let's talk about washing your embroidery. maybe it's gotten a little dusty, or you've noticed some mysterious stains appearing on the fabric. or maybe you've just finished stitching it, and some dirt and oils have transferred from your hands to the fabric. 

i'm going to show you an easy and gentle way to wash your embroidered fabric, which will keep it looking its best, and also will help preserve your beautiful stitching.

i have had this home grown hoop hanging on the wall for years, and i recently noticed it's looking a little dingy. it also has a couple of oily spots near the edges.

the first thing we need to do is remove the fabric from the hoop or frame. i always use this gathering stitch method for finishing my hoops. it's quick, simple, and most importantly, it makes things super easy when it's time to remove your fabric from the hoop. just snip the gathering stitches and pull out the floss.

once the gathering stitch is removed, you can take the fabric out of the hoop.

it's out! and since i don't use any glues or adhesives, the fabric is perfectly intact.

to wash, fill a bowl or basin with warm water, and stir in some mild soap, dish soap, or a gentle handwashing soap. i am using oxy-clean here (about 4 tablespoons).

it's important to note that this piece is one of my preprinted fabric patterns. it's made of 100% cotton, the inks are permanent, and the DMC floss i use is colorfast.

if you are using a different type of fabric or floss, please be sure it's colorfast before exposing it to water, soap, or ironing.

let it soak for a couple of hours, gently swishing it around every half hour or so. do not scrub or twist the fabric! if there is a stubborn spot, you can (very) gently brush it with a cotton swab or a soft brush. if you have an oily spot, a drop of dish soap works well to break down the oils.

next we rinse. i like to use a colander in the kitchen sink, so the fabric is supported, and the rinse water can easily drain away.

use cool water and rinse very well until no soap remains.

after rinsing, lay your embroidery flat on a clean white towel. i like to cover the top too, and gently press the water out. you can also roll it up, jelly-roll style, but again, do not twist or wring. that will stretch and warp the fabric and your stitches.

now just let it air dry, laying flat on the clean towel.

once it's dry, you may want to iron the fabric. this isn't always necessary, but if you decide to iron, please be gentle with your work! place it face-down on a fluffy towel and use a press cloth between the iron and your fabric.

gently press using an up and down motion - no circles - taking care not to smoosh your beautiful stitches.

once it's dry and smooth, you are done!

i put my piece back in the hoop.

and here's that gathering stitch finishing method that i like:

now it's nice and clean, and ready to hang on the wall.

i hope this has been helpful! thanks so much for being here.

💙

p.s. there are a lot of photos in this post, so if you want to read through everything without all the pictures, i'm adding the text-only version below.

how-to: wash embroidery