When the Muse Leaves You on Read
You know the feeling.
You sit down in your creative space—surrounded by all your beautiful fabric, tools, and ideas from last week—and suddenly… nothing. Crickets. Not even a whisper from your muse.
So you think, “Maybe I’ll just rearrange my workspace. That always helps, right?”
Four hours later, your pins are organized by color, your thread is lined up like soldiers, and your workspace is sparkling. You sit down again, full of hope… and still, nothing.
Welcome to the glamorous, soul-stirring experience of a creative rut.
It’s Not You. It’s the Rut.
Here’s what I’ve learned after decades of working with fabric, design, and creativity:
Creative ruts don’t mean you’ve lost your spark. They mean your brain and body are quietly waving a flag that says, “Hey… we need something different.”
Inspiration doesn’t always just “strike.” Sometimes you have to lure it out of hiding. And no matter how many times you hear “try a new tool” or “light a candle and visualize your dream project”… sometimes that doesn’t cut it.
The Real Trick? Tricking Yourself.
In a recent rut of my own, I tried something wildly different. I stopped making altogether—and sat down to write out how to do a project I had already finished. Yep, I walked through the steps, wrote them like a tutorial, even flipped through old notes.
And something amazing happened.
As I “taught” myself how I had created that piece, my confidence started to come back. The fog cleared. I remembered that I knew what I was doing. It wasn’t magic, and it wasn’t immediate—but it was the start of getting unstuck.
Want More Out-of-the-Box Ideas?
I’ve put together a brand-new podcast episode where I share three unconventional ways to break out of a creative rut—and trust me, none of them involve rearranging your thread (again).
If you’re feeling stuck, uninspired, or just ready to throw in the towel, give this one a listen. You’ll walk away with practical resets that actually work—and maybe even laugh a little along the way.