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