how to finish cross stitch ornaments

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Finishing cross-stitch ornaments is a creative and enjoyable craft project. Once you’ve completed your cross-stitch design, you can turn it into a beautiful ornament for decorating your home or gifting to others. Here’s a step-by-step guide to finishing cross-stitch ornaments:

Materials You’ll Need:

  1. Completed cross-stitch design
  2. Fabric for backing
  3. Cardstock or felt for additional backing (optional)
  4. Needle and thread
  5. Ribbon or cord for hanging
  6. Scissors
  7. Iron and ironing board
  8. Craft glue or fabric glue (optional)
  9. Embellishments like buttons, beads, or sequins (optional)
  10. Pencil or disappearing ink fabric marker (for tracing)

Steps:

  1. Prepare Your Cross-Stitch Design:
    • Make sure your cross-stitch design is clean and free from any stains or wrinkles. If needed, gently press it with an iron on the lowest heat setting. Place a clean cloth or pressing cloth between the iron and your design to protect the stitches.
  2. Trim the Edges:
    • Carefully trim any excess fabric around the cross-stitch design, leaving a small border around the design to work with. This border will prevent fraying and provide a clean edge.
  3. Create a Backing:
    • Cut a piece of coordinating fabric (or cardstock or felt) to match the size of your cross-stitch design. This will serve as the backing for your ornament.
  4. Position and Secure the Cross-Stitch Design:
    • Center your cross-stitch design on the backing material. Use a pencil or disappearing ink fabric marker to mark the corners or edges of your design on the backing material.
  5. Stitch the Backing:
    • Thread a needle with matching thread color, and use small, discreet stitches to attach the cross-stitch design to the backing. Stitch along the edges of the design, keeping your stitches close to the border of the design.
  6. Add a Hanging Loop:
    • Cut a piece of ribbon or cord to your desired length for hanging the ornament. Fold the ribbon or cord in half, creating a loop, and thread the open ends through the top of the ornament.
    • Knot the ends of the ribbon or cord inside the ornament to secure the loop.
  7. Embellish (Optional):
    • If desired, you can embellish your ornament with buttons, beads, sequins, or other decorative elements. Sew or glue these embellishments onto the front of the ornament.
  8. Finishing Touches:
    • Trim any excess fabric or thread from the back of the ornament.
    • Use craft glue or fabric glue to secure any loose threads or edges to the backing if necessary.
  9. Let It Dry:
    • Allow the ornament to dry completely if you used glue for any parts of the finishing process.
  10. Display or Gift:
    • Your cross-stitch ornament is now complete! You can hang it on your Christmas tree, attach it to a gift as a unique tag, or give it as a thoughtful handmade gift.

Finishing cross-stitch ornaments is a fun and creative way to showcase your cross-stitching skills. You can customize them with different fabrics, colors, and embellishments to create unique and personalized decorations.