I am inspired by a video by Kristine Vike on sewing with scraps like a Victorian (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XreUqSfiDpo). I plan to use these scraps to make a bag for my extensive collection of scraps. Scrap. What a word.

I started with just solid-colored linen, but it wasn’t very interesting. So I threw in some patterned cottons. Much better.

Here is one side of the bag, with seam allowances all pinned up. Those seam allowances take up a lot of fabric - something to plan for.

Now I get to dig out my embroidery floss and have some fun!

This is too much fun! I might not be able to turn this into a bag. I might want to hang it on a wall.

I hit an inspiration wall but then remembered that there is such a thing as the Internet. I found all kinds of blackwork embroidery images and made these rather gargantuan lady bugs.

I got distracted and took a little break from this but have lately been back at it. Gosh, it got rumpled up.

Cross stitch is such a treat; you get to use teeny lines to create negative space. And the challenge is to use the colors and the patterns with such efficiency that there is little to no wasted thread. It is definitely not mindless work.

Here is the second piece of patchwork; I am nearly done stitching the borders and will start on the insides soon, yay. Maybe I had better iron it first.