If you finish an embroidery you probably want to put in on display straight away. This post has a few ideas about where you can display your embroidery but how do you care for your finished piece of embroidery?

Here are my three top tips:

Keep it flat

Even if you plan on displaying it in another way ie in a frame or adding it to a quilt then I recommend keeping the finished piece as flat as possible.

I’ve learned this the hard way. I have a drawer where I keep finished samples so I can make use of the hoop for another project. They are laid nice and flat in the drawer, except when I go rummaging for a particular sample and in a rush don’t make sure everything is put back perfectly flat.

Crumpled fabric with embroidery on it is really difficult to get creases out of as ironing embroidery, even on the back and with protective clothes really has an impact.

Keep the dust off

Your hoop will collect dust over time. You can either find a way to frame it behind glass or from time to time take it down and check it over for dust.

A quick blow might dislodge some dust but there are lots of tiny crevasses between threads that the dust can then land in. My preferred method is taking a bit of sellotape and gently dabbing it on to the fabric to pick up any loose particles.

This is also a great tip for removing any fluff attached to fabric in the creation process, for example from felt shapes.

Keep out of direct sunlight

My father-in-law had some pictures of the Rolling Stones in his living room and to protect them he’d have the blinds closed all the time meaning he was sitting there in the dark for much of the day. You don’t quite need to go to those extremes, but think about where you are displaying your finished embroidery and try to avoid putting it directly opposite a window. If you have no choice, then make sure that there is nothing else in front of it that could cause it to fade unevenly.

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