Creativity Prompts for Fiber Artists with Alanna Wilcox

[@lindas5964]

Loved this video! Yes I rarely follow patterns exactly but instead use them as jumping off places for what I really want to do. Like a skeleton that I can build on. So much more fun!! They don’t always turn out great but I don’t care. The ones that have “succeeded” I love more than anything I could have copied. I spent a couple of years accumulating and learning to use a spin I g wheel and loom to add to my list of tools to work with. Because the hard part is knowing exactly what you have to work with!

[@myriamhaar2753]

It's ok to follow patterns to learn new techniques. We can then adapt or transform what we learn to create our own pieces, or use our newly acquired skills as a stepping stone to ignite our passion or create new and completely different projects that would/could include some of these new techniques. There are no limits in creativity. As I said when I learned quilting: I will have to come back many lifetimes to explore the infinite potential of quilting art 😊

[@paulaward1913]

It was the beautiful picture of weaving on your book cover that inspired me to start weaving so thank you. 3 looms and many blankets later and I still love it.

[@alanna7181]

Oh wow, thank you for sharing your story with me 😊🥰🫂

[@bluescoop3132]

Your prompts are very inspiring! I am about to enter a period that will give me the time and space to create. I have so many ideas and materials that I am having a dilemma of how/where to start. Thanks for helping with some simple steps 🙏🏼

[@spinnybuns]

Oh wonderful!!! How excellent to have that space and time to explore your creativity. Please join my Facebook group to come and share what you've created, I would love to see it 💕

[@myriamhaar2753]

I feel you. Just looking at your material can be overwhelming. I used to ask myself: and now what. But my teacher said: take a few pieces, and just start. Baby steps, baby steps. All the best with ur new adventure

[@Padraigp]

Starting is no problem for me but finishing things is. Can we get together and meet in the middle somehow. 😂❤❤

[@katetreick]

Great ideas! And I bet your students are inspired by you on a regular basis. 😊

[@spinnybuns]

@katetreick1646 thank you 🥰 I hope they are! Would love to see what you create if you'd like to join me and share in my Facebook group, Spin, Dye, and Create with Alanna Wilcox 😊

[@vi1332]

GREETINGS FROM india. This has been wonderful. I have come to work with fabric pretty late in my life...loving it and your video has been most inspiring...helping to point me in directions and answering a few silent questions I have had...so thank you... Thanks for the inspiration and helping me on , on my creative journey. Wishing you well.

[@doreensmith8970]

Well, that truly was inspiring... Frees me up to maybe call myself a fiber artist, though I still need to brush up on my skill level. I still feel the presence of fiber police and perfection...

[@spinnybuns]

Try to pick projects that are not outcome oriented but more process oriented. For example I like to weave with black warp and challenge myself to explore texture, color, an emotion etc in the space between where the weaving ended and the next segment. Offering up your creative time to playing can be very liberating. Feel free to report back if you try!

[@rebeccasigari4025]

Thank you! I thoroughly enjoyed your talk, so well thought out and presented. I get so inspired but struggle when it comes to actually doing something so I often don’t even try. I think the idea of placing limits would help me get beyond that block.

[@spinnybuns]

There's a thing that's real called choice overwhelm and it can really stiffle us. You're more than welcome to join my Facebook group, "Spin, Dye, and Create with Alanna Wilcox" if you'd like to belong to a no pressure, encouraging, creative community of fiber artists and crafters on Facebook 😊

[@Padraigp]

My ideas are often way beyond my skill level. An example is I wanted to embroider butterflies and got friggen fsilk floss and made a huge frustrating tangle and gave up. I just went to a market and was delighted to see a lady has made them on her digital embroidery machine which she programmed the butterflies to actually be like rela species of butterflies with back and front of the wings done to reality ..unfortunately she didn't use silk thread which would hsve been perfection itself... it took me years to even get a machine that would tske the width of the floss without breaking snd I couldn't afford a digital or even embroidery machine I just got sewing machines...sigh...its a lot to make all that happen to just make a butterfly. But I'm glad she didn't give up and had the money to invest in it. Maybe I'll try again some day. But what I cannot actually do ohsyically often disappoints me so much it just makes me sad. I have these ideas but don't hsve the money or space to do the things. I've been getting scraps of blankets and made a rug it took me four months instead of four hours like my friend who made one. So that also made me feel quite disabled... its hard to feel good when we also get to see so many amsxing people. Like I might be the best at something in my village but knowing somone already does it better in a factory in India for cheaper than it would cost me to even get basic tools or materials...thats also disheartening.

[@ColorsofHopeCraftsASMR]

I’m glad I found you! My name is Ali, and I’m a fiber artist. I knit, crochet, and spin yarn.

[@spinnybuns]

Cheers😁 you should join my Facebook group so you can share the stuff you like to make. It's called Spin, Dye, and Create with Alanna Wilcox and all are welcome!

[@ColorsofHopeCraftsASMR]

@@spinnybuns Thanks, I’ll check it out! I’ll also subscribe to your channel.

[@CherylHarpercompulsivespinner]

Thank you for sharing. I really enjoyed your talk.

[@spinnybuns]

Most welcome! I have other lectures on my website about how to approach working with color too and lots of other fun conversations about fiber and creativity during the fiberside chats that were uploaded on my yt channel too! 😁 would love to hear what it inspires you to create!

[@louissergeant3578]

Really lovely hearing these ideas put into words and to push forward and create ❤️

[@spinnybuns]

❤️ thank you for sharing your feedback with me! If you would like to continue the conversation about creativity, please feel free to join my group on Facebook, Spin, Dye, and Create with Alanna Wilcox facebook.com/groups/spindyeandcreate/

[@susanpanariti5909]

I'm so glad I found you!!!❤

[@spinnybuns]

Cheers! 🥰🥰

[@karinahovaghimian7896]

I loved your video!!! Thank you so much!!!!❤

[@spinnybuns]

🥰 most welcome, would love to see what you create!

[@lea-annesheather1514]

Hey great suggestions

[@spinnybuns]

🥰 thanks! We discuss a lot of creative ideas in my Facebook group, Spin, Dye, and Create with Alanna Wilcox if you'd like to join us you're most welcome to! If you're not a FB fan, I'd still love to hear how your projects turn out after considering these points 😁

[@leeligin]

Thank you for your sharing.

[@spinnybuns]

Most welcome! Let me know if you use one for a future project!

[@ReviewsAndMore9]

I am a long time mixed media artist but new to the realm of fibers and textiles. I could really use specific guidance into the various fibers, their names, their photos, their type, descriptions, best sources, price points (so we know if something is priced fairly or if there is price gouging) and so forth. I have no idea where to start to build my stash. I’m mostly interested in grungy, hairy, dark autumn colors, textured (non glossy) fibers. What do you suggest? A book, newsletter, website, blog to follow? How to build my supplies and keep the expenses down?

[@spinnybuns]

What do you hope to do with fiber? I would say to take classes so you know what you need vs don't and what's good for one end use may be different than for another.

[@carolkahl5605]

I get all of my fibers from yard sales, second hand stores and the outgoing donation boxes of friends. Material can be sewn, torn, cut into free fibers or twisted strands can be spun into ropes and strings. The sky is the limit when it comes to the creative possibilities. Don’t get too hung up on the perfect ingredients. Just make something! Have fun

[@ShareeAnneGorman]

👏✨👏✨👏✨

[@mmcgartland2095]

Thanks. I make art doll. Each is a unique journey. People have told me that they are waste of my time and talents. Sigh

[@spinnybuns]

The beauty of making art is that it really doesn't matter what other people think ;)

[@711yada]

Just a talking video.