Photo above was shot by John Ater with Katie Stosic wearing a hooded infinity scarf that I designed & knit back in 2010.
Since I was a little kid growing up, I’ve always loved creating things with my hands-especially fashion. As I got older I read about people I idolized and how they used substances to be “more creative”. I held that myth close for many, many years and after a few long islands (I know) I couldn’t wait to run home and knit.
The problem was that I woke up the next morning and it looked like my yarn stash had been robbed and someone had tried to knit a bad abstract art piece.
I eventually got off that roller coaster in large part because I realized I hadn’t done anything creative from 24-26. Two years after a lifetime of sketching and knitting and sewing non stop was a long time.
I have to remind myself to slow down, take my time and really think about what I’m trying to say with each piece or project. I also get inspired then have A MILLION MORE IDEAS THAT I NEED TO KNIT RN.
A few things I’ve tried this month that have worked out well for me:
-all yarn goes away except for the current project.
-I use Pinterest to organize ideas and create boards for projects I’d like to do next (@ryandebonville)
-sketching
-go to Lowe’s or Home Depot and look at paint swatches. (Also Pantone color books!!)
What are some of the tools that you use to make your creative practice feel productive?