Are You Born With It? Part 2!
Nature v. Nurture
September Reflection: Nurture Your Creativity!
Is being creative something you have or is it something you can practice? Both? While there seems to be some evidence that creativity is genetic, studies also show that creativity is a skill that you can build or lose, just like muscle.
Wait, you can lose creative skills? Yep, it’s true. A famous study originally designed for NASA and later used with children (Dr. George Land’s Creativity Test) measured whether a participant could look at a problem and come up with new ideas. Dr. Land found that five-year-olds scored 98% and adults (31 years old on average) scored 2%. Why? There were several reasons; we’ll summarize them by saying that much of what we do as adults boils down to something called convergent thinking, which is how we use logic to eliminate ideas that aren’t practical. Divergent thinking is the opposite, where we use our imagination to come up with new ideas, regardless of practicality. If you’re not familiar with this term, we bet you’ve used the concept. Ever been in a brainstorm session? That’s divergent thinking.
If you think you’re not very creative but want to be, there are many ways to develop this skill. A good starting point is to simply be curious. Curiosity can start with questions like “Why is it done that way?” and “What would happen if I …?” At Yarnivore, we frequently hear these questions, but the most common question is something like, “the pattern calls for such-and-such a yarn but it’s discontinued. What yarn should I use?” This problem is not only a question, it also includes limitations (e.g., the recommended yarn’s weight, fiber content, color, and quantity).
We’ll leave you with the power of creative thinking, especially when we’re challenged by limitations. It turns out that many creative accomplishments arise from problems with limitations. There’s even a name for this. Known as the Green Eggs and Ham Hypothesis, it’s named for the book that Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel) wrote when his publisher challenged him to write a story using 50 different words or less. Apparently, limitations lead to focused problem solving, resulting in innovation. Who knew? Apparently, Dr. Seuss’s publisher did…????
P. S. Check out the Texas Knit and Crochet group on Facebook! This group is for everyone from the great state of Texas who want to come together and share their love of knitting and crochet. Yarnivore is their September sponsor! (search for Texas Knit and Crochet on Facebook to find them and ask to join). Thanks to all of you who are in this group and are sharing your love!
P. P. S. Crawl Passports & Bags will be here Monday, September 30! (If we get them sooner, we'll announce it on Facebook and Insta.) Passports are $20 & early birds will get a free Crawl bag.
Upcoming Classes
Click the title to learn more and to register.
Space is limited, so sign up now! Class fees due at time of registration. You can find all available classes on our Calendar.
Come knit with Wendy! This is for knitters of any skill level with any kind of project! Learn with others in a friendly, supportive environment! Each class is one 2-hour session.
Knit the Papillon with Suzy! Learn the tricks to making your own stunning version of the Papillon! Suzy will guide you through starting your Papillon and the steps to mastering short rows, stitch marker placement, and striping. Most students will finish on their own; students who need additional guidance can join Suzy's one-session workshops. Class is two 2-hour sessions.
NEW EVENING CLASS!
Knitting Workshop with Suzy Bring your projects and questions; Suzy will answer your questions and will break down the principles involved so that everyone can learn! Class is one 2-hour session.
Tuesday, September 24, 12 pm - 4 seats available
Intermediate Crochet - Basic Hat with Moses - Masks Appreciated, but not requiredTake the next step in your crochet journey! Take the next step in your crochet journey! You'll learn to design a basic hat and then how toincrease and decrease (intentionally!) while you crochet it. Class is two 2-hour sessions.
Beginning Knitting with Denise! Learn the basics, including about yarn & knitting needle sizes, how to cast on, knit, purl, & bind off. When you've mastered these stitches, you'll be ready to start your first project. Class is two 2-hour sessions.
Shop News - Featured Yarn: Berroco Hearthside
Natural fibers and a chainette construction combine to make Hearthside a lightweight yet cozy yarn. Make timelessly chic garments, accessories, and more with the understated natural shades of this alpaca, wool, and cotton blend yarn.
Chunky (#5) weight yarn made from 40% Superfine Alpaca, 27% Wool, 33% Cotton. Hand wash, lay flat to dry.
11-7 Wednesday-Friday
11-5 Saturday & 12-5 Sunday
Zorn Junction Trunk Show, Saturday September 28, 11a-4p. This south Texas dyer specializes in boutique batches of unique colors! Come see her before she heads north again!
The Best Little Yarn Crawl in Texas, October 11 - 20, 2024. We'll be picking up passports & bags at the end of the month; we should have them for sale by Monday, 9/30. Passports are $20; early birds will also get a Crawl bag!
Private Lessons
Learn 1x1 or in small groups with your choice of project or technique! One-on-one (one student, one teacher) Personal lessons are $25/hour & group private lessons are $15/person per hour. Visit us in-store or call 210-979-8255 to schedule.
Creativity includes coming up with new ideas, but also refining those ideas over time. Sometimes our ideas are impractical or don’t quite solve today's problem. That doesn’t mean they’re useless. It may be that you can use those ideas to develop a new idea that will work in the future. If you want to refine your ideas, it helps to keep a journal of them, so you can revisit them at a later date. Here's just a few innovations that were refined ideas: Avon, Play-Doh, Pennicillin, and Wrigley's chewing gum.
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If you have a question for one of our teachers, you can email us at yarnivoresa@gmail.com.