How to Beat Those Crafting Slumps

Here is my Prim Talk Radio Segment for Friday August 10th. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me.

How to Beat Those Crafting Slumps, by Heather Burton-Monahan


Hi everyone, it’s Heather from Cotton Picken Prims. Thanks for joining us here at Prim Talk Radio this week. My segment this week is how to beat those crafting slumps. I hope you enjoy some of these tips that have worked for me when I’ve hit those nasty crafting doldrums.

We’ve all been in that dreaded place at one point in time or another. You have all of a sudden hit the biggest road block known to man. The crafting slump, doldrum, rut, or burn out. We lack inspiration. Have no spark left in us. The get up and go has got up and left! If you are in the crafting business, this slump usually means lack of sales. And lack of sales means no money coming in , which in turn makes us feel a little more depressed, and thus forces us into a further slump. But have no fear, for I’m here to brighten your day and get you out of that rut and back into crafting up a storm.

One way to get out of your little slump is to simply ride it out. Often we just need a little break from the creativity and crafting and taking a little breather and letting our slump take over for a bit will help. Sometimes that will work for me but most of the time, the lack of sales and money coming in, spurs me onto other sources of inspiration.

I like to look to other sources for inspiration when I’ve reached my wits end. A good source for me is visiting a craft show. There’s no better place to feel so alive again than visiting a craft show and seeing all the wonderful handmade items on display for sale. Usually, I feel so alive and creative after visiting a show, I will come home and jot down notes, take some sketches and get to crafting.

If craft shows aren’t your cup of tea, sometimes I find walking the aisles of the local arts and crafts store will help inspire me. Seeing the stores change their stock with the season, you can pick up a crafting kit or two and work on them at your own pace. Most times the stores offer a simple craft class on a Saturday. Don’t be afraid, sign up and see what new creation you can make. For example, you might never have known that you had a love for scrap booking if you didn’t take a class. Also taking the class helps you socialize with other crafty ladies and while crafting you can mingle and bounce ideas off of one another. Also check your local municipal rec center. They usually offer some simple craft classes for a few dollars. This class will get you up and out of the house, away from the kids and hubby and interacting with other ladies while crafting at the same time.

While at the local arts and craft store, search out a bargain bin sale and pick up a few crafting items that you’ve never used before. Seeing they are at a discounted price, you won’t be spending a lot of money and it will give you some boost of creativity wondering what you can make with these new found crafting items. Or wander down an aisle that you’ve never been down before and maybe find a kit or pattern to try.

When worse comes to worse, surf the internet. Look for some new patterns or kits to try out. Many designers offer a free pattern or two. Give them a whirl. You just never know if you like that project unless you try it. You might find that you really enjoyed that free pattern and will go back and purchase a pattern or two from the designer and give them a whirl too. The internet is a wonderful place to find inspiration. You can search any craft and find something within seconds to boost your creativity.

Most times we tend to forget why we love crafting in the first place. Go for a walk in the park and think of what has drawn you to crafting. Maybe it was the first rag doll or ornie that made you so inspired. While walking think of all the different holidays, special occasions and what not. Make yourself a little challenge. What new ornie can you make for Easter or Valentine’s Day. I find when I’m exercising is when I get the most creative thoughts. I don’t know what it is, but I tend to think more while exercising and my thoughts seem to run amuck with crafting ideas. Not only does it give you creative thoughts but you get a good healthy work out at the same time. When I used to have the daycare in our home, I’d take a notebook and pencil with me when I’d take the children to the park. Watching children play and listening to their little imaginations would also inspire me for some of my rag doll patterns. Jotting down a few notes in the notebook and saving them for later helped me through a few crafting slumps.

Create a journal of wonderful memories and inspirational poems. When you find you don’t have the effort to create, pull out your journal and read a few pages. Maybe it was a funny family story you remember or a lovely poem that you love. Finding a few moments of quiet time to reflect will help lift those doldrums.

Often I find looking through pages of crafting magazines will help inspire me back to crafting. My husband cringes every time a new crafting magazine enters the house. He knows that it will never be thrown out but put in the closet with all the other hundreds of crafting magazines in there. Flipping through the pages of current and past issues gives me a rush of creativity. I can’t explain it really. It gives me such a rush of energy and usually it’s the boost that helps me back on my toes and back to the sewing machine in no time flat. Most of the magazines offer free patterns too. A bonus, for right there at your finger tips is a new craft that you can do. Most of us have supplies readily available or we might even be able to incorporate some of those bargain craft supplies into our new free project.

If all else fails, look at the calendar and count down the days to your next craft show, or the next holiday. Working on a deadline might snap you out of that rut. Just the other day I was looking at my calendar and noticed, my first show of the season starts in just 7 weeks. That night I sat and sketched out some new patterns, put three dolls to muslin and started sewing the following morning. In just a few short days, two dolls completed and more on the go.


Remember which ever of these methods you try, don’t get discouraged. If you need a week or two in a crafting slump, that’s okay. Eventually, you will find your crafting mojo as I call it and will be back on your game in no time.

I hope that some of these suggestions will be helpful to you the next time you fall into that crafting slump. Feel free to stop by my website, Cotton Picken Prims (www.cottonpickenprims.com) for I offer free patterns for you to try. This month I added my simple, easy to make Pink Ribbon Ornie E-Pattern. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and what better way to get a head start on spreading awareness for this disease but to make a few ornies to share with your friends. The pattern is free, so drop on by and request one today. Join me next week on Prim Talk Radio when I’ll be giving some helpful tips on sewing rag dolls and ornies. Till next week, have a great week everyone.