The last stitch isn't the end of a cross stitch project. Between that moment and something you can hang or give sits a short sequence of steps that decides whether months of work look crisp or slightly tired: checking the stitching, washing out the marks, pressing without crushing, and choosing a finish.
Most of it takes an afternoon plus drying time. Doing it in the wrong order is what causes trouble, such as ironing a piece that still carries a hoop mark or framing one that isn't quite dry. This guide sets out the order, with the method for each step from DMC, the Cross Stitch Guild and a museum textile conservator.
To finish cross stitch: **(1)** check for missed stitches and loose ends; **(2)** test for colorfastness with a **damp white tissue** pressed on the back; **(3)** hand wash in **cold water** with a little **non-biological detergent**, rinse until clear, and **never wring**; **(4)** roll in a towel, dry flat **until damp**, then press **face down between two towels** with a **warm, not hot**, iron; **(5)** finish it as a **frame** (at least **3 in / 8 cm** of fabric all round, and the stitching **never touching the glass**), a **hoop**, an **ornament** or a **pillow**.
## The finishing sequence at a glance
| Step | What you do | Why it comes here |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check | Compare against the chart, secure ends, add backstitch | Easier to fix before washing and pressing |
| 2. Test | Damp white tissue on the back of the stitches | Decides whether you can wash at all |
| 3. Wash | Cold water, a little non-biological detergent, rinse clear | Removes oils, marks and pen lines |
| 4. Dry | Roll in towels, lay flat until just damp | Pressing works best on damp fabric |
| 5. Press | Face down between towels, warm iron | Flattens creases without crushing stitches |
| 6. Finish | Frame, hoop, ornament, pillow | Only once the piece is completely dry |
## Step 1: Check the stitching
Before water or heat touches the piece, look over it with the chart beside you. This is the last easy moment to fix anything.
- **Missed stitches.** Scan each page of the chart against the fabric, one 10 × 10 block at a time. A single empty square in a dark area is easy to miss while stitching and obvious on a wall.
- **Backstitch and details.** DMC advises adding backstitch [after the cross stitches are complete](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/use-back-stitch-to-accentuate-your-cross-stitch). If your chart has none, this is still the moment for hand-added touches like whiskers or a catchlight. [Cross stitch stitch types](/blog/cross-stitch-stitch-types) covers when those are worth adding.
- **Loose ends.** DMC's method for finishing a thread is to [weave it under the last few stitches](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-secure-thread) on the back. Trim tails close enough that they won't show through light fabric.
- **Carried threads.** Long strands across the back of a light area can show as shadows once the piece is mounted. Cut and re-secure the worst ones.
- **Spelling and dates.** On a gift with lettering, read it one more time, out loud.
Uneven tension is harder to fix at this stage, but worth knowing about before you press. [Cross stitch tension](/blog/cross-stitch-tension) explains what causes puckering and what a gentle wash and press can and can't improve.
## Step 2: Test for colorfastness
Washing a piece whose thread bleeds can ruin it, so test first. The Cross Stitch Guild's method is simple: place the work face down on a clean surface and [press the back of the stitches with a clean, damp white tissue](https://www.thecrossstitchguild.com/cross-stitch-basics/cross-stitch-faqs.aspx). If any trace of color comes off on the tissue, the Guild says the colors are not fast, so do not wash.
Test the strong colors in particular: deep reds, dark blues, black and saturated greens. DMC describes its six-strand floss as using [colorfast dyes](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/products/mouline-special), but a piece can contain other threads, a marker line, or fabric you haven't tested, and the tissue test takes a minute.
If the test fails, don't wash the piece. Go straight to pressing, which the next steps describe.
## Step 3: Wash the piece
Months of handling leave skin oils, hoop marks and sometimes the lines of a washable marker on the fabric. A gentle wash lifts them and relaxes the stitches. DMC's instructions for [washing finished needlework](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-clean-wash-finished-work) are:
1. **Rinse the piece under clean cold running water.**
2. **Add a small amount of non-biological detergent** and wash gently by hand.
3. **Rinse several times in cold water** until the water runs clear.
4. **Stop washing if the rinse water becomes colored.**
Handle the wet fabric gently and don't scrub. Wet cotton is easy to distort, and rubbing roughens the surface of the stitches. [How to wash cross stitch](/blog/how-to-wash-cross-stitch) covers stubborn marks and what to do if a color does run.
