As opposed to just a "fun" thing to do? I know, for myself, that I need to have some creative hobby to "escape" to. Going into the right brain shuts off all the stuff I don't want to deal with (family situations). I originally was interested in quilting just for the fun of it, but now I crave sitting at the sewing machine or searching/reading here, or surfing other quilting related info (and buying books! :lol: ) - it just keeps life light! How about you?

I totally agree. And then there are those times when a quilt I'm working on make me need therapy!

I to find it very relaxing to just sit and sew. Love looking for new patterns and books. I have way more ideas of things to make then I will ever have time.

I agree, it's a stress reliever for me!

For me, sewing is definitely relaxing and a creative outlet. For the past few weeks, I have been having eye problems and can't sew for any length of time. I am amazed at how much I miss it. If I ever lost the ability to sew, I think I would go bonkers.....it helps keep me sane.

Yes, it is a great stress reliever...it allows me to go away to my "happy place" :D:D:D

Yes, it is a great stress reliever...it allows me to go away to my "happy place" :D:D:D

I find it is very relaxing as well. Except of course when things don't line up and I have to unsew everything I just did.
Otherwise, it helps me keep my sanity!!!

Exactly! :thumbup:

Same, it is also helping me to cut back on a very bad habit I have.............smoking. The more I sew the less I smoke. Cutting back then quitting!!!!!!!!!!!

Ido think that is relaxing and therapy, but sometimes, specialy when I am quilting a vary large area with a small design that I can do with my eyes closed, I find myself with time on my hands to think. sometimes I end up worrying about things I didn't have time to worry about before and other times I am able to think of solutions to my problems. I guess is time to go to the sewing room.

Maria

Absolutely! Not only is it fun and greatly satisfying with having made special gifts, but it is so mind encompassing that I can let go of my problems for awhile.

I am chronically ill, unable to work past 2yrs which contributed to us now losing our home, so I'm talking pretty big problems. I know there are worse ones... I'm blessed with a delightfully wonderful family I talk on phone with daily.

Quilting and my funny, active, cuddly puppy and my old, busy little bird and phone conversations with family so I can laugh with others are my at-home happy get-away distractions. Those are my best therapeutic solutions for my heart and soul; they are keeping me sane and in good spirits.

Tottally agree, you can just stop thinking about everything else going on in life and concentrate on the creativity of making something!

sewing is about the stress reliever that i have, i love to sew, i make just about anything, the wondering of what i am going to make next helps me and knowing that i have made something that makes someone else happy(family)makes me happy

I'm on disability and it's so relaxing to me when I'm having a bad day. If I can't sew just a little each day I get stressed out. I'm able to handle the rest of my day after being in my sewing room playing with my stash.

It is my therapy. I feel much better after I have had some time for quilting.

Sewing has always been my "therapy." It's my way of escaping the day-to-day problems and issues for awhile and keeps my hands busy. I like the sense of accomplishment when I've completed a project to the best of my ability.

I do quilting for a living and I still think it is great therapy. If I can't get to sleep at night, I dream up a quilt in my sleep. It is the best way to come up with creative ideas!

Barb

If I don't get quilting time in I get very frustrated. I think about it all the time. It is the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. It has taught me so much patience. I didn't quilt for 4 years; from the time my twin boys were born until they turned 4. Once I started up again I realized how much I had been missing. I finally feel like my creative side is being fullfilled. I ordered fabric today and I am so excited. I can't wait to figure out what I am going to make.

sewing is what I do to relax and enjoy. I like to quilt to keep my brain stimulated and challenged.

I need my "fix" daily as well. I'm a frustrated artist--I see things, then can't draw a straight line for love nor money! Piecework has helped me express and satisfy an artisitic side of me--however simple it is. And the bonus is there's a finished usable object when you are done which gives you a sense of accomplishment.

I have two words: blood pressure. Mine was lowered considerably after I picked up my quilting again several months ago. Doctor was VERY happy. And so was I.

Of course it's therapy for me. I also enjoy the opportunity to play with color and fabric, making things for family and friends, and having great relationships with my fabric store, and quilting friends like I've met here, well that's just icing on my cake!

Odessa

The only thing so far that I've been getting frustrated with is how much time it's taking me to get enough blocks done! I've been making crumb blocks - I think I still have about 40 to go.... they take forever!

