I've always loved the tactile part of fabric. I'm always thinking outside the box and "what if", which I consider an artist. When I'm playing/working (plorking), I'm focused and can't/don't multi-task, that includes communicating with other people. My first approach to a project is to reach the goal (type A?). I've learned to enjoy the process and am much happier. And I'm expanding my communication with friends.

So I guess it's a form of expressing myself, touchy/feely, therapeutic, and making friends.

I always feel better if I've been able to get a little sewing time worked into my day. Good therapy.

I have found the quilt projects I enjoy the most are when I am gifting a quilt for someone. As I piece the quilt I think about the receiver and often pray for their happiness and think about how the quilt will comfort them. This is why I quilt. By giving away the quilts I make, I receive joy and then I wish to make more quilts. :)

I quilt because I love to. I think a few of the others that replied have some good points to think about.

For me, quilting is my PASSION. It's something I MUST do to make my life complete. I make a lot of charity quilts. After I was diagnosed with the big C requiring surgery, my surgeon told me no sewing for several weeks. That was a dark time for me, as much for what I was going through as the inability to put my passion and love in stitches. I went through a year of very tough times, but being able to go to my sewing studio and sew for a while helped me through it. I now donate quilts to my local cancer center for the patients going through chemo.

My mother sits on my shoulder and whispers in my ear many of her favorite sayings, one being "Idle hands are the devil's workshop". So I crochet while watching TV, can't just sit there doing nothing.

Sometimes it is hard to find just what our passion is, but with patience and perserverance it will show itself. Just keep plugging along with what you want to do, or feel the need to do.

I like to stay busy, but have learned not to "have to" get on every new craft surge that comes my way. I am into quilting. Well, mostly into piecing and letting a LAer do the quilting. I also like stamping for greeting cards, and reading is my escape. So these things are my "go tos" when I need to focus on anything but real life.

Like some on their responses I never could draw and paint but so admired those who could...i.e. my husband.
I painted walls, then got into stenciling which became my form of art. Then I discovered embroidery machines which then was followed by quilting. I've stuck w/it longer then any other hobby I've done including refurbishing furniture and broken china. After yrs of making quilts and keeping, gifting, donating I'm done w/quilts and have moved on to art quilt wall hangings which is now my art. My imagination can run with any theme and I'm loving it.

Arianna, I am sorry for the loss of your granddaughter...I cannot imagine.

I love every step of the quilting journey...I feel it is therapeutic and lets me be creative. I don’t get to sew year round so I try to take advantage of the months that allow me the most time in my sewing space. I hope you find the “sweet” spot in your quilting journey as well.

I am in that spot right now. Hope it ends soon.

Arianna, I too am so sorry to hear of your granddaughter. I have grandchildren and the grief would be so heavy.

To answer the original question, I love to sew and I love fabric. I learned to sew when I was 12 and from then on have never been able to go past a row of fabric without touching it. I stopped making clothes many years ago and picked up and did intricate crosstitch for 20. I decided to try quilting which I enjoy but it's still more because of the beautiful fabrics and the actual act of machine stitching, not so much the finished product. I don't have time to quilt and crosstitch both. I have fabric and patterns for 5 quilts, plus the ever growing stash. I went through my cross stitch fabric and patterns last week and pulled out several I want to do. Quilting or crosstitch, which will win?