Washing adds drying time before you can press, and the piece must be completely dry before it's framed or sewn. On a gift, plan the wash at least a couple of days before you need the finished piece.
## Step 4: Dry it the right way
DMC's drying method avoids both creases and distortion:
1. **Roll the piece between two clean towels** and squeeze gently. Don't wring.
2. **Unroll it and lay it on a dry towel.**
3. **Let it air dry until damp**, not bone dry.
Stopping at damp matters because the next step, pressing, works best while there's still a little moisture in the fabric.
## Step 5: Press without crushing the stitches
Ironing a cross stitch face up flattens the stitches and makes them shiny. DMC's method is to place the piece [face down between two clean towels](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-clean-wash-finished-work), which protect the stitches from being crushed, and press lightly with a warm iron. For creases or fold lines, DMC says to use the steam setting. It also says, in capitals, never to use a hot iron.
A few habits help:
- **Lift and lower the iron** rather than sliding it, so the fabric doesn't stretch out of square.
- **Check the grid is straight** while it's still damp. Gently ease the fabric so the rows run straight before the last pressing.
- **Hoop creases** are the stubborn ones. DMC warns that leaving work in a hoop for an extended period can cause [creases that are difficult to remove](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-use-hoop). Steam and patience help; next time, take the fabric out of the hoop between sessions.
Let the piece dry completely, flat, before finishing.
## Choosing a finish
| Finish | Suits | Effort | What to plan for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Framed behind glass | Portraits, memorial and wedding pieces, anything meant to last | Most, or a framer's fee | At least 3 in / 8 cm of fabric all round; space between stitching and glass |
| Display hoop | Small and medium pieces, a quick gift | Low | A hoop a little larger than the design; the back neatened |
| Ornament | Small designs, often round | Moderate | Backing fabric, stuffing or board, a hanging loop |
| Pillow | Medium pieces with bold shapes | Moderate to high | Sewing, and a piece that will be handled |
The decision is really about how the piece will live. A framed portrait sits on a wall for decades. An ornament gets handled every December. A pillow gets sat on. The more handling, the simpler and bolder the design should be. [Cross stitch gifts from photos](/blog/cross-stitch-gifts-from-photos) matches finishes to occasions.
## Framing cross stitch
Framing is the finish most photo pieces end up in, and it's the one with the most room for mistakes that only show years later.
### Size the fabric and the frame
DMC recommends a clear border of [at least 8 cm / 3 inches all the way around](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-cross-stitch-prepare-fabric) the design if you're going to mount and frame the work. The fabric wraps around a board, so that margin gets used.
Finished size is the stitch count divided by the fabric count. As a worked example on 14-count Aida:
| Design in stitches | Finished stitching | Minimum fabric with 3 in border |
|---|---|---|
| 80 × 80 | 5.7 × 5.7 in | 11.7 × 11.7 in |
| 100 × 125 | 7.1 × 8.9 in | 13.1 × 14.9 in |
| 150 × 150 | 10.7 × 10.7 in | 16.7 × 16.7 in |
| 150 × 200 | 10.7 × 14.3 in | 16.7 × 20.3 in |
The frame opening, or the mat window, then sits around the finished stitching plus whatever space you want between the design and the edge. If you haven't cut your fabric yet, [the fabric size calculator](/blog/cross-stitch-fabric-size-calculator) works it out for other counts, and [cross stitch frame sizes](/blog/cross-stitch-frame-sizes) matches designs to standard frames so you're not paying for a custom one by accident.
### Mount it on a board without glue
How the fabric is attached to the board matters more than the frame itself. The Minnesota Historical Society's conservation tip sheet on [mounting flat needlework](https://museum.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs6286/files/Textile%20Mounting.pdf), written by a textile conservator, describes the museum approach:
- **The board:** acid-free rag board, 4-ply or 8-ply, cut to fit easily inside the frame without sticking at the sides.
- **A fabric cover:** washed 100% cotton plain-weave fabric, colorfast, with no softener or bleach, stretched taut but not so tight that it warps the board.
- **Positioning:** lift the needlework on a sheet of acid-free tissue, position it, slide the tissue out, and pin at an angle through the mount fabric.
- **Stitching, not adhesive:** sew the piece to the covered board with a curved needle and fine cotton or cotton-wrapped thread, crossing over the fabric's yarns rather than piercing them, and never pulling the thread tight.
That's more work than most stitchers do for a piece on their own wall, and many use lacing or pins over a board instead. The principles carry over to any method: acid-free materials against the fabric, and thread rather than tape or glue to hold it, so the piece can be taken out and remounted later.
