While on a tidy-up binge, last week, I re-discovered a very cute cross stitch project - all stitched up but not complete in the basket that sits by my favorite stitching chair. Now, I'm determined to make a good effort to finish the project, maybe even in time for this holiday.
I'm kinda making this up as I go, and taking things one step at a time. Even though this is a Christmas themed project, I suspect this technique may work well to finish other small- to mid-sized projects. It's not all that different from the method used to finish smaller ornaments.
To start, the evenweave cloth I used is a bit of a wrinkled mess. So, step one is blocking. I pull out my very large piece of very thick cork. Here's a source on the cork.
The wrinkles don't look too stubborn, the fabric has just been folded in one position for quite a while. Way back when the stitching was finished, I added a running stitch of basting just outside the outer edge of the design. The basting stitch follows the fabric weave, so it's exactly the same distance from the outer edge of the design all the way around. This will come in handy as I block the piece.
Using the basting thread as my guide, I place a small ruler about 2" away from the basting line and place a series of pins along the ruler edge - about 1-1/2" apart. I used applique pins with glass heads. I continued with the pins all the way around the stitched area. As I placed each pin, I tried to keep the pins in one line of the fabric weave, pulling outward ever so slightly as I went along. I didn't worry too much about stretching the fabric to remove the wrinkles in the design area.
Then, using the ruler to keep the pins in line, I added more pins between the existing pins. Leaving maybe 1/4" in between. A lot of pins! I again, ease the fabric outward a bit, not too forcefully, but enough to keep the pins in one line of the fabric weave.
Next I used a misting spray bottle and misted the entire design area so it was pretty wet but not floating in water.
This is the hardest part. I put the whole board aside. I stood it up against a wall out of the way. Then I left it alone until it was completely dry - overnight for sure, possibly longer.
Notice all the wrinkles are still there and very visible and very soggy. This is never going to work!
Never say never. This time of year, with the heat on, the project was dry the next day, and it looked like this. Amazing! Note to self: don't short change the pins!
I removed the pins, measured several times, and trimmed the entire piece about 1" away from the basting thread.
Then I cut two pieces of stiff interfacing - exactly the size I wanted for the finished project. I added 1" strips of fusible web to the outer edge on one side of each piece.
Next, I placed the stitched piece right side down on my ironing board, then placed the stiff interfacing on top with the fusible edge facing up. I folded the fabric edge to the back, fused it in place, and mitered the corners. Before fusing, I used pins to secure the stitched fabric on the interfacing. The pinning and the basting thread helped me to keep the stitching centered.
With the stitching secured to the interfacing, I removed the basting thread from the front and added a bit of steam to close up any holes left by the basting thread in the evenweave fabric. This is where I stopped, for now.
Once I select a backing fabric from my quilt fabric stash, I'll repeat the last couple steps to cover the backing interfacing piece. That should be easier, since there's no stitching to center. I'll miter the corners on the backing in the opposite direction so the miter folds nestle.
Then I can place the two pieces back to back and stitch by hand around the edge, and I'll be just about there. To add a little interest to the edge, I orderd this fuzzy pom-pom trim from 123 Stitch last week. Had I only ordered one color, I'd be well on my way to finishing this, but I kinda like both colors and have to decide on one or the other (or both!). Today, I'm leaning toward the pearly white, but the fuzzy green is nice, too. At some point, I simply need to decide and do the deed! I'm letting the two colors percolate while I finish something else that needs to be ready for gifting in a week.
Once the trim is set and the back is sewn to the front, I only need some sort of hanger - maybe some silk ribbon - and it's ready to hang on the wall. I already have a spot in mind!
Do you think this technique could work for other projects? Maybe something in your stash that is crying out to be finished . . .
Happy Stitching!
Head Hummingbird
Hummingbird-Highway.com
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