How can I wash my cross-stitch project?

When your cross stitch is complete, wash it in cold to tepid water using a mild detergent. Do not use any product made for washing wool. Do not use any products that contain bleach, bleaching crystals or a softener. If the piece is badly soiled, you may need to soak it for several hours or longer. If the colors bleed (a very rare occurrence if you use top quality fabrics and threads), do not panic, but continue to soak and rinse it until the excess dyes are gone. Rinse it thoroughly – five or six times if necessary. Let the clear water run through it if possible. Hold the fabric over the sink to let the water drain out. Then lay the fabric flat on a terry cloth towel. Flip the other end of the towel up over it and pat to remove the excess moisture. Put the towel on your ironing board. With a dry iron set on cotton, iron the piece until no more stream rises off it. Allow it to dry face up on a flat surface before framing. To get it to your framer without wrinkling, roll it on an empty paper towel tube.

Information from Cross Country Stitching Magazine columns "Ask Judie" - Judie Solomon, Thistle Needleworks & "Carol’s Crafty Corner" - Carol Rice, The Craft Menagerie

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