Last week Aleteia, an on-line magazine I read, had an article about reasons to do traditional patchwork. It talked about many ways that it can improve your life.
The five reasons really resonated with me. I’ve needlepointed for almost fifty years, since I wasn’t even 14. It’s provided me solace in my most difficult times. It’s provided mediatative relaxation when I’m troubled and stressed. It’s kept me from being frustrated and angry. It’s kept me from boredom and fueled my creativity/ And it’s allowed me to make so many things for myself and my family. These things commemorate events and items that are special to us and add beauty to our lives.
How has needlepoint improved your life?
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
I’ve been stitching since I was 11, so almost as long as you! My mom’s an RN and several years ago got her copy of the AMA magazine. In it was an article about the benefits of needlework – in all it’s forms – and the results of a 20 year study they had conducted about the correlation between needlework and your blood pressure. Bottom line: One you get past the angst and frustration of learning, needlework not helps to lower your blood pressure; it helps to maintain the lower bp as you ply and hone your craft. The article gave my mom the giggles because my ‘normal’ bp is already lower than what the medical profession considers ‘normal,’ but not to the point were it requires medication to regulate. I’ve also known a few people who took up needlework (in their case, knitting) and after 18 months was being weened off her bp meds and after 5 years no longer needed them. Everyone’s different, so for some it might not even take that long, for others longer….and I’m sure there may even be some who might not be able to come off them at all but are able to take a reduced dosage.
Great information, thanks!
Keep stitching,
Janet