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Imagine this: You’ve had your Silhouette, Cricut, Glowforge, or xTool machine for a while now.
You’ve made it all: t-shirts, cups, cards, wood signs, doormats, ornaments, decals, and so on.
Perhaps you run a business and are getting burned out making the same set of products over and over again?
If you’ve been feeling in a rut with your crafting lately, let’s change your mindset and get rid of your crafter’s block!
Today, I’m sharing 10 ways that I use to get my creative juices flowing and my mind back in the game.
Table of Contents
10 Ways to Overcome Crafter’s Block
Window Shop at Home Decor and Craft Stores
No need to buy anything, I usually use my phone camera to take pictures of things that inspire me. My personal favorites are: Homegoods, At Home, Michaels, and Joanns.
Flip through the Latest Magazines and Catalogs
They don’t have to be craft related. In fact, I wrote a whole post on how I use magazines and catalogs for inspiration. If you don’t subscribe to any, head to your library or local bookstore.
Browse Pinterest
It’s a no brainer for inspiration! Use caution though – Pinterest can become a rabbit hole and suck away your whole day!
Head to a Craft Show, Co-op, or Market
If there’s one going on in your area – head there. When I’m looking for inspiration for my own crafting, I usually skip the small talk with crafters and just browse. Be sure to ask before taking any photos, as it hurts some crafter’s feelings.
Redo a Previous Project or Finish a Project You Started
You know the ones I’m talking about: That crooked sign you made when you first got your machine or that glass etching that didn’t turn out the way you had hoped it would. Redo it and use your experience to make it better.
Or, maybe you’ve got a nagging project you started ages ago – now’s the time to finish it.
Clean your Craft Room
I’m just as guilty as the next crafter – I buy things at craft stores and then stash them away. When I clean my space I rediscover the things I’ve previously bought. (Oh, buying supplies without a purpose is a big money waster for small businesses.)
Take a Craft Class
Whether you choose online or in person, doing one crafty thing usually leads me to more and more ideas.
Create with Your Kids
There’s that old saying about nothing is the same when seeing it through the eyes of a child. When I’m lacking creativity, I turn my kids loose in my craft space for a while. Sometimes by watching and helping them, it sparks my own ideas. But, be prepared for the mess!
Get Together with Crafty Friends
Plan an afternoon or night together to share crafty ideas over dinner out. No actual crafting needed, just bounce ideas off of each other.
It helps to come prepared with inspiration on your phone. This way, you’ll be talking crafts the whole time and not searching your phone.
Pack It Up for a While
As much as I hate to say it, sometimes the best thing for me to do is to lock my craft room doors for a few days and stay away. In my time away, I do anything but think about crafts.
Tell me in the comments: How do you get over crafter’s block?
Since 2015, Christine Schinagl has been helping crafters start and run craft businesses through her blog, Cutting for Business. As a Silhouette and Cricut crafter herself, she has a unique take on what works and what doesn’t work in the craft business world. She also enjoys teaching other crafters how to create digital SVG designs, available through the Design with Me series.
Julie Steed
Sunday 21st of April 2024
Christine, Just had time to read this article on crafters block! I'm going to try 4 & 5. It's getting nicer weather here in Ohio and some of the outdoor craft shows are coming here in May and boy do I have projects that are sitting with all the parts and just need finished up! One in particular from Lycia Evanoff class that just needs the change put on to hang the stained glass tulip in my window! What a perfect time for this one since the sun is coming back! Thanks!
Christine Schinagl, Cutting for Business
Monday 22nd of April 2024
Great news! Lycia will be excited!