How to Frame Cross Stitch with Lacing

I don’t make a lot of large cross stitch pieces so I don’t have much experience with framing. When I did it as a kid I think we mostly used cardboard and double-stick tape and put the pieces in picture frames. Which I’m sure isn’t the best way to go about it.

I came across this post from Thread Bare that shows how to use the lacing method to help when you are framing larger cross stitch pieces (I’m sure you can use it on small pieces, too.) This method both secures the edges and keeps an even tension on the cross stitch fabric, so that you can easily mount it in a picture frame.

This is a great option for your large pieces that you might consider taking to a custom frame shop, but of course doing it yourself is going to be less expensive. The post says all the materials including the frame cost about $27, and you may already have some of the supplies you need. One thing to note is that it uses what is described as cardboard backing, which in the photos almost looks like posterboard, but it’s important to use something acid free for this purpose if you can find it, since that’s the best option for long-term storage of textiles.

Another good thing about this method, other than being relatively inexpensive, is that because the lacing method just uses thread (albeit heavy-duty thread) if you don’t like the look of it initially you can always pull out the lacing and try again.

The post has a ton of pictures, which should make it possible for you to complete this project on your own. If you do something like this or have another method for securing your cross stitch projects for framing, I would love to hear about it!

[Photo: Thread Bare.]

I don’t usually cross stitch text or add words to my cross stitch projects. Sometimes I will sign things using basic block lettering worked in backstitch (luckily my initials are pretty easy to stitch), but if you give your cross stitch as a gift or otherwise want to personalize it, adding text is a great way to go.

But if a project didn’t already come with text, and you don’t want to draw your own, you’ll need a good cross stitch font that you can use for your project.

I like collecting fonts that are easy to read and to stitch and that would be good for lots of different uses.

For example I really like this bold alphabet font from Cross Stitch with Art, which has both capital and lowercase letters as well as numbers if you need them for dates or other information on your design. The capital letters are an inch/2.5 cm/14 stitches tall, which makes it easy to figure out how much space you need to leave for them. It’s a nice, basic, readable serif font you can use for lots of project.

If you want a script font that’s still really readable, check out Magic Calligraphy from Soft Pattern Designs. This hand drawn font has upper case letters around 28 stitches tall, with lower case letters mostly being around 20 stitches (though the ones that go up or down a lot like f, p and y are bigger). The numbers also vary a bit in size but range from 25 to 29 stitches.

Sometimes you just want a classic font that looks like sports lettering, and in that case you’re going to need Varsity, an all caps font from Stitch Mod. This one has letters that are 21 stitches tall, and it includes capital letters and numbers. But there are definitely times this one would come in handy!

Another sometimes useful and really cute font is this alphabet block letters alphabet from Stitch Junction. These letters are all upper case and look like classic building blocks, and there are also numbers available. This one would be perfect for a birth announcement project or some other cross stitch for the baby’s room.

And if that’s not enough for you, check out this post with 85 free cross stitch fonts for you to try!

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