Cross-Stitch Tip:
How
to Rescue Your Cross-Stitch Project When it's Damaged...
We
all have cross stitch projects that have
been stained, torn, or have had thread colors bleed into other areas.
We also occasionally need to wash a completed cross stitch project
that's become a little soiled, and of course there's also the
frustrating problem we all experience from time to time ~ unpicking
stitches! Ugh! Luckily,
there are some very
simple ways to fix these problems we encounter. We show
you how...
PreventionThe first thing you
should do is learn how
to prevent some of the problems that may occur.
Make sure you wash
your hands thoroughly before handling your stitching.
I know it's obvious, but if you use hand lotion, make sure it is a
non-greasy formula. This will ensure
that the least amount of
natural oils will transfer onto your project as you're
working on it. Colorfast Threads
You also want to
make sure that you check
to see if the fabric and threads you are using are colorfast. Anything
hand-dyed usually is not, and there's a good chance the
colors will either fade
slightly or bleed over into other areas.
If you're unsure as
to whether or not the
threads you're using are colorfast, there's
a simple test you can do to check.
Simply take a small sample piece of the threads in question and dampen
them
with clean water.
Fold a wet paper
towel over them and place
something heavy on them and let them sit overnight. Check them in the
morning
and if the paper towels are colored in any way you'll know the threads
aren't
colorfast. Usually the well-known
manufacturers create
threads that are colorfast. The lesser-known brands as well as
hand-dyed
threads are not. If the
threads do happen to bleed, don't panic!
There's a simple way
to fix the situation
without ruining your finished piece! Rinse the item under cold
continuously
until the water is clear. Let the piece soak in cold water for a while
afterwards.
Using a commercial
product that claims to
reverse color transferring isn't recommended. The chemicals in these products can
be harsh, and may damage your finished piece beyond repair.
Also, please keep in
mind, using bleach
on
a finished product is
never recommended as it will often cause the fibers to
break down, as well as removing the colors from the threads and fabric.
Fabric Creases
Does your fabric
have creases in it? More
times than not it probably does, especially if you buy precut fabric.
Try
running a steam iron over both sides of the fabric to gently remove the
folds.
If the creasing is
severe and the steam
iron method doesn't work for you, try washing the fabric and towel
drying it to
get most of the moisture out. Then run the steam iron over the fabric
again
while the fabric is still
damp.
Creases still a
problem for you? Take the problem piece
to your local dry
cleaners. They have professional steam ironing equipment
that can most likely
take out even the most stubborn creases.
Fabric Tears
What happens if
somehow your fabric tears
before you've finished the project?
Starting over can be very disappointing. Good news!
You don't have to
scrap the work you've already done. Use a small pair of
sharp scissors to carefully trim any fibres from around the tear
Just take a small
piece of fabric that's
the same color, and patch the piece. Cut
the patch a little larger then the tear or hole. When securing the
patch to you project It's
important to line up the fabric grain exactly
(which means the rows of holes remain straight in all directions). This
will ensure you stitches remain even and in line with one another.
Tack the patch in
place on the reverse side
of the fabric. Start a few stitches away from the tear and
stitch straight
across the tear until you get a few stitches past it on the opposite
side.
Remove the tacking
stitches, and trim any
any excess fabric from the rear. Then just
continue with your design as you normally would. The patch won't be
smooth,
however it shouldn't effect the way your finished piece looks. In
the next issue of Cross
Stitch Tips & News we conclude this article on
rescue remedies you can use to recover a damaged cross stitch project.
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