Cross stitching is a very popular form of needlecraft. People spend a lot of time picking out floss colors, counting stitches, and backstitching the outline. After all that work, you will want to finish the cross stitch picture in a fabulous, professional way.
However, professional framing a cross stitch picture can be very pricey. Also, it may not give you the look you are interested in. Below are five other ways you can finish your cross stitch picture.
The Store Bought Mat and Frame
If getting the cross stitch picture framed professionally is too costly, you can always purchase a mat and frame on your own. It is not hard to lay your cross stitch picture flat on the backing and use a little tape to keep it in place.
In order to get a fancier frame or mat at a cheaper price, you can even purchase a pre-framed piece of artwork from a discount store and remove the picture and put your cross stitch there instead.
The Embroidery Hoop
You can layer your cross stitch picture with another piece of cloth to hide the stitches on the back and stretch them tightly into a wooden or plastic embroidery hoop. The hoop can even be painted for a finishing touch. To make this craft even fancier, you can glue or stitch gathered lace or a ruffle to the back of the hoop. A simple ribbon or yarn hanging loop will make it easy to display on the wall.
Soft Quilt Framing
For a country style cross stitch picture, you might like to create a mini quilt to hang on the wall and display it. Simply choose a piece of fabric larger than the cross stitch picture for the backing. Use coordinating fabric to form the edges along the sides of the cross stitch fabric. Sew everything together neatly with some quilt batting in between. Hang with ribbon loops.
Fringed Country Hanging
To make a primitive or down-home country style hanging, you can consider displaying the cross stitch picture without a frame at all. In order to do this, you should stitch your finished project to a backing of cross stitch fabric. Putting some quilt batting or even a piece of acid-free cardstock in between can help. After you stitch the two pieces together with cross stitches or backstitching, dab fray check about one inch in from the outer cut. After it dries, simply fray the outside cross stitch cloth, creating a fringe around the outside.
The Wooden Plaque Method
If you wish to display your cross stitch on a wooden plaque, it is easier than you think. After you are done with the picture, you simply have to turn under the edges and glue the picture to a wooden plaque. A country cutting board is another cute idea. It is nice to decorate the edges with ribbons or dried flowers as well.
Finishing your cross stitch picture can be done in many ways. After all your hard work stitching the picture, you will want to display it in the best possible way. Different types of pictures look best in different frames and wall hangings. With the above five ways, you should get an idea of the options that are available for your cross stitch picture.
