Things are tough.  So many of us are struggling to keep everything together and our mental health is under unprecedented strain.  Now, more than ever, we need something to hold on to. The process of Sewing can distract your mind away from all the negative stuff flying around your head and gently lead it to calmer waters and something more restorative.

• Get Creative: There’s nothing like that initial spark of inspiration to kick start some positivity.  Filling your mind with the limitless possibilities you can create.  Trouble sleeping? Think about your fabric and pattern stash or the next steps in your project, much better than counting sheep!

• Exercise your brain power:  Sewing involves a fair bit of mental arithmetic, working out how much fabric you need, figuring out what size to cut, playing pattern Tetris when cutting and using less than the pattern packet says all take a bit of mathematical juggling.
• Distract your thoughts: Sewing takes a lot of concentration, there isn’t room to think about anything else.  The longer you focus on what you’re doing the further away the worries are going to get.

• Boost your confidence:  Even if you only get chance to sew one seam it’s a positive step forward. By the time you’ve finished you really need to pat yourself on the back. You’ve performed a feat of magic, taking a length of fabric and some paper and created something beautiful!

There’s a lovely article in the guardian about the calming effects of Sewing

For a more in depth look, the Brigstow Institute at the University of Bristol has published a research project: “Sewing-as-therapy” Past and Present

Well worth a read

Happy Sewing!