Preparing and finishing your work: haberdashery tricks
Share
A beautiful piece can be spoiled by the little things at the start and the end. Here's what we do at the haberdashery so your work stays flawless for years.
Before you begin
- Wash and iron the fabric if it'll take you a while to finish: it shrinks a little, better now than later.
- Find the centre by folding the fabric into four. Almost every pattern starts there.
- Finish the edges with a running stitch or tape so they don't fray while you stitch.
How to start and end the thread
No knots: they leave a bump and show through the front. To start, pass the needle leaving a tail at the back and catch it with your first stitches. To finish, run the needle under four or five existing stitches and cut. Clean and secure.
The last step many forget
When you're done, wash the piece in lukewarm water with mild soap, dry it between two towels and iron it from the back over a cloth. It'll be ready to frame and hang. That final care is what turns a "done" piece into a "finished" one.
Need fabric, a hoop or needles? You'll find it all at the online haberdashery.
