy for finding different items. Lay out your materials out in order starting with 12 o’clock at the top, 3 o’clock to the right, 6 o’clock at the bottom, and 9 o’clock to the left.
Try to get in the habit of returning each item to the same place once you’ve picked it up so you can quickly find it again.
Make use of helpful sight loss apps, such as Seeing AI, that can help with detecting colours and reading passages of text to you.
Other tips and tricks
Think about contrasting colours. For example, working on a light-coloured board might make it easier to see your materials. The best colours for contrast can be down to individual taste and could also depend on the materials you’re using.
Sight loss equipment can be helpful but there’s no ‘one size fits all’. Some of our veterans find magnification makes all the difference, but not everyone. If you do try a handheld magnifier, it can help to use a double-ended clamp to hold it steady while you work.
There are a huge number of video tutorials available on YouTube for learning different craft projects, including step-by-step guides. The great thing about following a video is that you can pause it whenever you need to and work at your own pace.
Think about how you're sitting and how far away your workspace is. Where possible, bring your task as close to you as is comfortable, rather than bending over, and use cushions to support your back.
How to help yourself
There are lots of websites and organisations dedicated to helping people with sight loss enjoy the arts and crafts. Read our resource, Creative pursuits with a vision impairment for a few ideas.
When you have a vision impairment, craft projects may take you longer than they used to and you may well get frustrated at times. Remember, it’s not a race. Just try to take it slowly, one step at a time. Letting yourself become immersed in the process is what it’s all about.
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