Pattern Graveyard: Pigeon... and a hot dog
We spend a lot of time creating things you do see—mini cross stitch bundles, playful motifs, watercolor hearts, basset hounds with big eyes. But today, we want to shine a light on the ones you don’t see.
Because for every polished pattern that makes it into the shop, there are a dozen (or more) that never quite found their place.
Some were too weird.
Some were too wonky.
Some made us laugh so hard we almost hit publish anyway.
Like the pigeon eating a hot dog under a lamppost (see below). That one’s real. It started as a sketch inspired by an afternoon walk in the city, where we watched a very determined pigeon drag a full-size hot dog across the sidewalk. We couldn’t stop thinking about it. Eventually, it made its way onto Aida cloth… under a glowing streetlamp, naturally.
It still lives in our studio drawer. Unreleased. Iconic.
And then there was the angry tulip with eyebrows. The cow jumping rope. A whole series of moths. They were strange, specific, and honestly? Kind of wonderful. But they never quite made it past the "what if" stage.
Not Everything Has to Be Finished
These half-stitched, half-drawn, half-serious patterns remind us that the creative process isn’t always about the end result. Sometimes it’s about chasing an idea just because it makes you smile. Sometimes it's a sketch on the back of a receipt that never goes anywhere—and that’s okay.
We believe those unused ideas still have value. They’re part of the tapestry (pun intended) of how we create: with curiosity, playfulness, and a willingness to follow odd little sparks just to see where they go.
Will the pigeon ever make a public debut? Maybe. Maybe not. But it made us laugh, and that’s more than enough.
🗂️ What's in Your Drawer of Unfinished Ideas?
We’d love to know: Do you have a sketch, pattern, or idea that never saw the light of day—but still brings you joy?
Follow us @PatternCrafters on Instagram or @Pattern_Crafters on TikTok—and tell us about it!
Let’s celebrate the messy, marvelous, almosts!