### Choose the mat and backing
The same Society's [advice for framing textiles](https://mnhs.gitlab.io/archive/conservation/www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/reports/displaytextiles.pdf) is direct about materials:
- **Poor-quality mat board and corrugated board** contain substances that form acids, which weaken fibers, make them brittle and turn them yellow.
- **Check the bevel.** If the cut edge of a mat window has turned tan, beige or brown, the board is probably acidic.
- **"Rag" isn't a guarantee.** The tip sheet warns that rag board made with an acidic sizing still becomes acidic. Ask for board that is acid- and lignin-free.
- **A dust cover** on the back of the frame reduces airflow and protects the piece further.
### Keep the stitching off the glass
The sheet is emphatic: **the textile must never touch the glazing.** It recommends a space of at least 3/8 inch, and says more is often necessary for embroidery, because condensation inside a frame can be absorbed by the fabric and leave a tide line or stain. A window mat thick enough to hold the glass away does the job; without a mat, a spacer fitted inside the frame rabbet does it instead. That also means choosing a frame with a rabbet deep enough to hold the mounted piece, the mat or spacer, and the glazing.
For glazing, the sheet lists three suitable choices, all UV filtering:
| Glazing | Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| UV-filtering acrylic (Plexiglas) | Light, won't break if dropped | Scratches easily when cleaned; builds static that can lift loose threads |
| UV-filtering glass | Doesn't scratch or build static | Breaks if dropped |
| UV-filtering non-glare glass | As above, less reflection | Breaks if dropped; must be UV filtering, or it's like ordinary glass |
The static point matters for cross stitch in particular, since a piece is made of thousands of raised stitches. The full framing walkthrough, including working with a framer, is in [how to frame cross stitch](/blog/how-to-frame-cross-stitch).
### Hang it securely
The tip sheet recommends rust-resistant hardware inside the frame, and notes that mirror hangers are more secure than wire. If you use wire, it advises two hangers rather than one, which keeps the frame straight.
## Finishing in a hoop
A hoop is the quickest finish and suits smaller pieces and modern designs. It's also the one most often done in a hurry, which shows at the back.
The basics:
1. **Use a display hoop, not your working hoop**, and choose one slightly larger than the design so the edge doesn't crowd the stitching.
2. **Center the design** with the screw at the top, where it will hang.
3. **Tighten the fabric evenly**, easing it taut from opposite sides in turn so the grid stays square.
4. **Trim the excess fabric** behind the hoop, leaving enough to gather.
5. **Gather the edge** with a running stitch and pull it in against the inner ring.
6. **Cover the back** with a circle of felt or card, so the reverse of the stitching is protected.
Because a hoop has no glass, the piece is exposed to dust and light, which is fine for a cheerful kitchen piece and less so for an heirloom. [Cross stitch hoop finishing](/blog/cross-stitch-hoop-finishing) goes into each step.
## Ornaments and pillows
**Ornaments** suit small, bold designs: a pet's face, an initial, a date. The usual method is to back the stitching with fabric or felt, add a little stuffing or a card insert, and stitch a hanging loop into the seam. The piece will be handled and packed away each year, so a firm backing matters more than a perfect edge. [Four ornament finishing methods](/blog/cross-stitch-ornament-finishing) walks through them.
**Pillows** turn a medium-sized piece into something used every day. Choose a sturdy backing fabric, sew with the stitching protected, and accept that a cushion will wear in a way a framed piece won't. Half cross stitch, which DMC describes as better for [pieces that don't need to be hard-wearing](https://www.dmc.com/IE/en-GB/sbs-embroidery-stitch-diagrams), is a poor choice for a pillow front. [Cross stitch pillow finishing](/blog/cross-stitch-pillow-finishing) covers the sewing.
## Where to hang a finished piece
Finishing protects a piece, but where it hangs decides how it ages. The Minnesota Historical Society's framing sheet says visible and invisible light both deteriorate textiles, causing fading, darkening, yellowing and brittleness. Its advice is to [avoid direct sunlight and fluorescent light](https://mnhs.gitlab.io/archive/conservation/www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/reports/displaytextiles.pdf) and keep light as low as practical.
In a home, that usually means:
- **Not on a wall opposite a sunny window.**
- **Not in a bathroom or above a kettle**, where condensation inside the frame is most likely.
