How to Create a Sacred Space for Crafting

Blogger and author Kathryn Vercillo shares how to make a healing, relaxing craft space. Read her previous blog posts on the Lion Brand Notebook here.

Lion Brand Yarn Studio in New York

Yarncrafting is healing. Knitting is relaxing. Crochet is meditative. Honoring that makes our crafting even more productive, beneficial and special in our lives. Make your crafting space a sacred space to help you drop more easily into the creative / spiritual/ healing aspects of your craft time each time that you work.

Select a Space

Start by designating a crafting space, even if it’s just a chair in the corner of a room. Make it your comfiest favorite chair that you really want to spend time in!

Create a Craft Altar

Altars can be religious but they don’t have to be. In her book Happier at Home, Gretchen Rubin explores ways to make every little display in the home an altar to something (an altar to toys, an altar to books). This encourages us to pick our favorite things to celebrate what we love in each spot in our home. A crafting altar might include:

• Vintage crochet hooks / knitting needles on display. See display tips here.
• Favorite luscious yarns; in episode 22 of YarnCraft Zontee talks about creating yarn vignettes
• 1-2 handmade items
• Photos of favorite crafters. Family photos of the older generations of needleworkers in your family are perfect!
• Special craft books and magazines

You can create a small altar even if you don’t have a craft room. A bookshelf, tabletop or even drawer near the chair or bed where you usually craft will work just fine.

Add Some Scent to the Space

Scent is a great trigger. Releasing a scent at the start of each craft session can help you get right into relaxation mode. Light a scented candle or a stick of incense or spray scented water in the air.

The Perfect Lighting

Find the right lighting for your craft space. This differs for everyone. I like as much natural sunlight as possible (so I craft by open windows). I added a floor lamp for nighttime crafting. A softer light is preferable to some because it feels more quiet and sacred (but I like to see all my stitches!) Decorative colored lighting is a plus.

Make it Tech-Free

Unless you’re using a Kindle or computer to get pattern instructions it’s nice to make your craft area a no-phones, no-computer space. But there’s an exception. . .

Add Music

iPods and other music players are the exception. Mood music is a great way to add additional inspiration and rejuvenation to the space.

Your WIPs

On a practical note, keep whatever you’re currently working on or want to work on next in a nice organized place near your craft space. A tote bag with the yarn, tools and pattern is perfect. This way you don’t waste energy fishing around as you try to settle into relaxing craft mode.

Set an Intention

Take a moment in your sacred space before each craft session to set an intention for your work that day. To relax, to honor someone else, to heal, to share peace … these are just a few ideas.

And Some Extras

Some final things you may want to consider for your sacred crafting space:

• Soothing paint colors or fabric choices
• Plants
• Crystals or stones
• Decorative statues, especially craft-inspired
• Anything that inspires you!

Get more tips for creating a craft space from YarnCraft Episode #22. Next month Kathryn will be sharing specific tips for organizing your craft space. In the meantime, check out the ideas in these previous posts: 9 Tips on How to Get Your Crafting Organized and 12 Tips on How to Organize Your Yarn Stash.