Cross stitch finishing ideas: Easy ideas and tutorials

Congratulations! You've completed your cross stitch - but what now? There's a huge range of ways you can display or use your finished cross stitch projects. Here's some of the most popular finishing ideas to get you started.

 

How to frame cross stitch in a hoop 

Step One

• Trim your work and a fabric into a circle (or square!) a bit larger than your hoop
• Place the inside hoop beneath the two pieces and the outer hoop on top
• Centre and press over your work
• Pull taut and tighten the screw 
  

 

Step Two

• Turn your stitching to the reverse and cut a piece of felt to fit inside the inner circle
• Place the felt inside the hoop
• You can use a bit of fabric glue to keep it in place
• The felt will pad your stitching, and stop anything showing through 
  

 

Step Three 

• Use a glue gun or double-sided tape to begin attaching the first layer of fabric, pulling taut as you go
• Repeat for the second layer 
  
• Cut a second felt layer to fit over the back of your hoop
• Secure with glue or small, neat stitches  

 

How to make a cross stitch card 

Step One

Trim the stitched fabric to fit your card, with the design centrally placed behind the card’s aperture.

Step Two

Attach double-sided tape to the inside of the card around the edge of the aperture.

 

Step Three

Place the stitching on the table right-side up, and then place the card on top, pressing down firmly on the tape.

Step Four

Check which flap will fold onto the back of the stitching, then add strips of double-sided tape and press firmly down to secure. 

 

How to frame cross stitch as a picture 

Step One

• Cut a piece of white mount board to fit inside your frame
• Place your design centrally over the mountboard
• Pin the fabric around the board to secure, starting at the centre of each side and working outwards 

 

Step Two 

• Pin around the entire perimeter and check you are happy with the positioning of your design
• Then turnover to the reverse
• Use double-sided tape to secure the fabric excess around all four sides 
  

 

Step Three 

• Secure the fabric edges with masking tape and remove the pins
• Position your stitching in the frame and back with a second piece of mount board
• Seal the edges with more masking tape to finish off 

 

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