When something is bothering me, I sew it into a quilt and when I'm done, I give it away! :)

I agree. I also have that bad habit :oops: and sewing cuts that way down. Once when I was really down, I was counceled to get back to my quilting. You just can't worry about other stuff when you are creating :thumbup: I also find myself looking at life differently when I'm quilting. Everything I see is fodder for my imagination and for a quilt pattern. So, there is beauty in everything.

Quilting keeps me sane - unless it drives me crazy, but then I get to practice patience and impulse control. lol

I have just learned quilting, but have always loved to sew. I enjoy going in 'my room', and getting away from it all too..it is a stress reliever, I have 2 wire fox terriers, and when I am sewing, they play there, and love it in that room. I have learned though, right off the bat, that when I get tired, I stop, otherwise, I make mistakes.

I'm a creative person and when I don't have things to create, craft, write about, or escape to I get very moody and hard to live with. Love my new (since Aug '09) quilting stress release. I redid my craft/sewing 'studio' room and now love it in there.

I too find it therapeutic. It challenges my mind to put everything else down for awhile. I can instead concentrate about lining things up, matching seams, focus on the grain of fabric, layout of design etc. I just need to find my next project! Here lately I've gotten my fix by playing with scraps and testing out all the new stitches on my machine. :) I also find that I don't have to take as much pain medication when I sew, provided I don't sit for too long at a stretch. When my mind is in a good place, I find that so is the rest of my body.

Yes yes yes it is....very much so.

I agree completely. I can quilt upstairs in my loft and not realize that I haven't even eaten lunch. And believe me, I like my food. I find it so relaxing; my thoughts just seen to drift away from the stressful things in my life. My only problem is that I don't keep track of time, unless I have to, and I just want to stay all day and keep going. I am attending, for the first time, a quilters weekend from friday through sunday with quilting all days. I can't wait to go. We do this through our quilting group and two of my friends and I are sharing a room. I never thought I could sit and quilt for an entire weekend but I now realize how much I want to do this and how fast the time will go. Good to know someone else loves this as much as I do.

I couldn't agree more, naturalmama!
Psychiatrists and mental health ppl, reccommend quilting/crafting...hobbies, all the time. It is KNOWN to be a wonderful stress reliever.
Your right, you can escape to the 'right' side and leave all the 'headwork' thinking, outside your area.
Just lead me to my machine and fabrics and let me get in the zone. I'm off to a brighter world, where it's all good and happiness abounds.
The possibilities are only limited by my imagination. I can travel the world and back by fabric etc.
I can make stuffy toys and dream of birthdays for wee ones, or Christmasy daydreams and all the shared love from Nana! ahhh! thanks for asking...was a little trip of goodness, right there!:wink:

I spend most of my day quilting. It has gotten so bad thaT i HAVE A BACK PROBLEM. I have so many ideas that I just keep writing down. I love creating. It's just the right side of the brain. Nothing else matters. Everything disappears.
carol gross

I have to agree that quilting helps me with stress. Ruth

I am a Pastor's wife and under a lot of stress like everyone else. I look forward to my time in my sewing room. I also love to sit and hand quilt at night after a long day at hospitals and other visiting. Quilting is a comfort to me.

I am addicted to it....If I don't sew every day, something, every day - even if it is just one block or two, I get a little cranky. It is a stress reliever for me as well, those of you who may have seen my 'chat' awhile ago understand. I find that these block swaps are great for my mind to focus on other things. I am always doing 'tester' items for my friends - check book covers, little draw-string bags, and the latest is a rolling placemat for work that will hold silverware. Since I have a pretty good stash, and lots of scraps, I have a nice selection of fabric in which to choose from.

If everything is going right and my stitches are half way decent, I love it, especially if I can watch television at the same time.

I absolutely agree! When my brother died several years ago, all I could do was quilt. I just didn't have enough hours in the day for all the quilting I felt I needed to do. It helped me get through a very tough time.

I love to put on my music CD's and sit and sew for a few hours each day. I am teaching myself, with the aid of DVD's, to Free Motion Quilt, so when the music is over, I put on a DVD and practice that for a while. I do my hand applique at night while watching TV with my other half. I am finally retired and can do my sewing when I want to. I do a lot of charity quilts so that is when I do most of my regular sewing. Gotta run, the machine is calling me.

I love to sew when things get overwhelming. Seems I never have 'me' time - we homeschool and I'm with the kids ALL the time - but when I sit and sew they usually go off and do their own thing - this morning they baked cookies!! And they were good!! :) I love my children and am so thrilled to have the chance to be home with them and we don't have any MAJOR issues - just need 'me' time... love it.