Creative Ways to Finish Off Your Cross Stitch and Other Embroidery Projects

Although most cross stitch projects are finished either by the stitcher or framed by professionals, there are other creative ways to finish cross stitch project and other embroidered pieces. Besides being imaginative, finishing methods other than framed pieces are usually much cheaper than having your piece professionally framed. For example, you could finish your embroidered piece or cross stitch project as ...

Pillows---Covering a pillow is an excellent way to display your cross stitch as well as any kind of embroidery work. There are various methods of attaching fabric to your embroidered piece. Just do a Google search and I'm sure you can find one that will work for you. Just keep in mind that you'll want to save your embroidered pillow for decorative purposes and not use it to sleep on it.

Embroidery Hoops---Keeping your completed cross-stitch and projects in its working embroidery hoop is a technique I use often. I especially use this when working with one-stranded embroidery floss, such as the birds that I've embroidery. (See photo.) To dress up a frame you can always buy some ribbon or fabric trim to paste on the outer hoop.

Embroidery-decoratedhandbag or purse---You can proudly show off your embroidered work by taking a piece of fabric and sewing it to your work (rights sides together.)

Homemade Greeting Cards---What about all those unfinished projects (better known as UFOs) in your closet? Before giving up on finishing them or tossing them in the garbage, take heart. You can easily cut out individual objects to be used as small greeting cards. After you've cut out your small objects then make frames. This can easily be done by taking construction paper and folding it folding it in half. Then cut out a "frame" to display your miniature-embroidered piece. It can be any shape you want it to be---an oval, a square, etc. Simply glue on your piece and then back the card with another piece of construction paper, the same size as your folded card. On the other hand, you unravel all four sides of an embroidered piece, and then paste it onto a construction-papered card. After determining how deep you want your fringe to be on each side, loosen the treads with a sharp object such as a pin, pulling them out gently, one by one. Finally, place the piece where you want it on the construction paper and write a personal note on the other folded side.

This is a great way to personalize your Christmas cards as well as other greeting cards. Even better, you'll feel good that you didn't have to throw away your unfinished embroidery projects.