Now that you’ve finished your most recent cross stitch kit, you may be deciding what to do with it. Most people choose to frame theirs, but there are some hints and tips to bear in mind. Following these will ensure that your finished project looks its best for a long time to come, especially important if you’ve stitched it as a gift for a friend.

Cleaning

Cleaning your cross stitch will ensure that the colours look their brightest as you’ll be removing any dust or oil that’s been transferred from your skin. As the majority of our kits use high quality threads from brands such as DMC, Anchor or Madiera, you won’t need to worry about the colours running. However, if the threads are of another make, you should check first by placing damp paper towel over the design. If any colour comes off onto the towel, you shouldn’t wash your cross stitch.

However, if your threads are colourfast, then wash the design in lukewarm water. Use a little mild soap, but be careful not to soak it. Then, rinse the cross stitch in warm and then cool water. Finally, leave the design to dry naturally on a clean, soft towel.

You should also iron your design to get rid of any creases in the material from folding or from embroidery hoops. Lay the cross stitch face down on a clean and fluffy towel and then iron lightly over the design on a medium setting.

Framing.

When it comes to framing, be careful not to choose a frame that distracts from your cross stitch; you want one that will complement the finished design. Also, the glass in frames is usually not used, but you do need to mount your design first.

You should use a padded mounting board, unless you’ve decided that you want to use the glass in your frame. Foamcore board is the easiest to get hold of; you can usually buy it from good arts and crafts shop. If you can’t get any foamcore, don’t panic. Just make sure that the mounting is thick enough for you to put pins into.

Once your board has been cut to the size of your frame, place a piece of wadding over the board and then your completed cross stitch over the top of this. Centre your design, and then pin the fabric along the edges of the board. Work from the middle of each edge towards the corners and stretch the fabric as you go.

As you do this, make sure that you pin along the same row of the aida as this will keep your design straight. Once you’ve finished pinning, use a strong masking tape to secure any excess fabric to the back of the board and then remove the pins. Put your mounted cross stitch into the frame, then finally insert the back of the frame.

And there you have it; a wonderfully framed cross-stitch kit! If you have any other useful tips for cleaning or framing, or perhaps some pictures of your own framed handiwork, be sure to let us know! You can leave a comment below or, as always, come and chat to us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+!


Post By Marc

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