First, quilting isn’t even a hobby. It is more a way of life that started as a hobby. But that aside, I was chatting with a woman at the pool yesterday and I mentioned quilting. She responded that quilts are nice (just nice?) but making them seems boring and lonely. 

Lonely? Anything but…

Sure, there are times I am alone in my sewing room, cutting or stitching or quilting or designing. But those moments are a welcome break from the hectic pace of everyday life. I treasure that down time and it is quite rare. That time is soothing and help clear my mind and give me time to think. I often joke that quilting prevents me from drinking too much, but maybe there is some truth to that. 

More than that, quilting is as social as you make it. I met one of my BFF’s, Jen, on a quilting forum 15 years ago as we swapped fabrics. All this time later our husbands are friends, our kids are like cousins, we quilt together and vacation together and celebrate life’s moments together – and I couldn’t imagine not having the Grays in my life. Between guilds, classes, visiting quilt shops, retreats and social media, I would classify quilting as one of the most social hobbies there are. 

More recently I have made other quilty friends at HandiQuilter Academy. We text, we share tips and ask questions, and visits are being planned. Ther ware a weak others that I have been keeping in touch with on Facebook. This is in addition to being able to walk into my “home” shop, City Quilter, and strike up a conversation with the owners, or chatting with other artisans as quilt shows, or all of the support and enjoyment I receive (and hope I give) on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and on this blog. 

I think most hobbies can be as social as you make them. But quilting is one that I find inherently social as a key component. To be honest, I feel like you’d have to intentionally not communicate and shut yourself off for this to be a solitary hobby. But maybe it’s just me.