How to Get Inspired

Inspiration is a hard thing to come by, some days. Granted, some times you are brimming with all the enthusiasm and good ideas in the world, but other days can be slow.

I have found two or three really good ways to go from clueless to clued in:

1. Stop: Stop thinking, stop working and stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Take a seat, grab a cuppa and calm down. Research the sort of thing you'd like to make on the internet, to help the creative juices start to flow.
2. Mood Boards: I used to hate being made to do mood boards at school, but have recently recognised just how valuable they can be. A mood board is a collection of photos, images, descriptions, fabric samples and other inspirational things glued or pinned to a board, in one mash of subject area. They are useful for getting your mind in the right place for making. I personally have one mood board for the subject with which I'm working, such as waistcoats, then another just devoted to sewing for those days when I'm less enthusiastic.
3. Create a Lovely Place To Work: My work room has a huge window, which I always keep open, along with speakers and photographs of people I've worked with or just really idolise. You'll be more likely to want to be in a place that's covered in beautiful things that interest you, and if you have to make a large project that involves lots of hours work, time seems to fly in a lovely environment. Just think about how much nicer it'd be to work in a field of flowers and not a dreary office? Same theory.

Oddly, I've found that having a drink to hand, and working in stages is the best way to be inspired. If you break down one project into 5 smaller ones, you get that sense of achievement at several intervals before the project is even complete. It also allows you to look objectively and see if a project can be improved.