Utah State University found that making art can reduce stress. After creating art, they saw that about 75% of people in the study had lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone.
Positive Psychology reports,
“Making progress towards personally meaningful goals is the scaffolding upon which healthy self-confidence is built.”
from American Psychological Association : Sewing, such as making a quilt, requires the ability to do small, exact movements repeatedly. The more you do, the easier it gets. If you continue, it can help you keep your fine motor skills sharp as you get older.
Also from APA: Don’t forget, you’ll spend lots of time using your feet to make the sewing machine sew. This must mean that it builds foot-eye coordination, too. SewCanSHE adds: Let’s make the argument that machine sewing makes you a better driver!
There was one point they made with which I disagreed. They said that garment construction could be somewhat stressful, because of the added need to make something that fits. Okay. But then they argued that other sewing doesn't have that stress in it, and gave the example that "a quilt always fits". Um, these people have not made many quilts! LOL! You are "fitting" all the time. And I think that would be true for knitting and crochet patterns, for photography, for delicate painting, etc. So, I don't think we can say there is zero stress when we're creative. But it is usually very happy stress, and satisfying to master.
What will be challenging you and your brain in April?