Quilting Therapy - Physical
Quilting is theraputic to many people in many ways. Quilting, by hand or machine, can possibly help some people with their recovery from an injury, ailment or surgery. Many people have told me stories about how they believe quilts and/or quilting has helped them recover from a physical difficulty. I would like to share a few of these stories with you.
One of my dear quilters suffered from a stroke. Her family began by comforting her with one of the quilts she had made. When they noted her reaction to being covered by the quilt, they showed her pictures of other quilts she had made and brought pieces of fabric to her. Her reaction was positive. She began by fondling the fabric with her fingers and tried talking about the prints. Her family members, with their love and patience, brought her to some local quilt shows and sparked conversation about the works of art on display. Soon she was asking for help to sew squares together and eventually was back to creating her beautiful quilts again. Her family says her love for quilts allowed a speedy recovery.
A friend of mine had a knuckle replaced ( makes me think about a teeny, tiny knee! ) then fell and injured his other arm. He is an avid quilter and missed working on his projects. As he began to play with fabric and built up the strength and mobility needed to begin quilting again, his physical therapy moved along quickly.
A woman I know began piecing by hand to build up strength after surgery on both of her wrists. She says it helped tremendously.
One of my favorite stories is from the quilter who brought a beautiful and very large quilt for me to quilt for her. She explained that this was her cancer quilt and she had gotten carried away with the size. She began working on the medallion in the center of the quilt when she found out that she had cancer. She continued to work outward from the medallion through her illness and her recovery. It is very interesting to see how her work and the tone of the quilt changed throughout the ordeal. She said the quilt helped get her through this difficult time in her life.
Whatever your reason for quilting, keep quilting. If you have taken a "break" from quilting, find a way to get back to quilting. You are good for quilting and I do believe quilting is good for you!
I wish you healthy and
Happy Quilting,
Laurel