We’ve all been there. We’ve all faced it: the dreaded crafter’s block. Much like its literary counterpart writer’s block, it’s that feeling you get when you’re desperate to get crafting, but have no idea what to make or where to start. This article is full of ideas, tips, and resources to help get you out of that creative rut.
Use what you have
Quite often the solution to our crafter’s block is actually right in front of us. I think it must be a universal truth that every crafter has, somewhere, a stash of materials they haven’t got around to using yet. Take a look through your stash, and you may rediscover some exciting project idea that you’d forgotten all about and only had one or two of the materials for, or a stock of materials that you’d bought but had yet to find a use for.
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Going through your existing supplies and planning new craft projects based on what you already have is a great way to get inspiration. You may have to pick up a few extra pieces from the craft shop to finish it off, but you likely already have some of what you need.
Consult the experts
Does your favourite craft store have a blog on their website? Maybe it’s been a while since you checked out your favourite craft bloggers or YouTubers? Or maybe you have yet to discover a favourite? There is some really amazing content out there, by crafters who really know their stuff. Reading their blogs, watching their videos, or browsing their Instagram feeds is a great way to find crafting inspiration and discover new project ideas. Who knows, there might even be a few articles right here on The Artistry that kick-start your creativity!
YouTube videos are particularly useful because they can show you exactly how something should look, whether that’s the materials you need, the finished project, the process of making it, or all three! Plus, many of these crafty content creators will have had a lot of experience with the medium that they are showing you, and can offer extremely helpful tips and tricks for getting the most out of it, and all the do’s and don’ts.
If there is a particular craft brand that you are really into (such as Cricut, Singer, Faber-Castell, etc.), checking out their own websites and social media is also a great way to get inspired, as they will usually have a blog or a section of their site dedicated to projects and crafting inspiration.
Try something new
Sometimes the best way to beat crafter’s block is to dive into completely unknown territory and get out of your comfort zone. What better way to do that than by trying a completely new craft or art medium that you’ve never touched before? Most craft shops will offer starter kits in a variety of crafts, and you can also find them online. You could try your hand at pyrography, embossing, crochet, metal stamping, embroidery, screen printing, lino cutting, or a million other things! There are bound to be some crafts you haven’t tried yet, so now is the perfect time to get started.
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Another way to get started in a new craft or on a new project is by signing up to a craft subscription box. Their curators will send you mystery craft projects in the post, which is a great way to start a new project without the bother of planning it out and gathering the materials. Everything will be sent straight to your door! However, these subscription boxes can be quite pricey, so just make sure that it is worth it for you before signing up.
Scroll for inspiration
One of the easiest ways to get inspired is by checking out the projects that other people have worked on or designed. Searching for some key words or hashtags on Pinterest and Instagram and going for a little scroll is a great way to find project ideas that you can replicate or be inspired by. On Creative Fabrica, there are loads of great illustrations, SVG cut files, patterns, and more that you can use in your next project. One of my favourite ways to find inspiration is by searching for some key themes on Creative Fabrica and discovering all the amazing designs on offer from artists around the world.
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You can search by materials you have, themes or aesthetics that you love, or even new things that you want to try! You can easily spend a few hours looking through some of the beautiful projects and ideas available online. Whether you want to find ideas for bullet journaling, stone painting, cute embroidery, felt crafts, or anything else, there is inspiration out there for everything and everyone, if you just know what keywords to type into that search bar to find it.
You can also do this the old fashioned way by flipping through a craft magazine from your local shop! This is a great option as well because they often come with little freebies to add to your craft stash.
Recreate your favourites
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Was there a project you made once that you really enjoyed? Or maybe there’s a project you’ve seen or a work of art you love, but never thought about making it yourself – or something inspired by it? Now is your chance to change that! Reworking old ideas is a great way to improve on something you already do well, get new ideas to make it even better, or just to remind yourself why you love making things in the first place. Similarly, taking inspiration from works of art that you admire is great practice too. You could make classic paintings like Starry Night out of Hama beads or embroidery, or you could sculpt miniature Davids out of clay. There is nothing wrong with making something unoriginal. All of the greats honed their craft by copying their predecessors and by making lots of the same thing!
Make bad art
Sometimes, the only thing holding us back is our fear of failure. Throw caution to the wind and start a project with no intention of making it perfect – only of making it. Allow yourself to make mistakes and mess things up! This can be an incredibly liberating experience, as well as good practice. Even if the craft you make is terrible, you will have made something, and it will give you some idea of how to do it better next time.
These are just a few tried and tested methods of getting some craft inspiration – do you have any other tricks that you use? Let us know in the comments below!
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