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How to frame cross stitch in an embroidery hoop

How to frame cross stitch in an embroidery hoop

with 16 Comments

Have you ever wanted to frame cross stitch in an embroidery hoop, rather than a traditional frame? It’s becoming really popular recently, and it’s actually easier than you think to do yourself. The video below will take you step by step through the steps to frame cross stitch projects! The materials you’ll need are:

  • stitched project
  • embroidery hoop
  • piece of felt bigger than the hoop (any colour)
  • thread matching the colour of the stitched fabric
  • thread for the blanket stitch on the back (can be a contrasting colour of floss)
  • embroidery needle (or any sharp needle)
  • scissors
  • pencil

 

How to frame cross stitch

 

 

Blackwork Heart needlepoint pattern - how to frame cross stitch

Instructions:

  1. Stitch your piece and make sure your hoop is big enough for it. To stitch the free Blackwork Heart shown in the video (or any of the other free patterns), click here to access the pattern. The hoop in the video is a 4″ diameter hoop (and the pattern was stitched on 14 count Aida fabric).
  2. Make sure your stitching is washed. To learn the easiest method to wash your piece (and find out why you should do it), click here.
  3. Trace the outside edge of the inner hoop on felt, and cut out with scissors. You can also do another piece using the inner edge if you want to put it against the stitching directly to line it.
  4. Place the stitching in the hoop, get it taut and centered exactly how you want it.
  5. Trim the excess fabric on the back (around an inch from the edge of the hoop).
  6. Using floss the same colour as the fabric, anchor your thread and either stitch in a circle using running stitch around the excess fabric, or stitch it back and forth like a corset as shown in the video.
  7. Once the excess fabric is gathered, anchor the floss you’ll use for the blanket stitch (can be a contrasting colour). Place your felt circle onto the back of the hoop, and start stitching around the hoop. Make sure your stitches are evenly spaced and similar lengths, and keep your stitches coming out as close to the edge of the hoop as possible.
  8. When you’ve gone all the way around, anchor your floss by tying a small knot around the intersection of the first stitch, and run your floss into the back of the fabric and through the felt to hide the end. Pull taut, and snip the end of the thread so the end disappears into the back of the hoop.
  9. Use a pretty ribbon or hook to hang your hoop from.

 

Final tips:

 

  • Make sure your piece is centered perfectly and very taut before starting to stitch the felt backing on
  • Keep an inch or more of fabric around the edge of the hoop to ensure the fabric doesn’t fray
  • Have fun! Use contrasting threads and felt colours for a fun surprise on the back!

 

 

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Summary
How to frame cross stitch in an embroidery hoop
Article Name
How to frame cross stitch in an embroidery hoop
Description
Have you ever wanted to frame cross stitch in an embroidery hoop, rather than a traditional frame? It's becoming really popular recently, and it's easy!
Author
Publisher Name
Peacock & Fig
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Follow Dana Batho:

Artist and Designer

I am an artist, veteran, analyst, and mommy to the sweetest dog ever. I am constantly thinking of ways to use my creativity in everything I touch despite my physical limitations, and I love encouraging others to do the same.

16 Responses

  1. […] This video from Peacock & Fig shows how to attach the stitching to the embroidery hoop without gluing it, as well as how to add some felt backing. There are also written instructions to accompany this on their blog [here]. […]

  2. Mona Johnson
    | Reply

    Great video. Thanks so much for sharing. I do have one quick question though. I’m getting ready to use this technique to frame a piece for my mom. I have some old wooden hoops like the one you used in the video and I’ve noticed that over the years the metal pieces rusted and now the fabric has rust stains. Is there a way to keep that from happening other than using plastic hoops? I really like the look of the wood.

    • Dana Batho
      | Reply

      Hi Mona! You could use clear nailpolish to coat the metal portions, that should help prevent the metal from rusting (and leaching onto the fabric). 🙂

      • Mona Johnson
        |

        Thank you very much. I’ll give that a try.

  3. Anjum
    | Reply

    I just finished two small designs for my daughter’s kitchen and wondering how to frame it at home..Thanks a lot for showing such a easy way to do it..

    • Dana Batho
      | Reply

      You’re very welcome Anjum, I hope you have a good time framing them! 🙂

  4. Sues
    | Reply

    Any sources for bulk price hoops? I’ve started doing all the snarky subversive cross stitches I find for our family’s bar. Some in the main bar, some for the girls bathroom or the guys bathroom. Since they are just for shits and giggles, I can’t invest too much in the hoops. Great video by the way, thank you. The snarky subversive cross stitches keep customers coming back to see if there are new ones and some are becoming catch phrases for the bar.

    • Dana Batho
      | Reply

      Haha unfortunately no. I sometimes get them from Michaels, and I just ordered a bunch of hoops for the whole collection from chartingcreations.com, she gives the best price she can. I did look into getting hoops wholesale from Darice (a major supplier), they require a $5000 minimum order a year. Yeah I don’t think I’ll be doing that much stitching….. 😀

  5. Laura
    | Reply

    Great video! I’m really excited to try this on a beautiful piece I just finished.

    • Dana Batho
      | Reply

      Great, I’m glad it helped Laura! I hope it turns out well! 🙂

  6. Jaimie Melton
    | Reply

    I am so glad I found this video and site. I am new to cross stitching and have only completed one piece. I say completed, but I haven’t framed it, which is what brought me to your site (Thanks, Pinterest!). I do have one question, and maybe you have something already on the site to help, but what do I do with the thread strands on the back of the piece from where I’ve changed colors or ran out of thread and had to use more? Thank you so much for any advice you can offer!

    • Dana Batho
      | Reply

      Hi Jaimie, thanks for your question! Do you mean the longer strands of thread on the back of the stitching? I usually try and weave them under other stitches as much as I can (as long as it doesn’t make the back lumpy), then snip off the extra. If they’re long enough you can rethread them in the needle and run your needle under a few stitches. That’s usually what I do when I’m stitching, I run the tail end of the floss under a few stitches to help anchor the floss and keep those loose ends out of the way. You can also end your threads with a stitch called a pin stitch, that’s a more advanced method, and then you can snip your floss quite close to the back so you don’t have any tail ends. Here’s a blog post and tutorial video about the loop method and pin stitch — https://peacockandfig.com/2015/04/beginning-and-ending-threads-loop-method-pin-stitch/. Does that help? 🙂

      • Jaimie Melton
        |

        That’s exactly what I meant! Thank you! 🙂 I’ll try and weave them from now on and see if any that I’ve got now are long enough to rethread.

      • Dana Batho
        |

        Haha no worries, happy stitching! 🙂

  7. Lee
    | Reply

    Thank you for your time to do these tutorials, they have been very informative. I am starting a piece soon with many colours and was wondering if there is any easy way to keep a track of the colours when parking them. Also do you have a video on parking your colours. Thanks, Lee

    • Dana Batho
      | Reply

      Hi Lee, thanks very much for your comment! I actually do have a video on parking and cross country stitching, here’s a link to the parking blog post with the video — https://peacockandfig.com/2015/03/cross-stitch-how-to-park-your-threads/. I actually dislike parking, I found it very difficult to keep track of which colours were which unless you marked off your pattern as you stitched (which to me defeats the point of using parking). I much prefer cross country stitching, which is doing sections of your pattern at a time, and usually working on only one colour at a time. So hopefully the blog post and video will help, let me know! 🙂

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