How to Clean your Finished Cross Stitch

How to Clean your Finished Cross Stitch So, once you are done stitching, how can you clean your cross stitching to prepare it for framing or other finishing? The best way to prepare it is to hand wash it to remove oils and small stains, and press it remove any wrinkles or small folds. How to Hand Wash Your Cross Stitch 1. Place the finished piece luke warm water with a very mild washing liquid (dish soap). 2. Soak for about 15mins, moving the fabric around gently in the water. 3. Rinse it carefully in clean water several times, until all the soap is gone, and water runs clean. 4. Place the work carefully face-down on a clean white towel, smoothing out any wrinkles. 5. Place another clean white towel on top. 6. Roll up the towels and squeeze gently to remove excess water. Do not fold. How to Dry and Press Your Cross Stitch 1. Place the piece face-down on another clean dry white towel. 2. Press the reverse side using a pressing cloth and iron at medium heat. (You may use steam if needed, but only when you are using a press-cloth) 3. Continue pressing until it is mostly dry. 4. At this point, I check to make sure my stitching "lines up" (sometimes the aida can get stretched out so the stitching edges don't look square). I lay a ruler along each edge to check how straight the stitching lines are. If the stitching does not line up vertically and horizontally, you can gently tug at the opposite corners to coax the stitching into place. 5. Now, continue pressing until it is completely dry. Well, that was easy! You are now ready to frame your work :)