The moderator shared with Bored Panda that over the last few years, there's been a broadening of members at all quilting skill levels which, in turn, makes the community more welcoming. In short, it's not as intimidating to share your own work when it's not just grandmasters to who you compare your work to.

"In the 4 years I’ve been on the subreddit, there has definitely been an influx of new quilters putting out maybe their first or second quilt. When I joined in 2017, it seemed like a lot of experienced quilters who were posting show quality pieces, which I think can intimidate new people to see 30 years of experience when they’re just starting out. Now, we have a mix of skill sets and experience levels and everyone is generally supportive whether it’s your second quilt or one hundred and second," the moderator said to Bored Panda.

Getting started when you know nothing about quilting is the most frequently asked question that the moderators deal with. "We usually recommend people check out our resources on our Subreddit Wiki; it gives project ideas, directions about techniques, links to step-by-step beginner tutorials videos, and more!" they mod kindly told Bored Panda.

"Personally, I recommend beginners start with a simple checkerboard of patchwork, which is made even easier with charm packs (5” squares of precut fabric); this way a new quilter doesn’t need to invest in the various tools of quilting, which can be pretty spendy if it’s your first project," they told me what a good way to start for someone completely new to the craft is.

Though learning quilting from someone is person can't be matched, in the digital age (and especially during the pandemic), the internet is chock full of great resources and tutorials as well. "I personally learned to quilt from my mom. I always advocate for live learning when possible, so you can get feedback and ask questions. With the current state of the world, that’s a lot harder though! The Internet age has definitely given a huge rise in video tutorials for newbies who maybe don’t have access to a beginner quilting class, for whatever reason, as well as offering skill refreshers or new techniques to experienced quilters."

Finally, I was intrigued to get the moderator's take on finding lost passion for the craft and reinvigoration one's love for quilting. Moving past creative blocks (whatever your hobby might be!) is incredibly difficult and I'm sure that many of you Pandas have been there.

"We get this question a lot too. I’ve been quilting for over ten years and have blocks all the time. There are tons of ways to re-inspire yourself! Check out local quilt shops, go to a quilt show, browse on Pinterest for new ideas, reorganize your fabric, check out new pattern books at the library."

The mod also shared what they do to re-inspire themselves. "My technique is to have a small fun project to ease back into it when I’m not feeling inspired. I tend to make small seasonal quilts to hang in my foyer: they’re achievable, affordable, and time-sensitive. That said, I also have a Christmas one that I started in December 2020 never got done. Maybe it’ll be done for the last day of Christmas in July for 2021!"

Currently, the r/quilting community had nearly 79k crafts-loving members who are proud to share what they’ve been working on. The patterns and designs are stunning. And I’m blown away by the amount of time these redditors have put into their projects.

We’ve all got our hobbies that we’re most passionate about, but this level of skill is making me think of switching my spare time to quilting. At least to try it out for a while.

Quilting isn’t just a fun activity—it has its own very practical side. Who here doesn’t like being all snuggly while it’s raining or snowing outside and you’ve got your hands wrapped around a big steaming mug of tea (or hot chocolate!)? Personally, I’m a huge fan of feelin’ comfy.

If I can wrap myself in a large quilt that’s been made with love and looks fantastic, I definitely will. The alternative is a blanket and while that’s all very well and good (especially if you knit it yourself!), it just doesn’t create the same atmosphere, does it?

However, quilting’s power goes beyond the cozy and the aesthetic. Researcher Virginia A. Dickie looked at quilting as a potentially therapeutic activity. Virginia analyzed whether the therapeutic aspects of quilting were part of the dialogue in quilting in North Carolina. She found that quilting as therapy fell under two broad categories depending on the way in which it was used.

“Ultimately two types of a self-generated therapeutic use of quilt making were identified—mundane and exceptional. Mundane therapy was part of women's daily routines, whereas exceptional therapy was taken up in response to difficult events or times in people's lives,” the researcher explains.

So there you have it. Beautiful, practical, and a way to improve your mental health. Quilting seems to have it all and r/quilting is a great way to celebrate a deep craft, the benefits of which are broader than it might first seem.