In episode 297, Kestrel welcomes Lizz Leral, the Executive Director of Quilting for Community, to the show. A nonprofit organization, Quilting For Community is focused on building community by teaching the art of quiltmaking.
“The act of focusing on such a small area of the world — nothing else exists in that little area but that piece of fabric, and whether you’re measuring or you’re cutting or you’re pressing — and my experience has been that when you’re in that state, the answers for the other questions come to you.” -Lizz
Over the last several years, I’ve been super curious about the links between activities we do with our hands and our mental health. I’ve read research about how quilting or other crafting activities can reduce overall stress and provide benefits for our mental health.
There’s this idea of being in the FLOW state, or this feeling of being entirely in the moment and hyper-focused, and in a sort of zone.
Amidst today’s world where speed reigns above all else in many circumstances, this is something that I find very interesting. According to books like Stolen Focus, we are having a harder and harder time accessing the flow state today – because we are constantly interrupted by a text or an email or a DM or whatever other random notification that comes through.
Or let’s be real – we also just get that urge to check our email or texts or IG or whatever, because most of us are addicted in one way or another to our tech.
In the book I mentioned, Stolen Focus, it’s explained that if you get interrupted while focusing on something, on average, it takes 23 minutes for you to get back into that state of focus.
But like I mentioned, certain HAND-ORIENTED activities can help transport us to that special place. One of them being – QUILTING.
This week’s guest has a powerful story that led her to quilting. After feeling the significant mental health benefits of it herself, she’s now found creative ways to share it with others through her nonprofit.
Quotes & links from the conversation:
“I know that it’s possible to do things and to have an impact on your community using the things that already exist. Sometimes people have an idea to do something, and what stops them is — oh, how can I afford this and I’m going to have to get all these things. And they go on Amazon and they add it all up, and they say: I can’t do it. And I think we’re missing that — look a little deeper; everything you need is here.” -Lizz (29:02)
“The relationship between quilting and wellbeing”, research from The Journal Of Public Health
The Third Place, mentioned by Lizz (the places you go when you aren’t at home or work)
Quilting For Community’s Website (access free quilting classes there)
Follow Quilting For Community on TikTok >
Follow Quilting For Community on Instagram >
S05 Episode 222 | SELINA SANDERS ON UPCYCLING, HOW FASHION CREATES CULTURE + HOW HER PHILIPPINE HERITAGE INFLUENCES THE BRAND'S AESTHETIC
S05 Episode 221 | ROOPA PEMMARAJU ON HONORING ARTISANS + THE CRAFTSMANSHIP OF INDIA
S05 Episode 220 | CHANELLE HARRIS OF NELLO VINTAGE ON STYLE (SELF) OVER FASHION (CONFORMITY)
S05 Episode 219 | DR. KIMBERLY MCGLONN OF GRANT BLVD ON SHIFTING FRAMEWORKS, DISRUPTION, PLEASURE + PROTECTING YOUR OPTIMISM
S05 Episode 218 | MAYA PENN, THE POWER OF HOPE + WHAT THE MAINSTREAM IS MISSING WHEN IT COMES TO LISTENING TO YOUNG ACTIVISTS
S05 Episode 217 | ETHICAL STYLE JOURNAL, DEEPENING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY + INFORMATION VS KNOWLEDGE
S05 Episode 216 | KIDS WORLDWIDE, THE POWER OF GIVING BACK TO EACH OTHER + WHAT KIDS SAY ABOUT THE PLANET AND OUR FUTURE
S05 Episode 215 | NYLAH'S NATURALS, PLANT-BASED TECH + THE IMPACT OF CONVENTIONAL HAIRCARE PRODUCTS ON BLACK WOMEN
S05 Episode 214 | ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR ISAIAS HERNANDEZ OF QUEER BROWN VEGAN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF FINDING YOUR NICHE + CREATING BOUNDARIES
S05 Episode 213 | REZA CRISTIÁN OF SUSTAIN THE MAG ON THE FUTURE OF MEDIA, RESOURCEFULNESS + SHIFTING THE SUSTAINABILITY NARRATIVE
S05 Episode 212 | COMET CHUKURA, GLOW + THE WHITE GAZE IN SUSTAINABLE FASHION
S05 Episode 211 | DIANDRA MARIZET, INTERSECTIONAL ENVIRONMENTALIST + THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSPECTIVE EVOLUTION
S04 Episode 210 | THE ROOT | Episode 6 | The New Standard
S04 Episode 209 | THE ROOT | Episode 5 | Where Do We Go From Here?
S04 Episode 208 | THE ROOT | Episode 4 | The Future Of Fashion
S04 Episode 207 | THE ROOT | Episode 3 | Racism In The Fashion Industry
S04 Episode 206 | THE ROOT | Episode 2 | The Power Of Privilege
S04 Episode 205 | THE ROOT | Episode 1 | Racism As A System
S04 Episode 204 | KAMEA CHAYNE OF GREEN DREAMER PODCAST ON THE NEED TO DECOLONIZE "ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION" + BUILD REGENERATIVE ACTIONS INTO OUR COLLECTIVE SUSTAINABILITY GOALS
S04 Episode 203 | MANPREET KAUR KALRA, THE WHITE-WASHING OF SOCIAL IMPACT + BUILDING INCLUSIVE BRAND NARRATIVES
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