A finished piece comes off the hoop with creases, hand marks and a pencil line or two. A few steps will make the stitching look crisp and let it sit flat in a frame. None of them need special equipment, but it helps to plan the framing before you cut the cloth.
Check the back
Turn the work over and trim loose ends close to the fabric. Check that no dark thread runs behind pale stitches in a way that shows through. Dark tails should be short and lie flat. If a long run shows, weave it in or re-stitch that area.
Washing
Most cross stitch can be washed in lukewarm water with a small amount of mild liquid soap. Swish it gently and do not rub. Rinse until the water runs clear, which removes oil and marks left by handling. If a red or dark thread has started to bleed into the water, rinse again in cold water until it stops. Test a scrap of thread in a cup of warm water first if you are unsure. Roll the piece in a clean towel and press to remove water, but do not wring it.
Pressing
Put a thick, clean towel on the ironing board. Lay the piece face down on the towel, so the stitches sink into the pile rather than being flattened. Cover it with a pressing cloth, and press with a warm iron, setting it down and lifting it rather than sliding. Continue until the fabric is dry and flat. Pressing from the back on a towel keeps the stitches raised and gives them a fuller look.
Steam can help stubborn creases. Light starch on the back helps linen and evenweave hold a crisp edge.
Plan the mount
Think about how the piece will be shown before you frame it.
- Frame with a mat. A card mat with an opening slightly smaller than the stitching covers the edges and gives a margin of clean space. It lets the piece breathe, and keeps the glass away from the surface of the stitches.
- Frame without a mat. The stitching is held against the glass or has no glass, and the frame rabbet covers the edge. This suits samplers and large pieces. Use a spacer between the stitching and the glass.
- Stretched over board. The piece is pulled over acid-free board and laced across the back.
- Finished as a hoop. The piece stays in an embroidery hoop, the excess fabric is gathered at the back with a running stitch and the back is covered with felt.
The chart size calculator gives the finished size of a design at your fabric count, so you can choose a frame size before stitching. A design of 140 by 112 stitches on 14-count aida is 10 x 8 inches, which fits a standard 11 x 14 inch frame with a mat.
Mounting on board
- Cut a piece of acid-free foam board or card to the size of the frame opening.
- Lay the piece face down and place the board on the back, centred on the design. Check from the front first, by flipping it over.
- Fold the edges of the fabric over the board and secure them with pins placed in the edge of the board, or with acid-free tape. Work from the centre of each side outward, alternating sides, to keep the tension even.
- Lace the fabric across the back with strong thread, crossing from side to side, pulling firmly to keep the front flat. Do the top and bottom first, then the sides.
- Check the front. The grain of the fabric should be straight.
Choosing a mat
The mat colour should pick up one of the colours in the design, or a neutral such as cream. A wide mat, 2 to 3 inches, makes a small piece look more important. A mat with a bevelled edge draws the eye inward. A coloured border on a mat works for a sampler.
Glass or not
Glass keeps dust off and gives a clean, finished result. It should not touch the stitching, since pressure flattens the work and moisture can collect between the two. A mat or spacer leaves a small gap. Museum glass and UV-filter glass cut reflections and slow fading. Leaving a piece without glass lets it be seen fully and is fine for small pieces in a room that stays dry.
Bookmarks, ornaments and pillows
Not every project is framed. A bookmark is backed with felt and edged with a blanket stitch. An ornament is stitched to a piece of matching backing fabric, stuffed lightly and closed with a slip stitch. A pillow front is sewn to a backing fabric with a quarter-inch seam and turned right side out. Thread and fabric amounts for these follow from the finished size and the fabric count in the aida counts database.
Store spare fabric
Keep leftover fabric and floss flat in a dry place. A scrap of the ground fabric can be useful later if you need to test a thread, or a needle size, on the same cloth.