Afghan - should I back it?

[Kathy Tabb]

Hi Group,
I am about to start an afghan that is cross-stitched with
patterns all over it. When it is finished, I am afraid that with
use, the threads will come loose on the back even tho I plan to
weave them in pretty good. But there's always a chance that they
will be pulled out. So......should I think about putting a
backing fabric on it? The afghan is a loosely woven fabric from
Zweigart, a beige with red lines making the blocks. I was
thinking of a backing like muslin, but my daughter said to use a
fleece of some sort. So, once I learn the "right" kind of
backing, then how do I attach it? Hem it and stitch just around
the sides with hidden stitches of some sort? or "quilt" it along
the block lines?
Oh, the cross stitches will all be in about 6 or 7 shades of red.
Should I "wash" the threads (DMC) first or do I not have to worry
about bleeding when laundering it? How does one "wash" the
threads without getting them all tangled up? Can I put them in
the dryer to dry?

Any help is appreciated! This is going to be a big project (for
me) and I do want to get it right without any "I shouldas" after
it's done. I've looked thru all my old cross-stitch magazines and
online for answers but am not finding anything.

Kathy

[Dianne Lewandowski]

Boy! You asked a ton of questions! What an interesting read! <grin>

I would not use fleece as a backing fabric. Stick to something
lightweight. There are so many fabrics out there. Head on over to a
fabric store and see what's available. I have the most beautiful
antique baby blanket and it is lined with the loveliest rayon. A
perfect weight for this tunisian crocheted blanket.

Attaching it is easy. Hemming (that's the actual term for the
technique) is the preferred method as it is quite invisible. The more
modern term is slip stitching, but watch that you only take the tiniest
bites of the fabrics and have the tiniest of stitches. You'll have to
measure, pin the lining on the afghan (turning under a quarter inch or
so, then hem.

As for the threads: Wash them in their wrappers by soaking them in a
detergent solution. Then see if they bleed. Then rinse in cool water
until the water is clear. You really shouldn't have to do this with DMC
reds. I've never had them "run". But it's prudent to be safe rather
than sorry.

Dianne

--
"The Journal of Needlework" - The E-zine for All Needleworkers
http://journal.heritageshoppe.com

[Brenda Lewis]

A backing would be fine--it might make the afghan more comfortable
against the skin for the user. I apply a dot of Fray Check on all of my
woven ends when I'm using cross-stitch on wearables or baby toys.
Haven't had an end come loose yet with that treatment and those items
get used and washed a lot. You will see a little damp dot on the front
right after you apply it, but it disappears when it dries. If you do
use a backing, remember to prewash and machine dry both the afghan AND
the backing fabric before assembly because you'll have a huge problem if
they are put together and one piece shrinks and the other doesn't.

Only the brightest or deepest shades of red would be any concern and
even then I've never had a problem with DMC floss. I've had off-brands
or unidentified brands from kits that have faded but DMC has always
washed well without bleeding in my experience. If you do prewash any
floss, put the full skein of each color in a separate bowl and use
lukewarm or cool water and the detergent of your choice although I would
avoid any with dyes that would discolor the water since that would make
it harder to tell if the floss is bleeding dye. You don't really need
to swirl the thread around so tangling shouldn't be an issue. Label
each bowl so you remember which color is which. Let stand overnight and
check the water color in the morning. If clear and colorless, rinse the
floss thoroughly and hang it to air dry. Putting it in the dryer
*would* make a tangled mess unless you have one of those special racks
for sweaters/delicates that you can get for some dryers.

As for how to attach the backing, I'm not the expert on those things so
I'll let Dianne or Tia Mary or someone else tackle that question!
Sounds like you have really thought this project out and you're asking
good questions. I hope you really enjoy making this afghan and wish you
(or recipient if it is a gift) many happy years of use once it is finished!

--
Brenda
NEW to Styx, classic to the world: Big Bang Theory

[Kathy Tabb]

Thanks to both Dianne and Brenda on their helpful hints. I can
hardly wait to start this project (still waiting for delivery of
the afghan). I would never have thought of washing both the
afghan and the backing; I'm so glad you mentioned that! And
Dianne, you mentioned "slip stitching" as the modern term for
hemming. Thank you!!!! I've seen the term "slip stitching" in
many magazines and didn't have a clue what this was! And here
I've been doing it for years!

Thanks again!
Kathy