More Freeform Chicken Scratch

This is my first attempt to get the "normal" Chicken Scratch, which is circles and snowflakes, onto denim (or any other fabric, for that matter).

Firstly - it is possible to do - I just put tracing paper over gingham and traced the crosses and straight stitches between them. I then transferred them to the denim by stitching through and removed the tracing paper.

I then put the second cross on the snowflakes and wove the circles.

That is where I came unstuck. I am finding that the more subtle colours in threads are blending into the denim (this is not the only spot where it has happened). It is almost like the blue/whiteish of the denims sucks colours out!

This piece looks absolutely terrible at night (which is why I tried the lighter thread in there as well), but looks quite good during the day, when the different light shows up the texture. I cannot pick the same texture at night.

So the bottom lines are - I need stronger colours, but this form of chicken scratch is possible. And it does add nice texture. One of my students has now added small ribbon roses in the centre of circles, with a few leaves, and it looks stunning.

And I am trying to remember that this is a working bag - I do not want to put light colours towards the base, where they will pick up grime easier whenever the bag is put down. Otherwise I could use the stronger whites there.