Ep 5: How to get design ideas flowing again and receive that magical inspiration

Inspiration changed everything for me as a designer. Initially, I created pieces because I needed them, but it wasn’t until I started using specific sources of inspiration—like books and nature—that my creativity truly flourished.

In this short episode, I walk you through how I get ideas flowing in no-time. I discuss four practical tips you can apply right this moment. 

And to help you even more, I’ve created a guide with over 100 sources of inspiration. Sign up for the newsletter to receive it for free, along with access to our crochet design library filled with helpful resources.

Loved what you heared? Let's stay connected!

Sign up for the newsletter
Sign up for the waitlist for Mind of the Crochet Designer
Instagram
Facebook

Thank you for listening to the Mind of the Crochet Designer podcast!
If you loved what you heard, please leave a review and share your biggest takeways, because I love to read those and this really helps me to get the word out, so I can help you and as many (aspiring) crochet designers out there.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast so you never miss an episode.

Have a wonderful and creative week!

Transcript

Microfoon (YXC usb audio): 0:50

Hi, creative and beautiful soul. Welcome. Thanks for listening to a new episode of the mind of the crochet, the signer podcasts. I hope you are doing well and working on your amazing designs as always. So grab your hook and grab your favorite whip and let's dive into today's topic. Today's topic is all about inspiration. And I could talk for days about inspiration and how magical it is and how everything changed. When I started using very specific inspirational sources for my own designs. I mean, it was such a game changer. And I know this will be so valuable to you. So that's why I want to talk about this today. I phew, inspiration as a little seed dead. We'll let our ideas grow into beautiful flowers and plants and trees. And so we really want to honor that we really want to honor where we get our ideas from where we get our inspiration from for RD signs. Because when I started as a crochet designer, I really didn't have a specific source of inspiration. The level of crochet design. I was, ed was more like, well, I need a table runner, so I will go design a table runner, or I wanted to create a bag because I needed a bag. So that's what I did. And I loved all of these things. I laughed crochet. I love knitting. I loved sewing. I even try to combine everything. And as a result, I didn't get a lot of fuse. I didn't get a lot of followers and I didn't get a lot of people making my patterns. I wasn't earning money. I was only offering patterns for free. And. They weren't really getting made and I feel as crochet designers, isn't it so valuable, so gratifying to see other crosiers. Making what you designed. I mean, how magical is it? Did your mind came up with something? Then turn it into reality and then somewhere across the ocean or on an honor, a different part of the world is making what you designed. I mean, it's so magical. And so isn't this what we all want besides making money from the signing or quitting our day job, or maybe not even quitting at all, but just spending more time doing what we love and. I just know that everything changed when I really started using very specific inspirational sources for my designs. And for me personally, a big source of inspiration is books. And another source of inspiration is nature. And often times these go hand-in-hand. So I would read a story about the magic of mushrooms and I would use that as my inspiration. Even though the book is what really sparked that interest. Another example is the hotel of B show. I mean, I read about the hotel of bees. It's not an actual hotel, just a figment of the imagination off Anthony Dorado. A rider. And so it's not only inspired by the hotel itself, but also by bees. So oftentimes for me, books and nature really go hand in hand. And I can really understand that S I don't know where you are at, in your crochet design journey, but if you are one of those crochet designers that is at the beginning after journey, all these different design directions can feel so overwhelming. I mean, you can do shows and you can do blankets and you can do sweaters. And when everything is possible. It often feels very overwhelming. And so we often feel like. I don't know which direction I need to go in. And that's where inspiration plays such a big part because I feel inspiration comes from. The outside. But we let it in through our hearts. It really gets to be part of us. And so the key to receiving inspiration, because that's really how I view it. You need to be open to receive. Is to make the space in your day. And when you already did the challenge to find your unique crochet design style with me, the last one I did in February. You already know how key it is to create that space in your day to receive new ideas. And I feel that so many of us struggle with dad and I mean, I totally get that because a few years ago, this was me as well. I would just. Be so busy be so. Buried in the to-do list, I would be so focused. On going from one task to the next, I would be so focused on completing my education on getting good grades, being focused on my internship and getting a job from it. I would be so focused on making sure the house was clean all of the time, making sure that errands were run. Making sure that my to-do list state. S MTS possible. So I was always doing, doing, doing. And I feel that a lot of us live this way, so I totally get that. It's not easy living the way we are currently living. Most of us are really living from day-to-day from weekend to weekend. And in between that, there's just all these tasks, all these two dues. Every one wants something from you. All of the time. And so how do we create space? In between all of debts. Mess, almost all of that busy work to receive new ideas. And so I have a few strategies, a few tips to. To make that space because it's so. Important to be able to. We are always focusing on the tasks ahead. And this goes for me personally, we often. Our blind to everything that's going on around us. And we are going blind to our surroundings and how beautiful. It is to actually be alive and to be able to walk around. For most of us. And be healthy for most of us and be so blessed. To experience life in all of its ups and downs. And when we focus on. Doing doing, doing then it's so easy to forget all that and not see that. And so I have a few tips to create that space in your day. So one of the things I also talk about in the challenge is to go on a walk and this sounds stupid, simple. I know, but it is a proven strategy to receive new ideas because they actually did. Study at Stanford university off students that would go on a walk outside and then they would sit down and they needed to solve a problem. And they actually measured an increase of up to 50%. Capacity to solve that problem to receive new ideas. And. Even the study aside, I personally really experience. So much more clarity, so much more inspiration, just going on a walk.

