5 Finishing Ideas for Your Cross Stitch Project | S3E8

In this post/episode I’m sharing 5 finishing ideas for your cross stitch project! I know that always framing them in a frame can get a little boring (not to mention you start to run out of space)! So, hopefully, these ideas will inspire you to create some new projects with your finished cross stitch piece.

Not that there is anything wrong with framing, they look good and professional, but sometimes you might want to do something a little different.

Listen to the podcast episode below or keep scrolling to read the blog post instead.

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5 Finishing Ideas for Your Cross Stitch Project

1. Make a lampshade with it
2. Make a canvas frame
3. Stitch onto your clothes
4. Make a banner
5. Make a mug cosy

1. Make a lampshade

You may have heard me talk about stitching the Emerald City pattern last year by Satsuma Street. Well, I also turned that into a lampshade!

You can find the tutorial for how I made the cross stitch lampshade here.

I wasn’t 100% sure it would work but it totally did. Although there are a few things I would have done differently such as stitch on a higher count and also stitch on evenweave or linen so the rest of the shade looked a bit nicer where there weren’t any stitches.

But other than that it turned out great! I highly recommend using the lampshade making kit I’ve linked below because it has been through the correct safety tests. If you are buying a different one please make sure it is safe to use.

This project is a great one for autumn and winter. I love a good lamp and I actually gave this to my mum as a present so I’m hoping to make myself one soon. It makes a room so cosy!

So many patterns would look good stitched on a shade too. You could stitch one big design on it like I did, or stitch a few smaller matching ones along it. Or just the same design repeated around it. So many ways to get creative here!

This is probably the hardest of the 5 to make, but I have never made something like this before and I had a functioning lampshade a the end. So if I can do it, I’m sure you can too! After you have stitched your design there’s no more sewing involved, just some fiddly bits and rolling. And you get everything you need to make the shade in the kit I recommend.

2. Make a canvas frame

For my Hello Spring design I “framed” it on a canvas frame. This was actually pretty easy and I loved the finished result.

You can find the tutorial on how to make a cross stitch canvas frame here.

You just buy a canvas frame in a suitable size. When I say canvas frame I mean the type that you would use to paint on. Then wrap your design around it and staple gun it at the back! Of course, there are a few more steps in between which I show you in my tutorial but that’s the general gist of it. In terms of ease and quickness, this one definitely wins!

This is a great way to still frame your finished piece without actually framing it. And it adds a nice bit of texture to your wall or where ever you choose to display it.

3. Stitch onto your clothes

This isn’t really one for finishing your project off, you kind of have to decide beforehand to do it. But this is a great way to stitch without having to display it in your home like on a wall etc.

You can find the tutorial for cross stitching on clothes here.

We can’t display much in our homes as we live in military houses so I have to get creative! I think this is why I love blogging and writing about what you can do with your finished piece other than framing it.

This is a great one for any season really. I am currently stitching on a Friends t-shirt little motifs like a coffee mug and a lobster etc. You could add some flowers to a plain white t-shirt or add some initials to a scarf.

And the best thing is that you just need some sort of waste or soluble canvas (and maybe some fabric stabiliser). It’s a bit more tricky than stitching straight on cross stitch fabric but the finished result is so good!

And this can also work for bags too! I have a tutorial on doing hand embroidery on cotton bags.

4. Make a banner

Another favourite of mine! This one is a little more tricky than the others but only because after you have finished stitching your design you will need to do some more sewing. You can use a sewing machine or just hand stitch it into shape.

You can find the tutorial on how to make a cross stitch banner here.

I have made a summer banner but this year I would like to try a Christmas one too! Satsuma street has a lovely Christmas pattern that you can turn into a banner.

And the good thing about banners is that they can be any size or shape you like really; you just need to make sure you have enough fabric around the stitched design to make it into the shape of banner you would like.  You can make them long and vertical or wide and horizontal and many other ways!

5. Make a mug cosy

This is a great project for those smaller patterns you might have lying around. It’s such a quick project once you get the hang of it, and perfect for some cosy stitching over Winter to wrap around your favourite mug.

Although, it can work for summer too! You could leave the felt back off and wrap it around a cocktail glass or a hip flask. It’s so versatile!

You can find the tutorial on how to make a cross stitch mug cosy here.

The pattern I use for this tutorial you can download for free on the blog post. And other than the pattern you just need some felt and a button which you probably have lying around already!

Let me know in the comments if there are any projects you would like to see on the blog in 2020!

Extra links and resources

• The 7 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started Cross Stitching
• 88 Cross Stitch Terms Every Stitcher Should Know
• Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes

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