Hello all, Mary Ellen here.

We all know that quilting is good for the soul. We do it for a variety of reasons-seldom, in this day and age, is it a necessity for warmth and shelter. We get more esoteric value from it. But most of this confidence that quilting is a “good thing” is just a “hunch”. No science to confirm it. … Until now.

At the guild meeting the other evening a friend shared an article from Prevention Magazine for me to use here at the blog. It’s from the June 2013 issue, and the article’s heading says “Medical research says: Put Some Fun in Your Summer…and the surprising reasons why you should”; the author is Sarah Mahoney.

Here’s the excerpt she thought we’d be interested in:

“FIND YOUR INNER FINGER PAINTER  While most of us gave up coloring by middle school, any creative endeavor–whether painting, writing, or photography; crafts, cooking, or gardening–”is about as close to childhood play as many of us get,” says Dr. Saxbe. For example, researchers at the University of Glasgow, in the UK, studied quilters and report that in addition to the well-being that comes from the sense of flow of their craft, the women get mood boosts from the colors of the fabrics used.”

So the next time the urge to splurge in the quilt shop hits you, remember it’s just what the doctor ordered.