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. 

 

Sew Saturday #3

I have learned that I have a lot more fun with sewing when I don't force myself to work a project to completion. I love variety and avoid finishing like the plague sometimes. I cannot count the number of WIPs I have stored for another day... and that's okay. Any progress counts in my book. 

I'm slowly finishing the whimsy daisy blocks, but I've also started on another quilt top that I'm pattern testing for Tia Lynn Designs. This one is called Flowers for Betty and features these cute daisy blocks. I've even separated them into little drawers in sets of 4 so I can work on them while working on other projects a bit at a time. 

Sew Saturday #2

Not a lot to say this weekend... I'm working on a new quilt for kids layout that uses up 8 half yards cut into strips and made into 8" blocks. I haven't sewn much, but I have drafted 2 quilts and 3 FPP patterns that I want to get to at some point. That counts, right?

Sew Saturday #1

Yesterday was my first Kay Day of the year. Kay has been my life coach/therapist since 2019 and she is a true blessing! One of the things we discussed was goals for 2026. Because of my massive hoard of fabrics and sewing supplies in general, I really want to try and "complete" 1 project per week. I decided that Saturday was the most likely day I could accomplish this, so now we have Sew Saturdays! 

For the first Sew Saturday, I decided to finish a pattern test that I started for Tia Lynn Designs back in August 2025. Of course, then I got Covid the first week of September and that transitioned to an upper respiratory infection that didn't clear up until October. By that time, I was so weak and having dizzy spells from the antibiotics and steroids that I couldn't even walk 20 feet without needing to sit down. Then, there were holidays and end of year deadlines at work that took all my energy from me. 

So, I kicked off 2026 by finishing that WIP of the Stellar Array Quilt Pattern on my first Sew Saturday! I did modify the number of blocks and created some "half blocks" so that the finished quilt top would qualify for my LQS's quilts for kids. Thus, this quilt top is headed off to be quilted by machine and I can move on to my next project. 

Finish Counter: 1/52

Let's start at the very beginning...

 ...it's a very good place to start. 

My name is Liz and I am the crafter behind Sew That Liz. I love to create items that are both useful and aesthetically pleasing. From puff paint t-shirts in the 90s to making my own jewelry to wear to work, I have always loved crafting! 

Like many others, sewing did not become part of my daily life until 2020 arrived with a lack of available PPE. I had been gifted a Singer Simple sewing machine that was just waiting for the time to learn how to use it. With lockdown and YouTube videos, I felt pretty sure I could sew a straight line. Out came the sewing machine and off I went making piles and piles of masks. If you sew, you know that acquiring fabric and using it are two entirely separate hobbies. My acquisition far outstripped my usage, so when the need for masks lifted, I found myself with a ton of fabric. I had no clue what to do with it all, but my local quilt store started a sew-along for beginner quilters and I signed right up! Those first few blocks were so addicting that I ended up consuming YouTube tutorials at an alarming rate and made so many mini quilts that I became known as "that Liz... the one who quilts so fast!" 😊

After months of sewing, I was hooked! I upgraded my simple sewing machine with a sturdier one and ended up with so many quilts, bags, and household decor that my friends and family convinced me to sign up for a Holiday Gift bazaar at that same LQS! I'll never forget the first bag of mine that a fellow quilter took home with her. I kept sewing throughout 2021 and seeing her still carrying that first purse into the 2nd Holiday bazaar made my day. 😊

Unfortunately, the pressure to keep up got to me. I'm not a very good self-promoter and struggle to consistently share my makes. I just love the crafting and the kudos, like many other neurodivergent crafters. After sewing an average of 6-8 hours per day nearly every day for 3 years, I found myself completely burned out and physically sick every time I sat behind my sewing machine. I ended up taking a 3 to 4-month break mid-2023. 😩

I had to learn to give myself grace and accept that I can't do all-the-things. It's super easy to purchase fabrics that inspire you, but it's a lot of effort to whip them into something you can use! I can't participate in all the sew-alongs that interest me. I can't make all the patterns as quickly as I want to. I can't do all the pattern tests or strike promotions. And you know what? THAT'S OKAY! It's okay to rest. It's okay to take a break from your hobby and come back to it later. It's okay to enjoy your hobby and NOT make it a jobby even if you're encouraged to sell your makes by your tribe. 😔

Of course, I've had 6 years of therapy helping me along this path of acceptance. Heh. My therapist encouraged me to start a blog to document my journey and maybe help others in similar states, so here we go. The start of a new year and I'm going to start a blog that may become a vlog, because it's way easier to talk than type. We'll see what the future brings, eh? 😸

~ Liz