I know what it’s like to stare at a half-finished project, feeling completely uninspired. To sit down with yarn or fabric or thread and feel… nothing. To want so badly to create but feel stuck—paralyzed by perfectionism, drained by exhaustion, disconnected from the spark that used to come so easily.
Creative blocks are real, and they are frustrating. I’ve been through them more times than I can count. But I’ve also learned something important: creativity isn’t gone forever—it’s just waiting for the right invitation to return.
That’s why I created Craft to Heal. Because creativity and healing are deeply connected, and when we explore our creative blocks with curiosity rather than judgment, we can find our way back—not just to making, but to joy in the process again.
If you’ve been feeling stuck, uninspired, or disconnected from your craft, I want you to know: there’s a way through this. And it starts with shifting how we approach creativity in the first place.
Explore this in more depth by joining my Craft to Heal workshop.
Why Creativity Feels Hard Sometimes
We often think of creativity as something that should come naturally—but the truth is, it’s a relationship. Like any relationship, there are ebbs and flows. Some days it feels effortless. Other days, it feels distant, challenging, or even impossible.
Here’s why creative blocks happen:
✔ Perfectionism sneaks in. The voice that says, “It has to be perfect, or it’s not worth doing.” So we don’t even start.
✔ Burnout drains us. We’ve been creating on autopilot, rushing through projects, or pushing ourselves too hard.
✔ Comparison steals our joy. Social media makes it too easy to look at someone else’s work and feel like we’ll never measure up.
✔ Life gets overwhelming. Stress, grief, transitions—they take up mental space, leaving little room for creative energy.
✔ Fear of failure keeps us stuck. The project feels too big, too uncertain, too much. So we freeze.
The good news? None of this means you’re not creative anymore. It just means your creativity needs a different kind of care.
That’s what we focus on in Craft to Heal—learning how to nurture creativity so that it doesn’t just return, but feels joyful again.
How to Overcome Creative Blocks: What’s Worked for Me
I’ve tried a lot of things to move through creative blocks. Some helped, some didn’t, but through it all, I’ve learned that getting unstuck isn’t about forcing creativity—it’s about gently inviting it back.
Here are some of the most effective ways I’ve found to rekindle creativity and rediscover the joy of making.
1. Make Something Imperfect on Purpose
Perfectionism kills creativity. One of the best ways to break through it? Intentionally make something messy, flawed, or ridiculous.
🖌 If you quilt, stitch random scraps together without a pattern.
🧶 If you crochet, make the ugliest granny square you can.
🖼 If you embroider, freehand stitch without thinking.
The goal isn’t to create something beautiful—it’s to remind yourself that making is allowed to be playful and imperfect.
👉 Craft to Heal has entire exercises dedicated to *breaking free from perfectionism and learning to embrace process over outcome.
2. Change Your Medium (Or Your Rules)
Sometimes, we get so caught up in how we usually create that we forget we can break our own rules. If you’re stuck, try shifting how you engage with your craft:
✔ Use a different material. If you always knit with wool, try cotton. If you always quilt with bright colors, try neutrals.
✔ Switch scales. Work smaller than usual—just a single square, a single row, a single stitch. Or go bigger—an oversized, loose, experimental piece.
✔ Limit your choices. Give yourself a creative constraint, like using only scraps or working within a time limit.
✔ Try a totally new craft. Sometimes, stepping into a different creative form resets the brain and allows ideas to flow again.
Inside Craft to Heal, we explore creative prompts and exercises designed to help you break out of routine and find fresh inspiration in your practice.
3. Engage in Micro-Creativity
When creativity feels overwhelming, shrink it down. Instead of waiting for the perfect time to dive into a big project, try micro-moments of making.
⏳ Set a timer for five minutes. Stitch one line. Crochet one row. Just start.
📷 Take a themed photo walk. Snap pictures of textures, colors, or patterns that inspire you.
📒 Make a “creativity scrapbook.” Collect scraps of yarn, sketches, fabric swatches—anything that sparks ideas.
The goal? Rebuild creative momentum by engaging in tiny, pressure-free acts of making.
Craft to Heal includes exercises in micro-creativity and mindfulness, showing you how to bring creative energy back in small, nourishing ways.
4. Create Without an End Goal
So much of the pressure we put on creativity comes from the need for an end product. What if, just for a while, you made something without a plan?
- Sew random stitches onto fabric with no final design in mind.
- Knit swatches in different stitches, just to see how they feel.
- Weave scraps together into something unfinished and abstract.
Removing the expectation of a polished final piece frees up creative energy and allows you to simply be present with the act of making.
👉 Craft to Heal focuses on this kind of process-based creativity, helping you let go of expectations and rediscover the joy in simply creating for the sake of creating.
5. Connect With Other Creatives
Sometimes, the best way to reignite creative energy is to step outside of your own head and engage with others who understand.
✔ Join a community where people share their creative struggles. (Craft to Heal is built for exactly this—space to talk about creativity in a way that’s honest, encouraging, and supportive.)
✔ Talk to another maker. Ask them what they’re working on, what’s inspiring them, how they push through blocks.
✔ Take a class, even if it’s outside your usual craft. Learning something new can often refresh your approach to your own creativity.
Creativity isn’t just something we do alone—it thrives in community.
That’s why Craft to Heal isn’t just about crafting. It’s about connection, inspiration, and learning how to support your creativity in a way that feels expansive and joyful.
Want to Explore This Deeper? Join Craft to Heal
Creative blocks don’t mean you’re not creative anymore. They just mean you need a new approach, a fresh perspective, a little bit of encouragement.
That’s exactly what Craft to Heal is about.
This year-long workshop series is designed to help you:
✔ Reconnect with your creativity in a way that feels joyful and nourishing.
✔ Move past perfectionism, fear, and creative stagnation.
✔ Develop mindful making practices that bring ease and inspiration.
✔ Find community with others who value creativity as a form of healing.
🧶 Want to learn more? Click here to join Craft to Heal.
Creativity Always Comes Back
If you’re in a creative rut right now, I want you to remember this: Creativity isn’t gone—it’s just waiting for you to meet it in a new way.
Try something small. Break your own rules. Make something imperfect on purpose.
And most importantly—keep going.
Because joy in creativity isn’t lost. It’s still there, waiting for you to find your way back to it.