And based on what I’ve been hearing, I’m not alone. Some of my fellow needle felters have been in the same place—feeling kind of meh, waiting for that creative spark to come back.
Well, here’s the wild thing: I found something that helped. And it’s almost embarrassingly simple.
I just felted.
No fancy setup. No grand idea. I grabbed some plain core wool (something neutral to match my vibe), picked up a trusty 36 or 38 gauge needle—because this was not a delicate 40 gauge kind of moment—and I just started. I had no plan, no vision, no pressure. Just the rhythmic, grounding motion of stabbing wool.
To set the mood, I put on an audiobook (The Lost Queen series, if you’re curious—so good) and let myself zone out. My hands moved. My mind quieted. And that was the moment things shifted.
But I’ll be honest—I almost didn’t start at all. I sat at my workspace, stuck, staring at nothing, thinking “I should do something” but not actually doing anything. That’s when I remembered Mel Robbins’ 5-second rule: count down from 5 and move before your brain talks you out of it.
So I did.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
Grabbed the wool. Sat down. Started felting.
At first, it felt flat. But then, something started to wake up in me. I ended up making a silly little abstract curly cue. Nothing special. But it was something. And more importantly—it worked. It reminded me that sometimes, the way through creative burnout isn’t some big breakthrough—it’s just starting. Without expectation. Without pressure. Just for the sake of creating.
Am I totally out of my slump now? Not quite. But I feel lighter. More grounded. And with a little sunshine and some dirt under my nails, I know I’ll be back to my usual creative self soon.
So if you’re in a creative funk right now, try this: forget the masterpiece. Pick up your tools. Count down from 5. And just make something—even if it’s nothing special.
And if you have your own tricks for getting out of a creative rut, I’d genuinely love to hear them. Let’s keep sharing and showing up for each other—because sometimes, a little connection is the best remedy of all.
Happy felting,
Christie
