What To Do With Finished Cross Stitch

Many times, you will start a cross-stitch project and not finish it. However, when you finish one, it gives you a great sense of accomplishment. Then, you start wondering what to do with it.

A finished cross-stitch is a work of art. Therefore, you need to find a way to maintain it as such. Do not put it away in your finished project bag.

What To Do With Finished Cross Stitch?

Frame it. Framing a cross-stitch project is the best thing you can do when you finish one. You can use the framed project as a decoration.

You can even display it as a piece of art. Framing a cross-stitch maintains its integrity as it protects it against touching and dirt. This keeps it intact and beautiful for a long time.

How To Frame A Finished Cross Stitch Project?

Method 1. Sewing Your Piece On The Frame

Step 1. Wash, dry, and iron your finished cross-stitch project. Cross-stitch projects take a long time to complete. In the process they get dirty. You cannot frame a dirty project for display. You also cannot frame a wrinkled cross-stitch. It will not show its best qualities. Make sure your project looks good before you frame it. You can even spray on some anti-wrinkle spray after ironing to straighten it out completely. Also, make sure your project has some space around it that is not covered by the stitching.

Step 2. Buy a frame of the same size as your cross-stitch project. Once you have the frame, lay it on your working surface with the back facing up. The back of the frame is made of cardboard or any other soft board that may have been used to make the frame. Remove the cardboard backing from the frame.

Step 3. Place your cross-stitch on the cardboard frame backing. Make sure that the cross-stitched part fits properly on the cardboard. Also, make sure that you have enough fabric left on your fabric that can wrap around the sides of the cardboard on both sides.

Step 4. Make a firm stitch on one corner of the Aida fabric. Then fold the sides of the Aida behind the cardboard. And now start stitching this backside with a Z stitch. Insert your needle from one side to another so that your stitch looks like shoelaces. Don’t pull too tight to ensure that your cross-stitch remains in place on the cardboard frame backing.

Step 5. Place your cardboard back in the frame and seal it in to make sure that it can’t fall off. Turn your frame around to confirm that your cross-stitch project is visible and sits properly on the frame. You can now hang your frame or sell your framed cross-stitch project.

Method 2. Mount On A Sticky Board Frame

Step 1. Prepare your cross-stitch fabric for framing. Wash, dry, and iron it in preparation for framing. Prepare your cross-stitch so that it sits and looks appealing once it is framed. This means that your cross-stitch should be clean and lint-free.

Step 2. Buy a fusible or self-stick mounting board the same size as your cross-stitch project. This ensures that you avoid the headache of cutting the fusible to size from a large piece. You may also have to cut part of your Aida fabric to ensure that your cross-stitch project sits perfectly on the sticky board frame.

Step 3. Peel off the paper on the sticky board to expose the sticky part of the board. Pick a corner and peel off the paper on the board with your fingers.

Step 4. Place your cross-stitch on the board. Make sure that the cross-stitch sits on the board perfectly. You need to cut any excess fabric. This ensures that your cross-stitch sits on the board perfectly.

Step 5. Place your mounted sticky board back in its frame. Place the glass back on the frame and seal the frame to ensure that the mounted board doesn’t fall off. You can now display your finally framed object at your favorite part of the house or in your working area. You can also take a photo of the finished project to use as an advertisement if you want to sell your project.

Method 3. Frame Your Cross-Stitch On its Own

Step 1. Prepare your finished cross stitch for framing. This means you have to wash and iron the Aida fabric with the cross-stitch on it.

Step 2. Buy or prepare the frame that you want to use for your project.

Step 3. Cut the excess fabric on the Aida to make sure that your project is the same size as the frame.

Step 4. Remove the cardboard backing of the frame and insert your cut to size Aida project into the frame.

Step 5. Put back your backing on the frame and seal it.

Method 4. Frame With A Hoop

Step 1. Finish and wash your cross-stitch embroidery project. Iron it so that it doesn’t have any wrinkles on it when you hoop it.

Step 2. Choose a hoop in the size that you want your project to be framed in. You may have to cut your fabric to fit the size of the hoop you choose.

Step 3. Open up the hoop and place your fabric in it. Cut any excess fabric that hangs around the hoop leaving only about a ? inch hanging. Now your cross-stitch fits perfectly in the hoop.

Step 4. Apply hot glue on the Aida fabric within the hoop. Then fold the hanging ? inches of Aida fabric onto the glue. This will keep all of your Aida fabric within the hoop. This will display your cross-stitch on the hoop perfectly.

Method 5. Use Creative Frames For Your Small Cross-Stich Projects

Step 1. You have completed your small cross-stitch project and you need to frame it. You don’t have to buy a large or expensive frame for a small cross-stitch project. You can use anything around you as a frame for your small completed projects.

Step 2. Look for any item that you can use as a frame for your cross-stitch project. You can use a jar lid as your frame or use a small jar that your project can go around.

Step 3. When you identify an object that you will use as your frame, wrap your cross-stitch fabric around it to check that it fits. You can sew your cross-stitch onto your chosen frame or fix it around the frame with glue. You can also turn your chosen frame into a functional time now that it has framed your cross-stitch project.

What Can You Use Your Completed Cross Stitch Projects For?

When you finish a cross-stitch project, there are many uses that you can put it to. Many cross-stitchers just take a photo of their work and keep it in their completed projects bag. They will then forget about it and pull it out only when they have similar projects. Don’t hide your completed projects. There is so much you can do with them.

If you decide to frame your completed cross-stitch project, you can use it as a decoration at home. You can also display it as an art piece. This is true especially when you have a full coverage cross-stitch project. Since this is a large project it can easily pass for a piece of art.

You can also sell your cross-stitch projects. There are many crafts markets where you can get customers for your cross-stitch projects. You could finish projects and put them up for sale in these online markets.

Sew a quilt with your completed cross stitch projects. You can use your cross-stitch pattern to make a quilt project.

You can also make a cross-stitch project and turn it into a table cloth, or cushion covers for your seat cushions.

How To Wash Your Complete Cross Stitch Project?

Cross-stitch is a hand embroidery technique. As such, it may take a long time to complete a single piece. As you work on it, make sure that you have clean hands. However, the oils on your hand, dust, and other elements will cause your work in progress to get dirty even when it appears clean. For this reason, you will have to clean your finished projects.

The first thing you need to do is soak your finished cross-stitch Aida fabric in cold water. Add a mild soap to the water. Let it soak for about 15 minutes. Swish the fabric around in the water for a while. Wash away any stains that appear on the fabric.

Take the fabric out of the washing water and rinse in clean cold water. Rinse about 4 times until it is no longer soapy. Partially dry the fabric by laying it on a towel and placing another towel on it then rolling them up to squeeze out the water.

Place your partially dry cross-stitch on a dry towel. Then place an ironing cloth on it and press your cross-stitch until it is completely dry and wrinkle-free, ready to frame.