Finding Creativity

Moving a studio is always a challenge, especially when your creative tools are still packed away. This time, my sewing machines—except the ones I use for traveling workshops—are in boxes, waiting to be unpacked.

I have to create! I have unpacked 2 boxes of fabric, camo colors and browns and have found sewing threads in those color families. It could be stifling to work with a particular color palette but I am finding it challenging.

Finding Creativity in Constraints

I decided to do some slow stitching every day and see how many different techniques and items I can create with a limited color palette and minimal sewing tools.

Working with a limited palette forces me to focus on texture, technique, and form rather than relying on color contrast. It’s a reminder that creativity doesn’t always need abundance. Sometimes, it thrives in simplicity and focus.

Daily Slow Stitching as a Creative Practice

I set a goal to do some slow stitching every day, no matter how small the project. This daily practice has helped me stay connected to my craft and find creativity even without my full studio setup. Here are some of the things I’ve created so far:

• Fabric necklace: Using scraps of camo and brown fabric, I crafted a statement necklace. It’s a wearable piece of fabric art that is personal and unique.

  
  

• Intuitive slow art stitching: I set aside fabric pieces to experiment with freeform stitching, I wil be letting my hands guide the needle without a strict plan or pattern only using the fabric and thread selection that I have found.

  
  

• Weaving: I started weaving again, a skill I loved as a child but hadn’t practiced in years.

Weaving was a favorite activity during my childhood. Back then, the goal wasn’t perfection but the joy of making something with what was available. The process was playful and freeing. As adults, we often forget how to enjoy the act of creating without pressure.

Returning to weaving now, I’m reconnecting with that sense of play. Using the limited fabrics and threads, I’m weaving small samples and experimenting with patterns. This slow, tactile process is grounding and soothing. It reminds me that creativity is not just about the finished product but about the experience of making itself.

Each piece feels like a small victory, finding that joyous child and forming a creative space and mindset with her.

Embracing Minimal Tools and Materials

With most of my sewing machines still packed, I’m relying on hand stitching and simple tools. This minimal setup has pushed me to explore techniques that don’t require complex equipment. Slow stitching fits perfectly into this approach because it’s about patience and detail rather than speed.

Working with fewer tools and materials has also made me more mindful of each stitch and choice. It’s a practice in slowing down and appreciating the textures and colors in front of me.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

• Limitations can inspire creativity: Working with just a few colors and fabrics has opened new ways of thinking about design and technique.

• Daily practice builds momentum: Even small amounts of slow stitching each day keep the creative energy flowing.

• Old skills can be rediscovered: Returning to weaving has brought back a sense of joy and freedom in making.

• Simplicity encourages mindfulness: Minimal tools and materials help focus attention on the process, not just the outcome.

  
  

I expect to continue slow stitching for the next month as I unpack and set up my studio. It will be interesting to see how my projects evolve and what new ideas emerge from working within these constraints. I’m curious to explore more fabric art pieces, combine weaving with stitching, and maybe even develop some new wearable items.

This experience has reminded me that creativity doesn’t need perfect conditions. It grows from curiosity, patience, and the willingness to experiment and to just enjoy the process, even when the studio is still half-packed.

Do you find it boring or challenging to work with limited colors and tools? I am inviting you to share your thoughts.