How to Wash and Dry your Stamped Cross Stitch

You've finished your stamped cross stitch but now you're wondering how to get rid of all those symbols that are poking through. 

• Place the fabric in a container and add warm water (30-45° c).
• Change the water every 3-5 minutes, repeating 4-6 times until the water becomes clear.
• During the first soak, the water-soluble ink will start dissolving, and the water will take on the ink’s colour.
• Avoid prolonged soaking in dirty water to prevent ink from re-staining the fabric.
• Adding a small amount of laundry detergent can help speed up the process.
• After 4-6 water changes, the water should gradually become clear.
• If any ink remains, soaking the fabric overnight will ensure complete removal.

Now that your stamped cross stitch is clean, how do you get it dry?

• Lie your washed cross stitch on a flat surface, front side face down, with a thick, soft towel underneath
• Now the scary bit, turn your iron up high, generating a lot of steam and press your cross stitch. Be careful not to catch any threads (this is when I curse not having a neater back).
• Keep pressing until you think that your cross stitch is dry
• Walk away for an hour and let it rest
• Now, check back and ensure that it is actually dry. If it's still damp, press again.