Inspiration Knitting Blog

How knitting enriches your life : Inspiration

Part Two: Inspiration✨ 

Raise your hand if you’ve ever lost your knitting mojo.🙋🏼‍♀️

We’ve all been there, and man, is it a bummer! When I lose my knitting mojo, it’s a safe bet that I also feel less-than-inspired in other areas of my life.

This is the part of the story where knitting saves the day.

Fixing a general lack of inspiration in your life can be daunting. But finding inspiration in your knitting? Well, that feels figure-outable!

Here’s where it gets really good: inspiration doesn’t like to stay in a box. When you reignite the joy and nurture creativity in your knitting, it will flow into every other area of your life, providing creative solutions for and shining a new light on problems and projects that have been weighing on you. 

Here are some suggestions for reigniting and keeping the flame of creativity alive:

  •  Explore new techniques, patterns, and fibers
    • Try doing this in small chunks. Knit up a swatch (or a baby hat – they’re wonderful to experiment with, and you can always find a good home for them!) using a new technique or a yarn you’ve never knit.
  • Attend workshops or join a knitting class
  • Pull your knitting books down from the shelf
    • Flip through them while enjoying a cup of tea. (The cup of tea is entirely optional, but a nice addition, don’t ya think?)
  • Rediscover the hidden gems in your yarn stash
    • Take some time to squeeze the yarn and appreciate the different textures. Create some fun pairings for a someday project.
    • If you have a large stash, just grab a few skeins – whatever catches your eye! This should be a fun experiment, not an exercise in overwhelm.
    • If you have amazing self-restraint and have yet to accumulate a stash, I salute you! You can find fiber inspiration at your local yarn shop or take a virtual shopping trip online.
  • Knit for a cause
    • Consider knitting for charitable organizations. Knowing your knitting has a purpose beyond yourself can be a wonderful motivator.
  • Join a Mystery Knit-Along
    • One of the comments I frequently hear during The Twelve Days of Knitmas MKAL is that it helped knitters reclaim their knitting mojo. Something about the mystery and community aspect helps us immerse ourselves in our knitting.
  • Participate in a knitting community
    • If you don’t have a knitting community (local or online), this is your official invitation to be a part of the Nomadic Knits knitting community.💕 You can join us on Facebook and Ravelry.
    • Being around other knitters and seeing their work can be a great source of inspiration and information!

Last but not least, my favorite source of inspiration:

  • Do something that isn’t knitting
    • WHAT?! Something other than knitting? Yes. Bonus points if it’s something you aren’t particularly good at. When I lose my knitting mojo or need an extra dose of inspiration, I sometimes:
      • crochet
      • Bargello
      • cross-stitch
      • play around with watercolors (calling it painting would be a lie)
      • make ink
      • forage for wild edibles
      • play the accordion
    • What are some things you’ve always wanted to try or that bring you joy? Make a list for future reference!
    • While working on this side quest, pay attention to color and texture, sound, and sensation. Being present and mindful (remember when we talked about that last week?😉) can enrich all of these experiences!
    • Let go of perfectionism and focus on play.

As we wrap up, here’s something easy to miss and very important: Keep your inspiration close at hand – literally. 

Try to find a way to display your knitting and knitting supplies in your home and/or workplace. Whether it’s balls of yarn in a glass jar, framed swatches on the wall, or a current WIP (work-in-progress) in a basket, having your work on display will remind you of your incredible capacity for creativity!

Knitting isn’t just about creating cozy sweaters or handmade gifts; it’s a gateway to boundless inspiration. As we explore the world of yarns, fiber, patterns, and colors, we open ourselves to a world of creativity. Whether drawing inspiration from nature, art, or personal experiences, knitting provides a canvas for self-expression.

With inspiration, from my needles to yours,

Becky

If you enjoyed this post, you can find Part One of this series here.

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