Cross-stitch Leftovers Pillow

Instagram user @craft_n_relax recently reposted an image of a pillow made by @wonkyandwonderful. The pillow is made up of lots and lots of 10 stitch by 10 stitch squares of cross-stitch. This was wonky's way of using up floss that was left over from kits. I find it beautiful in its randomness.

There are a lot of more elaborate designs to be found on Pinterest using this same concept of ways to use up leftover floss. But I liked the simplicity of this pillow. To me, it's just the kind of stitching I like to do while watching TV. It's fairly mindless, but allows me to keep my hands busy. I only need to be able to count to ten, then I can go into autopilot.

So I looked through my floss stash and found some leftover-from-kits floss, and a whole bunch of "one off" skeins or floss from oddball companies or other floss that I wouldn't ordinarily use. I found a whole bag of partial skeins of variegated floss. Most of these extras have been around for many years because what am I going to do with it when no pattern calls for that brand or color?

So with my year of Whittle a Little in mind, I pulled out some extra white aida and lots of the oddball, leftover floss, and started stitching. This project has no deadline. Not even a firm idea of what kind of pillow -- or other finished item -- I want to make with it's done. Knowing me, it may become a journal cover or framed piece. We'll see how much I've completed by the time I get sick of making these squares.

Also knowing me, it will be a test of will to keep from making some kind of pattern from the colors and simply allowing this project to be random.

I'll keep you updated on my progress. That will probably happen on days when I can't think of anything else to blog about.
😉