Violets

What I like about cross-stitching is that this is a relatively mindless job. You have a pattern to follow and  holes to stick your needle into, you just need a bit of counting.

Embroidery is a different matter. In my case - I never know where the needle should go and how to make everything to look nice and neat. 

Cross-stitching brings me piece of mind, embroidery is hard work and I am never satisfied with the result.

I've just found a bag I embroidered back in 2007 and I am thinking - why I was so hard on myself, it looks rather pretty (but for the strange dark green lines on the leaves).