Sew Saturday [Moving to Sunday] #9

Saturday is the day for doing, Sunday is the day for reflection. I'm struggling to get my posts actually posted on Saturdays because I'm too busy doing the things, so I've made the executive decision to post on Sundays instead. So, today I can finally share my first circus themed mini block inspired by the Elephant Parade Hop ... The Admission Ticket! Because you've got to have a ticket to ride, right!? 

Here's a 6" mini version I made to fit the blanket on the Elephant Parade Hop blocks, but the 12" version is available in store now. 

Here's the 12" block finished by Heather French during pattern testing. 

🐘 Introducing the Elephant Parade Shop Hop hosted by TiaLynn Designs! 🐘

I am SO excited to announce the kickoff of a brand-new shop hop and trust me — this one is going to be absolutely unforgettable. [Get it? Elephants never forget! 😅]

Welcome to the Elephant Parade Shop Hop!

Grab your rotary cutter, press your fabric, and get ready to join quilters from all over as we celebrate one of the most beloved creatures in the animal kingdom — the majestic elephant — one block at a time.

What Is a Shop Hop?

If you're new to shop hops, here's the fun: participating shops and designers each contribute a unique element to a larger quilt project. You collect the pieces, sew along, and end up with a fun finished quilt that tells the story of your journey. It's part treasure hunt, part sewing circle, and 100% joy.

The Block: An 18" Elephant with a Very Special Blanket from Tia Lynn Designs

At the heart of this shop hop is a charming 18-inch elephant block — sturdy, sweet, and full of personality. But what makes our elephants truly special is what they're wearing: each elephant proudly sports a 6-inch square blanket draped across its back.

Think of it as the elephant's very own quilt — a tiny canvas of color, pattern, and creativity.

The Magic: Weekly Designer Blankets!! 

Here's where it gets really exciting. Each week, a featured designer will share an exclusive 6" blanket insert — a unique design that drops right into your elephant block. These inserts might feature:

⭐ Traditional patchwork patterns

🌟 Paper Piecing

🔺 Geometric designs

Every week brings a fresh surprise, a new designer voice, and a new reason to sit down at your sewing machine.

How to Participate

✨️Check out the designers and sign up for reminders

🐘Grab the 1st elephant block pattern

🎪Follow along each week as a new designer's blanket insert is revealed.

🥜Sew, share, and show off your blocks using #ElephantParadeHop on social media.

Complete your herd and see how beautifully all those blankets come together!

Let the Parade Begin! 🎉

Sew Saturday #8 Sadness -- goimagine closure = all kinds of feels

I'm still processing and figuring out what my next steps are, but the Marketplace and Mosaic website I've had for the last 4 years is closing and I'm struggling. There's lots of "what now?" and "where do I go from here?" thoughts mixed in with a few "ugh! I don't wanna deal with this right now." It is very overwhelming to review and compare alternatives and I do not handle overwhelm or change well at all! All of this while trying to actually put myself out there and design quilt blocks, get them tested, and promote them with this blog hop. It's a lot... and that's okay. I'm just in my feels right now. I'll get through it. I still have my crossbody pattern available on Etsy and will figure something out.

Secret Sew Saturday #7 + Memories

I am hard at work behind the scenes designing foundation paper piecing [FPP] blocks, y'all! Like, the hyperfocus is real. I am having so much fun with this and cannot wait to share them with you. I can't share them yet though, so how about a few "back where it all began" snippets from back at the start of my sewing quest. 

The OG Workhorse, Singer Simple 3116:

Stacks of Masks, 5 per bag ready to donate:

Stacks of fabric cut and prepped for sewing:

Sew Saturday #6

Happy Galentines and Palentines Day, y'all! 💙 I am feeling so much better than I did last week. So much so that I finished all 12 designs for my Circus Theme block bundle!!! I am so excited about this endeavor. It's been a lot of fun learning software and writing up the instructions. Getting it all merged together so I can share with you during the blog hop with Tia Lynn Designs later this month. The official kick-off is March 1st, so definitely stick around for that. 

I'm really squirrely this month with the sickness and pattern designing, but I did manage some stitching for a butterfly block test. 

Unfortunately, the second butterfly I mis-cut 1 piece and had to cut another. Then, I stitched somewhere I shouldn't have AND trimmed the corner, so I have to start over. When that happens, my brain goes into meltdown mode and the project has to go into time-out because I get so upset that I messed up. I know it's not the end of the world, but the inner-voiced demons do not allow for failure without popping in to antagonize me greatly. Until I can shut them up permanently, I'm chanting the mantra "mistakes happen, and that's okay" whenever it gets too much. What do you do to get back in the game when you mess up?   

Sew Saturday #5

 This week has been crummy as I caught a cold from my partner. I really didn't feel up to sewing anything, so I spent most of my non-work time curled up on the couch with my laptop. The good news is that I was invited to participate in an upcoming blog hop with TiaLynn Designs. It's going to be a very cute circus themed hop, so I took the non-stitchy time to finish my contribution. Of course, with my squirrely brain I took it even further and found 11 additional ideas that I wanted to make into blocks for my own 12 block bundle. I cannot wait to share what I've been working on with you. In the meantime, how about a photo of my supurrvisor! He naps on the job a lot.😹

Sew Saturday #4

The first 4 blocks of the Flowers for Betty pattern are all stitched up and I have 1-1/2 columns sewn together for my whimsy daisy pattern. I'm thinking of designing some circus themed FPP blocks. 

Last day of the month. Still only 1 full finish top, but lots of progress in my own pattern designs and 3 quilt tops in progress! I call it a win.