Cross-Stitch

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Cross-Stitch Basics: How to Clean Cross Stitch

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Despite our best efforts while we are working on a project, our cross-stitched objects sometimes get a little dirty.

Prevention can help a lot: always wash your hands before you stitch, don’t eat and stitch (or drink colored/sugary liquids), store your project out of reach of childrens/pets/other people who might accidentally get it dirty while you’re working on it.

How to keep your cross-stitch project clean.

But washing a cross-stitch project before you finish and frame it is a good idea even if there aren’t visible stains on it.

If you’re familiar with hand washing laundry, it’s a pretty simple process, outlined in a little more detail at Tiny Modernist. Use dish soap or your favorite wool wash/hand wash detergent and lukewarm water.

Allow the piece to soak for about 15 if there are no visible stains that need to be treated. Drain the water, then gently rinse (or fill the sink with clear water and put the project back in to rinse off the remaining soap), press between two towels to get most of the water out, then lie flat on a towel to dry the rest of the way.

What if you do have stains? Check out the tips on About.com Laundry for a good process for dealing with stains and cleaning vintage cross-stitch projects.

Do you wash your cross-stitch projects? I’d love to know how you do it.

[Photo by Raquel Philips, via Flickr.]

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Super Cute Ghost Cross Stitch Patterns

I’m always looking for different approaches to holidays in different crafts, and this year I’m noticing a lot of cute ghosts. Check out these adorable ghost cross stitch patterns for tons of cute without the creepy. 

Cute Patterns by Maria has a set of six adorable ghosts doing ghosty things like reading a book, talking to a crow, decorating with pumpkins and mushrooms and more. Stitch a single one, all six on one canvas, or each on individually to make your own adorable set of ghosts to scatter around the house. Each ghost is 67 by 86 stitches; the full set is 205 by 174 and uses 28 colors. 

Another cute set is this little three pattern set of ghosts with pumpkins and mushrooms. Designed by Wild Bluebell Patterns, the dimensions vary on them but they are super cute all stitched and hung together in hoops as shown. 

This set of hipster ghosts is meant to be stitched up as ornaments for you Halloween tree or to display individually, or you can make one big piece. These designs are from Artmishka Cross Stitch and show ghosts getting coffee, reading a book, riding a broom and more. The whole set uses 11 colors. 

If you have a dog friend in your life you’ll want to stitch up this sweet puppy ghost pattern from Holly Deer Stitch. The puppy is carrying a cute jack ‘o lantern with a candle and the project measures 7.14 by 6.79 inches (18.14 by 17.24 cm) on 14 count fabric. It uses 14 colors. 

Find a ghost among the wildflowers with this design by Woven Wild Crafts. They call it spooky but I disagree. The design is 10 inches/25.5 cm square when worked on 14 count fabric and uses 19 colors. 

Or keep it super simple with this little fall ghost cross stitch pattern from Crystal Feather Crafts. This little one is 56 by 47 stitches, which comes out to 4 by 3.4 inches or 10.2 by 8.5 cm on 14 count fabric. It uses 13 colors.