I once had a dear friend of mine tell me that yarn never inspired her.  Blasphemer I thought!  Yarn should inspire anyone.  But my friend has always been, and will always be, a quilter.  Fabric is her medium, a sewing machine her brush, and the intricate blending of patterns and colors is her masterpiece.

When you find the medium that inspires you to craft, crafting itself can take on a whole new dimention.  But where do you start?

What inspires you?

Clay.  From free form sculpting, to pottery to bead making, clay offers a blank slate for you to shape, mold, and paint (if you want) to reflect your .  A great place to sample this art form is to check out your local community college and enroll in an intro class.

Fabric.  Some people are drawn to making clothing, others to quilts, others to making handbags and accessories.  Your local fabric store along with some of the bigger stores (Joann and Beverly’s) will most likely offer beginner classes in quilting, accessory, and garment construction.

Fiber.  Fiber crafts can include knitting, crocheting, weaving, spinning, or felting.  A good resource to start learning this craft is to find a local yarn shop and see what they may have to offer as far as classes or individual instruction.

Glass.  Blowing, staining, melting, sculpting.  Glass can be an exciting and unique expression of yourself.  The best place to learn how to work with glass is to find a local studio.  They will have the resources you need to get started.

Metal.  Hammering, bending, sculpting, welding, staining, melting, molding.  There are so many different techniques when it comes to crafting metal.  A great place to start learning this craft is to go to your local community college and see what classes they offer that pique your interest.

Paper.  Paper crafting doesn’t have to be confined to just the kids table.  Standard paper crafts include scrap booking, book mark and card making, and origami.  Some other paper crafts you can branch into include book making, paper making, and paper sculpting.  A great place to start getting into basic paper crafts is to go to your local craft store and see what classes they may offer.

Rock and Bead.  This can include jewelry making, tumbling, or faceting stones.  It could also mean stone sculpting.  If you are interested in jewelry making, check out your local bead store for classes they may offer.  If tumbling or faceting sounds like your cup of tea, attend a rock and gem show and check out what people have to offer.  You may just find a rock and gem guild or club in your area.

Wood.  Wood work has such a broad range and use.  Wood burning, basket weaving, making boxes or furniture, carving, and sculpting are just some things you could do with it.  Your local community college would be a good place to start if you want to get started in wood work.

Add to each inspiration, the ability to add color, texture, or other personal tastes (math, science, history) and you quickly find that there is a craft to fit any personality.  Each one offers you a way to express yourself in a different and unique way.  Learning a new craft takes time and patience but when the craft inspires you, it is well worth the long hours and initial mistakes.

Personally, though I enjoy quilting, fabric is not my inspiration.  When I want to create something, I reach for my spindle and fiber.  They are my inspiration.  What’s yours?

1. Barb Says:
   April 9th, 2010 at 6:10 pm

   I believe that people who think they’re not artistic, talented or crafty are people who just haven’t tried or had the opportunity to try very many types of arts & crafts. There is something they’d truly enjoy and excel in, but they just haven’t been exposed to it yet.

   For the first 35 years of my life I would have bet a million dollars that I had no artistic ability. I knew from experience that it was true and it really didn’t seem like a bad thing. It was just a simple fact. Then a friend gave me some scrapbooking supplies and took me to a scrapbook store. I knew right away that I’d love it! It’s a perfect match for me and from what people tell me, it’s something I’m good at.

   Barb

2. Amie Says:
   April 9th, 2010 at 9:17 pm

   beautifully put Barb! I actually started with scrapbooking and had a hard time but found a passion for knitting Though I am a person who loves dabbling in everything I can.