Ironing finished projects
 

My second question within minutes!! I am brand new to embroidery. I completed a project today that I am going to frame. Do you iron your projects prior to framing? If so do you use steam? Do you iron front side or back side up? How do you place your project in a picture frame?
Sorry so many questions!! Thanks for your help!!

I was just gifted by a loving and generous brother a new
Brother innov-is NQ1600E embroidery machine. So far, I know how to turn it on and off. I will be following this thread closely and reading all comments daily. I don’t know enough to ask questions yet.

For me, it depends on what the finished piece is going to be used for/in. I do mostly press from the back and use a pressing cloth that is moistened slighly. Some machine embroidery thread is rayon and can melt if ironed from the front and the setting is too hot. Hand embroidey is usually DMC cotton and can be pressed from the front, unless you don't want the threads to be squished flat, then I also press from the back with a cloth.

You can gently iron on the back. I would avoid pressing on the front especially with rayon threads. As far as framing a piece use a non glare glass in the frame. I have never had a piece stick to the frame.

I am not a machine embroidery gal, but I used to do lots of hand work. I always pressed from the back often with a pressing cloth and a light touch. In other words, I did not press my iron down hard. A light firm touch with the iron keeps the features of the piece but smoothed out the fabric for framing or perhaps adding to a garment.

I press gently from the backside using a pressing cloth and a wool pressing mat. Same as when embroidering something new I would press a “test” item !

Put the embroideredd side down on a folded terry cloth towel. Lightly spray starch on the back side and press the backside with an iron on an appropriate setting for the fabric/thread. I use a medium heat. Press the back side until it is dry. I use a circlular motion while pressing. If you just press the iron straight down on the embroidery, you can get wrinkles. You can use a wool pressing mat, but a towel is handier for me and I can throw it in the wash when needed,