Microfoon (YXC usb audio)-1: 9:34

I personally love to go on walks my mental health benefits from it, my physical health benefits from it. And I really enjoy being outside, just being in nature. And you don't even have to do that every day. I mean, who even has the time and energy to do that? I totally get that.

Microfoon (YXC usb audio): 9:53

We are all very busy. I mean, I'm a working mom, so I can totally relate, but if you feel like things aren't flowing for you. Then you might entertain the possibility of just going on a walk and see what that does for your creativity. And. Another part of creating the space in your day is that. And

Microfoon (YXC usb audio)-4: 10:19

I feel like I might step on some toes here and I totally get that. And it might not even apply to you. So if this isn't your Dan, you can totally skip over this part of the episode. But I see so many people around me being almost married to their phone. It's like every free moment they have. They just pick up their phone, like it's automatic. And again, I want to say this might not even apply to you. So by all means just this. Guard what I'm saying. But we have to understand that our minds are like this magical thing. And when we are constantly filling our cup with new information, like scrolling on Instagram or watching the news or checking our emails, We fill our cup and when it's full, we don't have the room for that magical inspiration and to rise to the amazing creative beings. We actually are. So, what really helps me is that. Whenever I feel the need to check my phone or when I'm feeling bored. To just be in that boring moment and to create the space in our day to receive new ideas, because that's the thing, right. I mean, so many of us where we are in the shower or just doing nothing. Maybe waiting at the bus stop. We get these very random ideas and that's all for a reason and it's so magical. And I really want. Everyone too. Be able to tap in that magic because we are magical.

Microfoon (YXC usb audio): 12:11

The other thing that really helps me is to just sit in that boring moment. Just stare. At the wall, just like. Literally stare at a wall. I just do that sometimes because I need that and it might not be the same for you. But how often do we feel the need to fill every possible moment with distractions and so. I feel that if you are out of inspiration, if it doesn't flow for you, It might help you to not fill up every possible moment with a distraction. And that when you have that space again, because we are constantly. Seeing all these things on Instagram and all these things on, on Tik TOK and Facebook and whatever. And it's filling our mind while what we would like is for our minds to be clear and to be open because if it's already full and when it's full, There's no space for new ideas coming in. My point is it just helps me to. Limit my distractions. It's what I call it. And honor that space to receive new ideas. And it really works for me. I mean, Ever since I'm doing this approach off honoring that space to receive new ideas of taking walks. Of having a fairy clear, inspirational source. My. Core shady. So I'm business just took off. I mean. I really laugh. What I make. Much more than what I previously made. In terms off just creating things because I needed them. And not because they looked pretty or were unique. Or filled my cup off working creatively. And. The last thing I want to talk about a little bit is if you cannot make the space in your day elsewhere. I have a very simple trick that has proven to work. So I am sure it will work for you too. And I will do a separate episode just on how to follow your crochet design dream. Even when you are strapped for time or focus or energy, because so many of us, we have this crochet design. Dream, but we are also working a day job. We are also parents where also all these things, and it's so difficult to make that space in your day. So I will do a separate episode on that. But what I want to say now is whenever you don't have the time or the space to receive that inspiration, Why not think about making a little harp for inspiration. So make your shower time, your inspirational hub and really honor death time. S your inspiration time, or maybe make your brushing your teeth time. Hub for inspiration and really honored debts moment of your day. To say, I'm now free to let my mind wander. And if new ideas will come to me, they will come to me. I mean, there's a whole. Subreddit dedicated to shower thoughts. And it's no wonder because underneath the shower you have nowhere to be nowhere to go, nothing to do, and you just let your mind wander freely. And it's oftentimes. The place where people get their most creative and insane and exciting ideas. So if you really struggle making space in your day to receive inspiration and receive design ideas, Then creating this little inspirational hub might be a very good strategy for you. And. For those that are like, well, I really, I would love to receive inspiration or crochet design ideas, but I really don't know where to look. I have created a new guide, which is a list of more than 100 inspirational sources. So you can get your creative ideas flowing again and create unique and amazing design. So if this is something that's up your alley, all you have to do is sign up for the newsletter and you will get it for free my gift to you. And. Also. So. When you sign up for the newsletter, you'll get an invite to the crochet design library, which is a free crochet design library, full of resources. Like. Guides and templates just to make everything more easy and more fun for your crochet design journey. I will leave it at that and let you get back to your amazing crocheted you sign and I will talk to you next time on the mind of the crochet designer podcast. Thank you so much for listening. Bye-bye.