Prepping your finished cross stitch piece

I am almost finished with my very first cross stitch work, and I'm pretty excited to get it framed and hung on the wall! But before you can frame and hang your cross stitch, you have to prep it properly.

As you work on your cross stitch piece, even if you think your hands are pretty clean, they are still transferring body oils onto the fabric and thread. If you don't wash these off, over time they can attract dirt and grime and make your piece grubby. They can also promote fungal and mildew growth, or damage the inks in the threads, causing them to fade. Not to mention the rumples and wrinkles in the fabric that will accumulate as you work.

You will need to be very gentle with the washing, to prevent lifting off any extra color, or disturbing the threads. Fill a basin with cool to lukewarm water, and add a small amount of a mild detergent (not Woolite). Let it soak for about 15 minutes, gently prodding it around from time to time. Don't swish it or rub it; treat it as carefully as possible.

Once it has finished soaking, rinse it in several changes of water until the soap is gone. Don't hold the work directly under the tap, and don't wring or twist it. Just let the basin fill with clean water, swish it around a little, and let the water run out.

Next, lay it flat between two clean towels and press down with your hands to blot out any extra water. If it is particularly soggy you can roll the towels up and press on the roll to squeeze out the water, but use caution.

Finally, while it is damp, give it a gentle ironing. Lay it face down on a towel, drape a pressing cloth over it, and use an iron set on medium heat. Press it until the cloth is both flat and dry.

Once this is finished, you are ready for framing!

Image courtesy Flickr/RedHerring1up