One of my favorite television shows is the maker-based megahit, Forged in Fire. The premise is that 4 bladesmiths come together in a competition before 3 expert judges to put their bladesmithing skills to the test … often in the face of extreme challenges.
The first round usually starts out with contestants being told to design a blade “in their signature style.” After repeatedly hearing this over time, it dawned on me that over the years, I had gravitated towards and developed my own ‘signature style’ in several different artisan pursuits. And if you’re an experienced creative, you likely have, also.
For example, for crochet, I have a couple of go-to stitches (half-shell and ripple stitch) that I use for the body of the afghan, then frame it out with a perimeter of half-double crochet stitches. I then finish it with a border of shell stitches. It’s pretty simple, but the finished look is very polished.
But how do you recognize and develop YOUR signature style? The key is to simply DO -- to keep creating and take action every day, and your signature style will naturally reveal itself. Whether you’re an experienced creative who is well on your way to developing your own signature style, or a newbie just getting started by spending time on Pinterest to see what you’re drawn to, I encourage you to embrace the essence of this concept. By developing the nuances and details of what makes your own ‘signature style’, you may one day pave the way for forensic art & textile specialists of the future to be able to identify your work because of your very unique and personal signature style.