And yes, I know how dramatic that sounds to a non-knitter. You don’t know anything Muggle!
TL;DR
Focussing your knitting practice can change your life. It gives you confidence, speed and it actually helps to build a better world. Focus on your needs and values gives you restrictions. But the great thing is, contrary to what you might think, this will actually make your creativity thrive. The same principle applies to small creative businesses. This is the thought, turning it into action requires the magic of community. Community will move you forward with accountability, support and communal knowledge. So if you want this in your needle craft practice or business, I've got just the platform for you. Scroll down for links. Start reading for more information.
I deleted overwhelm from my knitting practice
I turned the overwhelm of moving house and closing my shop in the middle of the lockdown into a lifestyle that focuses on turning what I and my family NEED into a focussed practice.
This practice is
- fun,
- good for me and
- a big part of making a change in the world.
This propelled my well being forward in ways I couldn’t have imagined three years ago when I lived in a house full of stuff, had a business full of stuff, a head full of stuff and a constant knot in my stomach of all the things everywhere that needed doing and that I wanted to do. It was just… TOO MUCH!
While abundance is great in many ways, in our crafts it can also be quite crippling and leave you with decision paralysis and you’ll just go into default shawl knitting and knit shawl number 134 because it’s the latest ‘cool’ pattern.
Today I enjoy crafting more than ever and I’d love to explain how that might work for you too.
Why I think your needle craft practice can benefit from a little shift
It will give you a boost for your mental health.
☞ getting clarity, focus, calm and confidence
It will propel your projects forward.
☞ you’ll have lot less WIPS and UFO’s.
You will be part of the solution, moving away from fast fashion.
☞ You are now a quiet creative activist and live in balance with your values.
Here’s what to do
In short, this is the practice
- define your values
- clearout & cleanout your closet
- make notes
- organise stash
- make plan
- make, mend, swap, curate your wardrobe in a way that fits body, style & need.
I am not in creative prison
Have you read Marie Kondo or seen the Home Edit? That feeling you get from those pretty, pretty looking organized shelves…. Natural wood, linen, stone and glass in soft tones.. or everything in rainbow order… hmmm. That’s how my brain now looks when it comes to crafting.
My stash still needs a bit of work though, it’s a process…
But I no longer feel overflowed with the need for being up to speed with all the new magazines, patterns, designers, yarns and brands. I focus on what I need, shopping from my own stash and from a selected group of businesses with values I want to support (#1: Ovis et Cetera) and learn new techniques and crafts when I need them.
The feeling of being the head curator of a creative collection does NOT EVER get in the way of the creative process. It’s not a prison. In fact, it’s the opposite. Having the restriction of a value set, goals and a plan offers such an opportunity for creativity.
Wanna try?
Now here’s where the practice actually lifts off. I’ve taken my personal experience and set up an online community where we go through this process together.
Community offers magic that can’t be found elsewhere.
- accountability
- communal knowledge
- cheers and support
And a big plus, especially if you are not (that) into social media: no advertisements, algorithms or other distractions!
We have a common goal: creating and curating our closets consciously in community and we have an awesome time working on it.
We’d love to have you! JOIN the JWC (Journey into Wardrobe Consciousness) here: https://community.ja-wol.com
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The Building Better Businesses Circle
And if you are wondering what to do with those 134 shawls… changing the world by the aid of craft can’t be done without the businesses that support the craft.
So I offer a business program for those that have or want to turned their passion into a business. The program follows the same principles and focuses on the ESSENTIAL TOOLS you need to start, grow and position your business in a way that fits your needs and your lifestyle.
Need help setting up your biz? Go to the BBBC or get the
FREE CORE FOCUS COMPASS
- it will help you to move forward with your creative business.
Saskia (Ovis Saskia) is actually a member of the BBBC this is what she said:
‘I'm impressed how much you’ve read and studied yourself about this, and it is great that you take out all the essential, most important things, and pass those on. I found everything very interesting and helpful.
And then there is the group. It's great to have gotten to know fellow creative business owners. I feel so much less like sitting on my little island. I never talk about my business with anybody. It is good to have people to to do that with.’
Saskia - Ovis et Cetera
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