Basic quilting is a practical hobby, especially around the holidays, but it also fosters creativity and boosts mental health. Whether you’re an intermittent or advanced quilter, here are some of the health benefits you get to enjoy.

3 Ways Basic Quilting Is Good for Your Health

1. Stress Relief

In many cases, relieving stress involves forgetting about it through physical or mental activity. Quilting requires focus, and its repetitive motions provide a form of meditation. While engaging your brain, it relaxes tense muscles throughout your body and gives you a sense of accomplishment when the project is finished.

2. Improved Hand-Eye Coordination

Threading a small needle, combined with the motions of stitching fabric, improves hand-eye coordination. Sewing and quilting are even used to improve fine motor skills in students preparing for dental school.

3. Reduced Risk of Dementia

Quilting utilizes math to calculate fabric and thread needs and applies geometric shapes to patterns. It also inspires creativity when planning designs and color schemes. Considering how quilting stimulates the brain, it’s no surprise that researchers have found that those who do it regularly are 45% less likely to develop dementia or other cognitive impairments.

Whether you’re an advanced quilter or looking for basic quilting classes, turn to The Maui Quilt Shop in Kihei, HI, for all your needs. They create their own quilt kits from a variety of patterns and provide colorful fabrics, yarns, and gifts for any occasion. If you’re new to quilting, try their beginner’s class. It offers the history of Hawaiian quilting and instruction on the needle-turn appliqué technique, plus you get to take home the piece you create in class. Call (808) 874-8050 to sign up for a class, or visit the website to learn more about their inventory. You can also find more project inspiration on their Facebook page.