Well, how about a play on words? Instead of calling it work, we could call it a "joule" which is
the The International System unit of electrical, mechanical, and thermal energy, Most of the time I think of my finished quilt as a "jewel" and it has definitely required electrical, mechanical, and thermal energy (my brain heats up, my emotions are warmed, and sometimes my temper sparks).
It's funny how the word "work" affects people. When it comes to quilting, I consider it play until I mess up. Sewing is play. Unsewing is work. Choosing fabrics is play. Figuring out the math is work.