Quilt Runes: Why Quilt Runes?
All About Quilt Runes
Welcome to the second post of my blog series about Quilt Runes. Quilt Runes is a term I made up to name the collection of mini quilts I’ve been working on since 2020. The quilt patterns of the collection are inspired by Nordic Runes.
The goal of this blog series is to give you a little more information about both Nordic Runes and Quilt Runes. About what they are, why you might use them, and how you might use them. I am by no means an expert of Nordic Runes but I would love to share what I know and the resources I’ve learned from.
This post will be the “why” part of the series. I’ll cover why I decided to design quilts inspired by runes, why you might want to make a Quilt Rune, and the importance of hobby and craft in our lives.
Why We Quilt
Have you ever thought of crafting as a form of healing? Quilting and other hand crafts can be a way to explore your intuitive side, to practice self-care, and to find peace of mind.
This aspect of quilting is not what initially drew me into the hobby, but it is undoubtedly one of the most important parts that keeps me around. I wasn’t always aware of it, I figured it out the hard way, and for may reasons, I’m glad I did.
Why I Decided to Make Quilt Patterns Inspired by Runes
It all started as a project of self exploration. I was thinking about my Scandinavian heritage and came across an image of a Circle of Healing Runes. I loved the shapes of the runes and loved the idea of focusing on certain aspect of life for healing.
After some digging I found that the image was from a book called The Healing Runes by Ralph H. Blum and Susan Loughan. The book was written in the 1990s through a lens of helping people recover from grief, trauma, PTSD, addiction, etc. and I found it very interesting.
The list of Runes covered a lot of the aspects of life I wanted to ponder, and their aesthetic gave me so many ideas for quilt designs, I knew I had to do something.
As a mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend I was feeling, at times, as if I was forgetting myself. Not that I forgot I existed but that I didn’t know what I needed, wanted, and liked anymore. So, in an attempt to investigate that I decided to go through the list and put some real thought and energy into each.
This turned into creating a mini quilt design for each aspect and meditating on them during the physical making process. As of this writing, I have twelve Runes designed, eight Quilt Rune patterns released, two pattern extensions to help you combine the mini quilts into throw-sized quilts, and about twelve more to go.
Why You Might Want To Make A Quilt Rune
My hope with this series of mini quilt patterns was to provide you with something that would be both fun and helpful in some way.
Imagine you’re feeling like you need to work on your patience (goodness knows I do!). Why not make a little wall hanging, and think about how you can add more patience into your life while you’re making it. Then the finished product could be a reminder of what you’d like to accomplish.
Or maybe you have a friend who is going through a tough time. You could make them a quilt imbued with hope to help them feel loved and more confident.
Ultimately, the idea is to add a little extra something to your projects with specific intentions, making them feel more special.
Why Quilting (and All Craft) is Important
In addition to mixing special intention into craftwork, it’s important to note that the handwork itself can be therapeutic for so many reasons. The act of creating something with your own two hands has numerous benefits for our well-being.
Of course, the most obvious benefit, working with your hands is a great way to relieve stress. Engaging in a hands-on activity can be a form of meditation (think hand quilting!), as it requires focus and concentration on the task at hand. This allows your mind to take a break from the constant stimulation of screens and technology and can leave you feeling refreshed and calm.
Working with your hands also provides a sense of accomplishment and pride. When you create that quilt with your own hands, you have a tangible result of your efforts. This can be incredibly satisfying and can boost your self-esteem and confidence.
With that in mind, I see the Quilt Runes pattern collection as a way to intentionally spend time doing something that simultaneously brings you joy and pride, relieves stress, and allows you to meditate on something that could help you or another.
Continuing Your Quilting Journey
Who knew that quilting and handcrafts could be magical doorways to self-discovery, relaxation, and mindfulness? I hope that this blog post has sparked some creativity for you and that you give a Quilt Rune pattern a chance.
Letting your hands and mind dive into the world of handcrafting can calm your nerves, give you a sense of satisfaction, and make you feel like a quilting champ. Quilt Runes give you A chance to focus on what matters most and let the magic of quilting work its charm.
