This post is connected to our Spring weave-a-long.

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Where does an idea come from?

Creativity can be beautiful and mysterious. It can also be painstakingly hard. Sometimes ideas just come, sometimes they don’t. There are times when I know exactly what I want to make, while at other times I feel like I am stumbling in darkness. Our relationship to our creativity may feel like it is just something that comes or doesn’t come naturally, but there is so much more that goes into it. There are so many voices throughout our lives that can nurture creativity or destroy it. Whether creativity is valued can be influenced by the culture or class that we grew up in, and whether we grew up privileged or marginalized.

Sometimes this matters, sometimes it doesn’t. We are what we are, we are given what we are given. My hope is for you to know that allowing yourself to be creative can be vulnerable, and to hold as much self-compassion for yourself and others as possible. It is not necessarily easy, but it is important.

When thinking about my own limitations, I find it useful to categorize them as technical or emotional. Sometimes the thing that is holding me back is that I just don’t know how to do something. Other times, the thing holding me back is that I am intimidated or worried that it will be wrong. Both can be worked with, and having a sense of which is which can be helpful.

Beginning

There are many decisions to make, and you can start anywhere. For our weave-a-long we are limiting yarn and color so that’s a great place to start. You will need to address the following questions, but not all at once:

• What weave structure?

• How will you use the different colors?

• What item will you make? How many? Finished size?

I try and give myself permission to choose any place to start. Making one decision will open up the path to making the next decision. Once you take one step, the next one will be just a little easier.

I will be here to help guide you along the way including resources on color and the mechanics of designing plus our very own cheering squad.

Let's weave!
Dena