Growing up, I never thought I was an artist. I was never the best in art class. Didn’t really doodle. Couldn’t draw well at all. And so, I never thought I was creative. Did you feel that way, too?
It turns out that creativity (and artistry) have very little to do with elementary school art class.
Creativity is more than artistic ability, and definitely more than any standard curriculum can define. Creativity doesn’t only apply to art quilts, either. Creative problem-solving, use of color or unique materials, changing a pattern to make it your own…all of these are types of creativity that apply to any type of quilting.
“True innovators, true entrepreneurs are not puzzle builders, they’re quiltmakers. They take all the things they have at their disposal, all the things even if they’re kind of strange and surprising, and they figure out how to leverage them to make amazing things happen.”
video clip: True Innovators are Quiltmakers
different types of creative “thinking”
The most recent research I’ve found breaks down three different approaches to developing creative ideas: deliberate, spontaneous, and flow.
- The deliberate approach involves paying focused attention to make connections about information and/or feelings you already have. You’re making a conscious effort to solve a problem or develop an idea.
- The spontaneous approach is more of a “Eureka!” moment or an epiphany, where you allow the unconscious part of your brain to work in the background. You can’t really plan for this, but you can create conditions where these moments can flourish.
- Flow is when you’re so deeply immersed in a process that creativity feels effortless. Personally, I think this is a cross between the deliberate and spontaneous approaches.
what’s your creative style?
Still not sure you’re creative? Discover your creative quilting style by reflecting on the questions in this month’s downloadable PDF.
Download the What’s Your Creative Style? worksheet:
Flourishing is a year-long journey that invites quilters to explore meaningful themes each month—clarity, connection, self-care, creativity, mindfulness, and beyond. Each month brings a new focus, sparking thoughtful reflection and creativity. Join the Flourishing journey through blog posts, inspiring newsletter articles, engaging social media content, reader challenges, and exclusive quilt block patterns. Flourishing stitches together personal growth and the art of quilting, offering a fulfilling path for quilters to connect, create, and thrive.
