| Have you ever thought of quilting as a stress | | | | |
| buster? Had a bad day, and just want to | | | | There's Retail Therapy involved in quilting |
| escape to your studio or quilting cubby and | | | | too. You don't need to be a shopaholic to |
| de-stress? Yup, I can hear most of you | | | | enjoy purchasing fabric. And any quilter can |
| saying aaaaaahhhhhh! And the ones who are | | | | tell you just how addictive quilt fabric can |
| shaking their heads and saying noooooooooo | | | | be! The car seems to automatically turn in at |
| are the ones who need some help with their | | | | the nearest quilt shop. Mind you, there's |
| quilting - the block isn't coming together as | | | | nothing wrong with that! And there's no |
| it should, or your quilt isn't square and you | | | | reason you can't shop online in your jammies |
| don't know how to fix that. You are the | | | | too. I love it when the anticipated parcel |
| people I had in mind when I decided to create | | | | arrives with my new fabric or latest quilting |
| my website Quilt Lovers Guide I truly want | | | | tool in it - it's just like Christmas! |
| to help. | | | | |
| | | | And what about Friend Therapy when we head |
| Quilting is a wonderful way to create a thing | | | | off for a retreat. It's a few days of pure |
| of beauty (although beauty is in the eye of | | | | bliss, -- sewing and problem solving with our |
| the beholder!) either to give as a gift or to | | | | best buddies! Yah, that's what it is all |
| use and love and then leave as a legacy to | | | | about - talking and sewing into the wee |
| your family. Lucky are the ones who inherit | | | | hours. Of course a glass of wine does no |
| the quilts. None of my ancestors quilted, but | | | | harm either! And chocolate, don't forget the |
| since I began about 25 years ago, a few | | | | chocolate!!! |
| relatives have come on board the quilting | | | | |
| express and are creating masterpieces in | | | | Trouble sleeping? I don't know about you, |
| their own right. It has been a pleasure to | | | | but when I have things on my mind, sleep is |
| watch them progress and achieve their goals. | | | | elusive. What do I do???? I go to my studio |
| | | | and play with fabric or piece blocks or |
| I've become aware that many breast cancer | | | | rearrange the blocks on the design wall. And |
| survivors start quilting after their | | | | while my hands are busy, my mind is slowly |
| treatment as a form of Recovery Therapy. | | | | dealing with the backlog of things that kept |
| Learning to quilt occupies the mind and keeps | | | | me awake. Once I feel I have accomplished |
| our hands busy. It also provides a sense of | | | | something on the design wall or at the sewing |
| achievement and pride in ourselves and our | | | | machine, or I have just relaxed enough, then |
| creations. | | | | I can return to bed and drift off. Talk |
| | | | about therapy - that's Sleep Therapy!!! |
| Creating a gift for a loved one who is ailing | | | | |
| can provide therapeutic relief from worry. | | | | Yes, quilting provides a lot of therapy for |
| And I am certain that putting all that love | | | | me and countless other quilters too, I'll |
| into a comforter for them, contributes to | | | | bet. It may even be beneficial to our |
| their convalescence. Sometimes we can't be | | | | children. Often when I'm sitting on the sofa |
| there in person to help them, but we can send | | | | doing some hand quilting, one of my children |
| our love and support in a quilt. Not only | | | | will sit down with me and talk about their |
| does it make the recipient feel better, but | | | | day at school or some problem they are |
| we too feel better knowing we have done | | | | having. It seems as if the serenity of |
| something to help. | | | | quilting affects them too and they can relax, |
| | | | open up, and talk it over with Mom. They |
| What about those other special gifts, like a | | | | knew, although my hands were busy, I was |
| memory quilt for a 50th anniversary or a | | | | there for them and they could talk about |
| special birthday? It can include photo | | | | their important issues while I quilted. It's |
| transfers and bits of fabric or memorabilia | | | | a Norman Rockwell moment!! |
| from the recipient and bowl them over with | | | | |
| the uniqueness. I guarantee you will get | | | | So keep on quilting or start now and teach |
| smiles and hugs, and what can be more | | | | your children to quilt. We will all be |
| therapeutic than that? | | | | rewarded with a little sanctity (or is that |
| | | | sanity?) in today's world of hustle and |
| Yes quilting is therapy, for both the creator | | | | bustle. Take your Quilting Therapy where you |
| and the recipient. | | | | may! |