Sewing and Mental Health

Over the years I have come to realise just how much sewing and other crafts help with improving mental health and wellbeing. It all began back in 2020, we were all going through a lot then with so much worry and uncertainty. Part of my coping strategy was to turn to my crafts as a distraction. I was working on my Patchwork of the Crosses quilt which is an EPP quilt by Lucy Boston and I was using a monthly kit from Sew and Quilt.

The repetition of basting and sewing the shapes together was so calming. I felt safe in a world of patchwork shapes which was predictable, unlike the world around me. It had such a profound impact on me that I made a video for my Youtube channel about it. I opened myself up which felt scary but I was so glad I did. The outpouring of comments from others who had experienced the same thing was enormous. I learned that creating had helped so many people through dark times and I knew I wasn't alone. Since then, the positive impact of creating on wellbeing and mental health is talked about a lot and I am so glad it is. More and more people are aware of its benefits and in an ever chaotic and unpredictable world, more and more of us are turning to crafts as a way to calm down, regulate ourselves and just feel good. This journey has taught me that yes, you do get a sense of satisfaction and achievement when you complete a project, but it is the journey and process towards that which means far much more and leaves lasting positive effects. There are links below to some of the videos I have made on this subject if you'd like to see more.

After going through another difficult, personal time, in 2022 I turned to a quilt as you go hexagon project to help me through. The idea was that each hexagon would be different, either using a different fabric that has a beautiful print on it, an embroidery or appliqué, or repurposing a vintage embroidered linen. The variety in the quilt makes it such an interesting project to work on and someone in the comments of my videos about it suggested I call it a happy memories quilt and I loved the name. I now view each hexagon as a way to document memories, so I embroidered a cuckoo flower on one hexagon to remind me of picking wildflowers with my son and I made a Peter Rabbit block to remind me of a trip to Hilltop House. The project sparked a lot of interest and so many people joined in and made one too. I have a whole playlist on my channel you can take a look at if you'd like to find out more and some templates in the free section of my website too.

I hope you enjoyed reading this little post and that if you have ever struggled you know that you aren't alone. If things feel difficult and you just need some time to yourself, try picking up a needle and thread and make something simple. Whilst it can't solve anything, it might just make you feel a little bit better in the moment and spark a new creative journey for you.

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