CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA--THE BENEFITS OF QUILTING

photo by Misocrazy

Joseph Rodriguez writes about hobbies and arts that help with stress relief. His recent work is on earning an online psychology degree.—AP

A Creative Craft: How to Discover the Benefits of Quilting

Making a quilt is more than just making a bed covering to keep you warm at night. It’s about expressing yourself through the art of sewing. Quilting is an inspirational and creative craft that allows you to create wall art, comfort a sick child or adult, travel and bond with other quilt makers, create a source of income and more. Discover the joys and benefits of quilting by looking at the sewing craft through the eyes of adventure.

Wall Art

Express your own individual taste by creating a quilt to hang on the wall of your home. A handmade quilt can be made any size and any color to perfectly fit into your unique living space. A full size quilt often is the perfect solution to add color and texture to the large, open wall space in homes with high vaulted ceilings. Mini-quilts can be handcrafted to tell a family story, and/or matted and framed to become a priceless heirloom. When friends come to your home and see your unique wall art, they will be requesting their own unique pieces and a business can be born.

Comfort the Sick

A personal touch of a hand-crafted lap quilt will bring comfort and warmth to a sick child or adult. A medium sized quilt, just right to fit over the top of a hospital bed or across the lap of someone who is ailing, will benefit both the giver and receiver. Taking your time to create a unique quilt for someone who is sick will minister to both you and the recipient on many different levels.

A handmade quilt gift does not have to be reserved for the sick only but would also make an outstanding gift on many occasions. A wedding gift, baby shower gift or as something unique to give to a college-bound teen. A quilt can be made to suit the recipients, the occasion and still allow the creator to express themselves through their sewing talents.

Travel and Bond

Quilt shows and workshops occur regularly all across the U.S. and are usually open to the public. Quilt makers can and should travel to various venues, near or far, and meet like-minded seamstresses and form bonds of friendships. These events allow for displaying and selling your handmade quilt items, learning new sewing techniques and gaining new ideas for future projects. You never know who you might meet at such an event and a new business venture could be formed along with a new friendship.

Stress Relief

Immersing yourself in the quilt-making process is therapeutic. Shopping for fabric, selecting the design, cutting and sewing, the whole creative process keeps the mind and body active while relieving stress. Quilting can be done seated or standing, so no matter what fitness level you’re at (or hope to be at), you can adjust to doing most of the work in whatever way suits you.

Creative Covering

Quilts aren't only for covering beds—you can cover a multitude of household objects with quilts to make a decorating statement. A couch back, chair, ottoman or table top can easily be covered with a quilt. Cover a window, shower curtain liner or create a room divider with a lovely quilt. Look around your home for creative and inspirational ways to use quilts, and you'll never be left bored or wanting for more.