What do you do when you've can't seem to find sewing inspiration? Recently, we've had several DMs and emails from our community asking what we do when the sewing muse just isn’t on your shoulders. Sewing is such a joyful, satisfying past time, so when you're hit with a creative block, it's extra frustrating. Here are Hetty and The Modern Sewing Co. team's tips for getting out of a creative rut and finding sewing inspiration once more.
Hetty
Change Your Point of View
"Go out and get in front of art, fashion and fabric shops. When I need some inspiration, I’ll research what’s on and see what clicks. On Friday, our pattern cutter, Hanni and I headed to the V&A’s Schiaparelli exhibition, which we’d been really looking forward to! I really like visiting shops like Rejina Pyo, Margaret Howell, Studio Nicholson and Liberty, as you get to see a bit of a range. When I’m fabric shopping, I tend to be around Central London so I will always visit Cloth House, Ray Stitch and MacCulloch and Wallace."
The Celia Dress in sketch form, with a sample of the beautiful, bright green linen we landed on.
Make a mood board
"For home sewers who have a big fabric stash, I recommend taking little cuttings of your fabric and making little mood boards. Pairing them with sketches, buttons and threads can help you see them in a different way and joosh up old fabrics you wouldn’t think were desirable."
Take it down to the threads
"If you’re feeling uninspired by some fabric, liven it up with thread. Getting creative with the thread weight, colour and stitch length can give a really boring or simple fabric more character."
The Leila Shirt with colour pop topstitching that really stands out against the crisp white cotton poplin. Here's a deep dive into how Hetty did it.
Emily
Dive into a different world
"Listening to interviews and podcasts or reading interviews with creatives talking about their work & process. This could be an actor/ director/ producer/artist/maker. I find these easier and nicer for it to not be directly related to sewing or whatever I’m doing, just someone talking passionately about the thing they love. Brett Goldstein's podcast 'Films to be Buried With' is a good one. A nice balance between people talking passionately about film mixed with lots of lols. There's an episode with Jack Thorne which was great to hear about his inspirations.
I also like 'Going Rogue Club' - again, very film and TV industry based. It's nice to be intrigued about a world you have nothing to do with, and try to bring that intrigue into your own work."
Stop obsessing about your creative block
"I do all I can to not think about it at all. Then once I go back to it it can feel a bit fresher. I also go and make something small and unrelated to what I’m trying to work on. It helps to sew something, even if it’s not the piece I’m stuck on."
Em
Let yourself be bored
“I’m a big fan of taking a long walk with no real purpose, set route or timeframe. I feel like modern life is ultra-focused on rushing around and productivity, so it feels very self indulgent to go out without any goal to achieve. I'll usually put on a podcast but start daydreaming and not take any of it in. I don’t set out to walk to a solution, but when my mind is turning something over and over, physically moving seems to help me make sense of it."
Learn a different skill
“When I’m creatively stuck, I’ll step away and go and focus on something else instead for a bit. I’m slowly learning bass guitar at the moment, which definitely distracts me from creative block! I also like taking free online workshops or classes, like how to better connect with our community via Klaviyo, our newsletter platform or Instagram. The satisfaction of grasping something new often fires me up to go back and retackle the main issue."
Victoria Park is our favourite local spot for an inspiring walk, across the canal from our studio.
Hanni
Mix it up
"When I feel creatively burnt out, I try to refresh myself by meeting friends or going on a small day trip. A change of scene can really help clear my mind and lift my mood, and there are often unexpected surprises and inspiration waiting somewhere."
Think vintage
"I also love visiting vintage shops. Unlike high street stores, they feel more personal and full of character. They’re full of pre-loved pieces from different people, different eras and different moods. You can find so many textures, colours, shapes and little details that feel like they have their own story."
We hope our tips help you navigate creative blocks and find sewing inspiration. The main thing is to take a step back, try not to overthink and get out from behind your sewing machine.
As Hanni says, “I think inspiration can come from anywhere, so I try to stay open to those unexpected moments and let that excitement flow naturally into my work.”
Want more?
- Customise your garment to your heart's content. Learn how to design your own patch pockets.
- Avoiding microtrends in sewing? Hetty shares how to find your own sense of style here.
- Find crafting your own clothes soothing? Find out why we think sewing is a form of self care now.
