How to wash and iron a finished cross stitch
Months of work and ten careful minutes at the end.
Washing
Fill a clean bowl with cool water and a little mild unscented soap or a drop of dish liquid. Lay the work in and press gently; do not rub or wring. Rinse in clean cool water until no soap remains. Hand oils from months of stitching come out and the colours lift noticeably.
If a colour runs
Modern DMC floss is colourfast, but reds and dark purples can occasionally bleed into pale fabric. If you see colour in the water, keep rinsing in cool water until it stops. Never let the work dry with loose dye still in it.
Drying and pressing
Roll the piece in a clean white towel to take out the water, then lay it flat to dry. Iron while slightly damp, face down on a thick towel, so the stitches sink into the pile instead of being flattened. Medium heat, no steam needed if it is still damp, and never iron the front.
Black aida
Dark fabric shows every speck of lint. Press it face down on a dark towel rather than a white one, and give the back a once-over with a lint roller before framing.
