Scrapbook Paper From Scraps

It's one of those ideas that has been on my craft to do list for far too long, so when we were prompted to use quilting as an inspiration during Shimelle's Pretty Paper Party, I knew I had finally been given the 'excuse' I needed to work on a more time intensive project - making my own scrapbook paper from scraps.

So, I gathered together the scraps from my October Counterfeit Kit and pulled out some additional scraps in more neutral colours. I planned a very simple design, no fancy cutting for me - just beautiful papers, colour and stitching.

I cut myself a 12x12 sheet of plain white cardstock, then arranged my scraps in a very rough order before cutting them down to size. Since I knew I would be stitching onto my project, I used a simple glue stick which has the added advantage of keeping the scraps mobile for a moment or two while you manoeuvre them into position.

To finish off the paper, I used a simple zigzag stitch on my sewing machine. And believe me when I tell you that it's not perfectly straight. Still, I seriously couldn't be happier with the results.

Oddly, the morning after I finished my stitching, the Counterfeit Kit Challenge posted a tutorial on creating your own Patchwork Paper Using Scraps. It's a more structured pattern, but it is beautifully made and there's some excellent tips for those of you who might not be confident enough to sit down and just start stitching.