How I Found My Voice Through Craft
For years, I thought of myself as someone who expressed herself through words. I was a writer, and that was how I told my stories. But when I picked up a crochet hook during one of the hardest periods of my life, I realized something unexpected—I was telling my story through my stitches, too.
The colors I chose reflected my emotions.
The textures mirrored what I needed to feel.
The rhythm of making gave me space to process things I couldn’t always put into words.
Creativity, I realized, isn’t just about making things—it’s about making meaning.
For so many of us, craft is a way to express what’s inside of us, to explore our emotions, our memories, our identities, even when we don’t consciously realize it.
If you’ve ever felt like you struggle to express yourself, or if you’ve ever wondered how your creativity reflects your inner world, keep reading. Let’s explore why crafting is a powerful form of self-expression, how it connects us to our authentic selves, and how to use it as a tool to tell your own story.
Want to learn more? Click here to join Craft to Heal.
The Science: Why Creativity is a Powerful Tool for Self-Expression
Self-expression is a core human need—it’s how we process emotions, communicate our experiences, and make sense of our place in the world.
Crafting is a unique form of self-expression because:
It Engages Both Sides of the Brain
Creativity activates the right hemisphere of the brain (which is associated with intuition and emotion) while also involving the left hemisphere (which deals with structure and logic).
This whole-brain engagement helps us process emotions more fully, bridging the gap between feeling and understanding.
Studies show that people who engage in creative self-expression experience lower stress and higher emotional resilience.
It Gives a Voice to What Words Can’t Always Say
Sometimes, emotions feel too big, too complex, or too unformed to put into words.
Research shows that nonverbal creative expression—like fiber arts, painting, or movement—can help people process difficult emotions in ways that traditional talk therapy sometimes cannot.
Crafting allows you to express feelings in a safe, tactile, and tangible way, giving them a form that can be seen, touched, and explored.
It Creates a Record of Your Inner World
Every creative project you make is a reflection of who you were in that moment—what you felt, what you needed, what you were working through.
Studies on creative journaling and expressive arts suggest that looking back on past creations can offer insight into personal growth and emotional patterns.
Whether you realize it or not, your work tells your story.
How to Use Crafting as a Tool for Self-Expression
If you want to connect more deeply with your creativity and use it as a way to explore your inner world, here are a few ways to start:
1. Choose Colors Based on Emotion
Instead of picking colors based on aesthetics, try choosing them based on how you feel—or how you want to feel.
Feeling calm? Try soft blues and greens.
Feeling bold? Go for bright reds and oranges.
Need comfort? Choose warm neutrals, soft pastels, or familiar textures.
Let the colors guide your creative process, and see what emotions come up as you work.
Try This: Pick a color based on how you feel right now and start a small project with it. No rules—just see where it takes you.
2. Stitch Your Story—One Thread at a Time
Your craft can be a visual or tactile journal, a record of where you’ve been and what you’ve experienced.
Try making a piece that represents a specific memory or emotion.
Use symbols or patterns that feel meaningful to you.
Create a project over time, adding to it whenever you need to process something.
Try This: Make a “life stitches” piece—one row or one small section per day, reflecting how you felt that day.
3. Let Go of Perfection—Make Just for Yourself
When we create for an audience, we censor ourselves. But true self-expression happens when we make without worrying about how it looks to others.
Work on a project that’s just for you—no one else needs to see it.
Experiment with new materials, techniques, or styles without worrying about “getting it right.”
Remind yourself that the act of creating is the expression itself—the outcome is secondary.
Try This: Make something you never intend to show anyone—something raw, messy, experimental, or deeply personal.
4. Craft a Self-Portrait—Without Words or Images
We often think of self-portraits as drawings or paintings, but you can create a self-portrait in fiber arts, too.
Choose fabrics, textures, or stitches that feel like “you.”
Create something that represents your personality, emotions, or personal history.
Don’t overthink it—let yourself play and explore what emerges.
Try This: Make a “self-expression swatch”—a small patch of fabric, embroidery, or fiber that feels like a representation of yourself.
Explore This Deeper in Craft to Heal
If this idea of craft as self-expression resonates with you, Craft to Heal was designed for you.
In our March 18th workshop, we’ll explore:
How to use fiber arts to tell your story and process emotions
Exercises that help connect your creativity to your inner world
Ways to let go of self-judgment and make from a place of truth and authenticity
If you’re ready to explore creativity as a way to express and understand yourself, I’d love to have you join us.
Want to learn more? Click here to join Craft to Heal.
Your Creativity Tells Your Story
You don’t have to be a writer or an artist to have a story to tell.
Your stitches, your fabric choices, your color selections, your process—they all say something. Your craft is your voice.
So create boldly.
Make intuitively.
Trust that what you’re making—no matter how imperfect, no matter how unfinished—carries meaning.
Because every stitch, every piece of fabric, every creative act is part of your story.
And it deserves to be told.