It happens to the best of us. Some days you just don’t have that creative spark, that little voice that says, “Do this next!” Sometimes that little voice appears to have packed its bags and headed off to Aruba without you, and now you’re stuck, staring at your stash and thinking, “What the heck am I going to do now?” You’re in a creative slump, babe, and coffee and chocolate won’t fix it (this time). We so know how this feels, and so do some of our friends who actually get to sew for a living! How do they get past the stitchy doldrums? Gen Q staffer Scott Hansen (also of Blue Nickel Studios) asked some of our fave Q-Celebs what gets them un-stuck when the creative juices just won’t flow, and here’s what they had to share:
The totally talented and apparently fearless fabric and pattern designer Bari J. Ackerman says:
“When I get ‘stuck’ on a creative project I tend to do what I’d call motoring through. I pretend the end result doesn’t matter and just improvise until I get somewhere. If it requires a seam ripper or a re-do, so be it. I try to give myself the freedom to be ‘wrong’ in order to be ‘right.’”
Blogger and Quilt Dude, Ryan Walsh tells us this set of distractions works well for him:
“Whenever I’m stuck on a project I like to give myself a little break. I’ll set the project aside for a few minutes and read a magazine or listen to some music, give myself a little distraction. I find that the ‘quilting area’ of my brain needs to be reset every now and then. Accessing other areas for a few minutes helps me come back to the project I’m working on with a refreshed mindset to work through the hang up.”
Fabric designer Jennifer Paganelli has one word for her un-sticking device: “Sequins” (although I dare say that some glitter might make it in there too.)
“Great question. When I’m stuck in a creative area, I pick up hand sewing immediately because when I start to see some movement there on a small scale, it propels me into larger projects. It’s also a time of quiet contemplation where the mind is seeking refuge. (And) sequins always do it for me.”
Amanda Jennings of Mrs. Mcporkchop fame stated first that she’s not famous, but I convinced her that she was and then she finally broke down and gave me this great list of “restarters.”
“When I feel stuck on a project I do one of three things.
1. Chop (her husband and best friend) and I go for a drive. We love back roads, listening to old country music and just DRIVING. I like being able to just look at the window and talk his ear off about what is going right with sewing and what is going wrong. I’m constantly inspired by just being OUTSIDE so normally when I come home, I feel refreshed.
2. I do something physical. I love Wii boxing, yoga, weeding…even 20 minutes on the treadmill. Sometimes you just physically need to sweat, be distracted by it and then realize the creative block isn’t so big.
3. Refill the well. My friend Mati mentions refilling her creative well and that metaphor really works for me. Why am I stuck? Am I trying too hard? Is there something else on my mind? Things just not looking ‘right?’ At this point I think I’ve depleted my well of creativity and I have to do something completely different to refill it. Drives, working out, taking photos, painting, anything BUT working on the project. You have to be inspired and happy to create joyful things!”
And last, the gorgeous and talented night owl, Alexia Abegg of Green Bee Patterns has this to say about getting past that “what do I do now?” feeling with setting things aside and, if nothing else, catching Mulder and Scully chasing down “something” late at night.
“When I’m experiencing a creative block, and nothing is quite coming together, it usually means I’m working at a time of day that is against my nature. Creatively, I am a night person. A substantial portion of my work is most fluidly accomplished between the hours of 1:30 p.m. and 3 a.m.! I tend to be more decisive and inspired during those hours. Of course, life doesn’t always accommodate that schedule, and there are times when even at my best hours, I’m just stuck. When that happens, I set the project aside, work on something completely unrelated and pick up the project again when inspiration hits. And if procrastination doesn’t work, I can always rely on a box of Good & Plenty and an episode of the X-Files at two o’clock in the morning to help me push through the creative block!”
Have a good question for our celebs? Let us know. Have a celeb you’d like to see in our next roundup? Let us know that too—we’re here to find out what you want to know. Send your ideas for celebs or questions to scott@generationqmagazine.com. And don’t forget to leave us a comment and tell us what you do to get yourself unstuck creatively. Because we’re running out of coffee and chocolate over here.
COMMENT #1
Oh dear! I hope you’re not REALLY running out of chocolate! The HORROR of it all!
When I get stuck, I often find that doing something – even just one block – to donate to a cause, will get me going again.
I do also switch back & forth between artsy-craftsy things – I’ve recently learned how to read & follow a crochet pattern, so I can make a few other things besides scarves. I’ll get out my “big” camera & go take pictures. Aren’t digital cameras the best? Total instant gratification. I’ll wander around Blogland, or even just read or watch TV. NCIS is probably on somewhere….
COMMENT #2
I find that changing up the creative discipline can also help… if I’m stuck on a quilt, perhaps I’ll work on a garment or a bag, or break out the the knitting (I keep yarn on hand for baby hats for a local NICU – this is my default “busy hands in front of the TV” stuff when I’m out of binding to work on!) – or I’ll piece something very simple and mindless. I seem to need my hands to be moving somehow in order for my brain to float.