- **UV-filtering glazing** for anything you want to keep, especially portraits and memorial pieces.
DMC describes its floss dyes as [highly fade resistant](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/products/mouline-special), but fabric and mounting materials age too, and sunlight is hard on all of them.
## Finishing a gift on time
Finishing is where gift deadlines go wrong, because it looks like the quick part. Add it up for a framed piece:
- An evening to check the stitching and add details.
- A wash, then drying time that depends on your home and the weather.
- Pressing, then drying completely flat.
- Mounting, or a framer's turnaround if you use one, which you'll need to ask them about.
- Wrapping and delivery.
Build all of that into your plan before the last stitch, not after. If you use a framer, ask about their turnaround before you set a date. Every finishing guide in this series is collected on the [finishing and framing topic page](/blog/topic/finishing).
If you're still at the planning stage, [upload a photo](/#start) and try a size in the preview that fits a frame you already have: finishing is easier when the design was sized for it from the start.
## Frequently asked questions
### Do you have to wash cross stitch before framing?
No, but it usually helps. Washing removes the oils, marks and hoop creases that build up over months of stitching. Test for colorfastness first: press a damp white tissue against the back of the stitches, and if any color transfers, the Cross Stitch Guild says not to wash. Then follow DMC's cold-water method.
### How do you iron cross stitch without flattening it?
Face down, between two clean towels, with a warm iron rather than a hot one. DMC says the towels protect the stitches from being crushed, and to use steam only to lift creases or fold lines. Press lightly rather than pushing the iron back and forth, while the piece is still slightly damp.
### How much fabric do I need around cross stitch for framing?
DMC recommends a clear border of at least 8 cm, or 3 inches, all the way around the design if you plan to mount and frame it. That adds 6 inches to each dimension, so a design 10.7 inches wide needs fabric at least 16.7 inches wide.
### Should cross stitch touch the glass in a frame?
No. A Minnesota Historical Society textile conservator advises that a textile should never touch the glazing and recommends at least 3/8 inch of space, more for embroidery, because condensation can stain the fabric. A window mat or a frame spacer creates that gap.
### Can I leave cross stitch in the hoop to display it?
Yes, if you finish it for display, but don't leave a piece sitting in its working hoop for months. DMC warns that leaving work in a hoop for an extended period can cause creases that are difficult to remove. A display hoop is a separate finish, with the fabric trimmed and neatened behind it.
### What is the best way to finish a cross stitch gift?
The one the recipient will actually use. A framed piece suits a wall; a hoop is quicker and lighter; an ornament or small pillow suits a small design. Whatever you choose, leave time to wash, dry and press before the deadline, because the piece must be completely dry before framing or sewing.
## Sources
- [DMC — How to clean and wash finished needlework (cold water, non-biological detergent, towel drying, pressing face down, never a hot iron)](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-clean-wash-finished-work)
- [DMC — How to prepare fabric for cross stitch (border of at least 8 cm / 3 inches for framing)](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-cross-stitch-prepare-fabric)
- [DMC — How to use an embroidery hoop (creases from leaving work in the hoop)](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-use-hoop)
- [DMC — Use back stitch to accentuate your cross stitch (after the cross stitches)](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/use-back-stitch-to-accentuate-your-cross-stitch)
- [DMC — How to secure embroidery thread (finishing under the last stitches)](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/technique-embroidery-secure-thread)
- [DMC — Step by step embroidery stitch guide (half cross stitch for pieces that aren't hard-wearing)](https://www.dmc.com/IE/en-GB/sbs-embroidery-stitch-diagrams)
- [DMC — Cotton Embroidery Floss (Mouliné Spécial): colorfast and fade-resistant dyes](https://www.dmc.com/US/en/products/mouline-special)
- [The Cross Stitch Guild — Cross stitch FAQs (damp tissue colorfastness test)](https://www.thecrossstitchguild.com/cross-stitch-basics/cross-stitch-faqs.aspx)
- [Minnesota Historical Society — Conservation tips: Advice for framing textiles (acid-free board, UV glazing, 3/8 inch from the glass, hardware, light), 2000](https://mnhs.gitlab.io/archive/conservation/www.mnhs.org/preserve/conservation/reports/displaytextiles.pdf)
- [Minnesota Historical Society — Conservation tips: Mounting flat needlework textiles on a fabric-covered board (hosted by the GWU Textile Museum), 2000](https://museum.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/zaxdzs6286/files/Textile%20Mounting.pdf)