Where do you get your inspiration?

As I read through the responses, I kept saying to myself, "That's what I do!" and "I do that, too!" ...so I guess I do a combination of things. There are things I "need," and I usually make up the pattern as I go. Other things, I'm inspired by other's work, either online or in magazines or a store. Sometimes I'll see a color or shape that makes me want to recreate it in a garment or household item. Sometimes I have the entire thing in my head and work to create that, but other times I don't even know what it's going to look like until it's finished!

I come from a family background that was rather craft illiterate..LOL..so I was never into doing any kind of crafts until about 13 years ago. Back then Dreamcatchers were really popular (they still are)...it seemed every catalog I was getting was featuring them and was dying to get one. But then one day while looking at a catalog of one particular dreamcatcher the thought popped in my head...hey I could do that. At the time I didn't even know they had kits to make them, so figured out a way to do them on my own just by looking at the photos of dreamcatchers...well that led to more Native American based crafts...like my Native American themed teddy bear, beaded jewelry and so on. I really never sketched any of my ideas out...I just tend to do them. The only thing I will sketch out is perhaps a particular beaded pattern

I think I am a more of make as you go. I have sketch things out but never follow through. I sometimes see something in a magazine that I like and I would think how cute and then make my own pattern. I cannot follow patterns so that does not work for me.

i am the type that usually makes it up as i go. i tend to look at sites that sell crafts or books and sometimes i get some really great ideas from there and tend to put my own twist on it.

For me it is different at different times. Some times it is based on something I need. Right now I feel like I NEED some new scatter rugs. I don't have the money for a lot of new ones but I do have a lot of odd skiens of yarn from other projects. So putting wants together with what is on hand I am crocheting rugs now. Other times I will hear of or see something and just sort of go off on a tangent, working on a skill. Recently I saw a blog about knitted lace, then found one where the blogger is going through an antique journal and up-dating and charting the directions. I was facinated by this and have decided to follow this for as long as she blogs the journal. I make samples of each pattern. First in a 4 ply yarn with about size 4 needles, then when I feel I have the pattern sorta 'set' in my head I make a sample of it with some very very fine two ply yarn and the smallest knitting needles I have. here is the link to that blog. http://laceknitter.blogspot.com/

I like to look around at what what I've got and who I need to make gifts for. For example, I know my roomie likes dragons, so I've found a pattern in cross stithc and I have changed the colors to colors I think she'll like, even tho they all look simular to her, but these are sparkleing. I did sequin pictures for 4 of my friends for last christmas, and sequined fruit for the roomie's mom. I also did myself one, of a giraffe.

I look around on the internet, and see what other people have made. i usually copy what they've made, sometimes with modifications because I don't want to buy a lot of stuff.

sometimes I see something and then either buy one to figure it out or make my own version. I also get ideas from the web and my best friend who is always searching for new things to do. We have so much fun figuring out projects one of us sees! but sometimes I get ideas of my own.....

I read, watch craft shows, etc. There is a file of want-tos in my head, and when I see materials I can use for them, or find them in my stash, I put it all in a drawer... then when I get time to sit and relax, I stop by that drawer and get what I need. Lately I've been storing more than crafting, but after taxes and Spring cleaning I should have time... fingers crossed!

Most of my inspirations on the jewelry I make comes from nature. I like to use color combinations from the sites I've seen. When I went our to Arizona a couple of years ago, many of my creations were from the colors I saw at the Grand Canyon, the red rocks of Sedona, the parks in and around Tucson, etc. Now many of my creations are ocean related... sunrises, sunsets, stormy days, tropical beaches and I'm sure that very soon, I'll be inspired by the colors of spring!

Sometimes I can be looking at something online, or see something on tv and then an idea pops into my mind. I like to be original so I don't usually use patterns unless I'm doing embroidery or cross stitch.

I love to crochet and always crochet hats. The way I go about finding inspiration is I compulsively buy yarn whether I need it or not, so when I go about working on a project I go through my yarn with no intentions in mind of what I want the finished project to be. I will start working on one idea when I pick up a ball of yarn then find another fiber or color that I want to add (for example I was making a mohair hat and didn't have enough to make a full hat, so I found a nice soft cashmere blend to make the bottom half in a ribbed pattern. It wasn't planned, but it's my favorite hat), or keep it as is and just go from there. I'm inspired by fun, colorful and different designs. I try not to base my ideas off anything I've seen, because I want to create something original, different and eye catching. I've tried sketching out ideas, but I just can't bring myself to do it, because I'm all about being spontaneous (unless of course, someone wants a custom hat done). I can't wait to hear other answers because I like to hear how everyone goes about their crafting process.