Stressed? Try cross-stitching
Did you know that cross-stitching can be a means of stress relief? In a rapid-paced environment where deadlines need to be met and schedules have to be followed, the activity can be an effective means of relaxation. “The bonus,” says Michelle Calaquian, marketing services manager of DMC, “is that it is a craft that everyone can enjoy. A project does not need to be perfect all the time, but it gives cross-stitchers a means of expressing their creativity. In addition, there is a sense of accomplishment when one is able to finish a project.”
Cross-stitch is a form of embroidery where x-shaped stitches are made on a piece of cloth to form various patterns. “Of these patterns, the most popular are the landscapes,” says Michelle. This is perhaps because the rustic sceneries allow people to visualize where they would rather be. To escape the din of city living, people quietly stitch away on patterns that allow them to imagine that they are elsewhere. The activity requires little physical exertion and does not require deep thinking or excessive mental effort. Thus, one can rest and think without being physically idle. Although some men indulge in the hobby, more women are more involved with cross-stitching. Contemporary and young designs like those of Disney characters also get younger people interested in the craft.
In the past, the DMC thread brand has held stitching workshops for seven- to 10-year-olds. “The craft helps youngsters develop longer attention spans,” shares Michelle. She recounts that although the children were initially impatient when they first started on their projects, they eventually became engrossed in the work as the patterns became more distinct. “The craft is a means of teaching patience, perseverance, and discipline,” she says.
In light of a Self-Nurture Survey commissioned by Minneapolis-based bath, body and home fragrance products company called The Thymes Limited, cross-stitching could be an effective relaxation activity for women. The Self-Nurture Survey, part of The Thymes Limited’s “Take Thymes for Yourself” public awareness campaign created with Dr. Alice Domar, PhD, showed that “hundreds of women admit that they take relatively little time to nurture themselves, even though they know that to do so would be healthier and prolong their lives.”
The experts recommend that women take some time for themselves for well-deserved time-off from caring for their families and busy lives. Taking up a hobby gives women time off from the drudgery of household chores or the stress that comes with rising in the corporate setting. Cross-stitching is just one other simple alternative to ease another of our modern pressures: diminishing time.
* * *
DMC Creative World SM Megamall is at the lower ground floor of Bldg. A, EDSA, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, with telephone number 632-9978. DMC Creative World SM Southmall is at the ground floor, east wing, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas City with telephone number 802-1009. There are free cross. stitch lessons at DMC SM Megamall every Tuesday at 5 p.m.Call 632-9978 for reservations.
