Falling in love with finishing
Tips for begrudging self-finishers
When I started stitching, I had no idea how to turn my projects into the drool-worthy ornaments I saw on Instagram. Then I learned a term “finishing” and heard it took a long time for shops to do. It was the height of covid and I’m impatient and have a strong streak of “how hard can it be?” running in me.
I figured that my first few stitched projects weren’t perfect and it was OK if the finishing wasn’t either. I dove in by watching a bunch of tutorials and picked the hot glue method. I did it, I was proud of the final creations, but I absolutely hated the process. For me, self-finishing was categorically a necessary evil.
But since my early days of self-finishing, finishing has become my favorite part of the needlepoint process (aside from buying canvases of course). I truly enjoy crafting beautiful heirloom quality pieces, either for myself or for my clients. It’s like the cherry on top of the project.
Maybe self-finishing is a necessary evil for you, too. Either because of timelines, LNS availability near you, or budget, you might find yourself a begrudging self-finisher.
In today’s post, I’m offering tips if you’re a begrudging self-finisher like I was back in my early days of stitching.
Here are my top tips for falling in love with with finishing process.
Tip 1: Curate your feed
Finished projects can be so inspiring and really motivating.
If you’re on Instagram, you can save different collections, so I have a saved collection specifically for finishing inspo. I draw a lot of inspiration from unchiffonfonfon, Shoreline Stitcher, and shops including Red Thread Altelier, Wool and the Floss, Needlepoint Clubhouse, and Lycette. Once a week, I am going to start re-sharing favorite finishes from the week on my Instagram account as a round up.
Here on Substack you can find stitchers including
, and HiFi Makes all of whom have posted finished work.Tip 2: Consider investing in your tools
You do NOT need a lot of gear to get started with finishing. Start with the basics. But once you’re doing this for a while, you may want to re-evaluate your finishing kit and find areas you’d like to make strategic upgrades.
It may be good lighting, a new cutting mat (just got this big one and I’m obsessed), or some nice scissors.
Or it may be a cost-free investment:
Reorganizing or refreshing your finishing space
Making a little to-go kit of finishing essentials so you can move around your home
Display a finished object near your finishing area
The other week, I tied a colorful remnant twist cord around my scissors and it really sparked joy
My next (free) tool investment on my list is to build a contraption to keep my Lacis from falling off the table. I swear they are possessed.
Tip 3: Source materials that excite you!
Last fall I went on a fabric shopping trip to New York. It was magnificent. I bought a ton of silk, taffeta, moire, etc. The trip marked when I committed myself to fully becoming a finisher and I think it was because of the fabric stores and the magic I knew I could create.
If you can’t go in person, you can also find great fabrics, beads, trims, zippers, and tassels online. Search out designer remnants that would be good sizes for finishing. Be it silks, taffetas, duck, linen, and more, find materials that you’re excited to work with and eager to display (roundup of some favs here).
Tip 4: Try different techniques
A large part of angst about finishing at first came from my use of glue. While I firmly believe using glue is appropriate sometimes, if I can offer any advice to glue-users who hate finishing: consider trying a lacing technique.
It is far less messy and the object will last a lot longer. Added bonus: you’re not waiting for glue to dry, that immediate satisfaction of a self-finish is even more immediate!
I’ll post a longer free video tutorial on lacing, but my beginner guide covers it, too. There are also many great tutorials online already.
Tip 5: Expand to new finish formats
Once you’ve mastered the round ornament, you can master more. Build your skills by taking on a new format like a special shape or an ornament on a stick. Try out a hanging sign.
Maybe a gusseted ornament or a standup! Or, maybe turn to your sewing machine for finishes like soft mini stockings or pouches. Continue to push yourself, a new challenge is very rewarding.
Tip 6: Connect with other self-finishers
I love my Finisher Friends. We share tips both about running our finishing businesses but also troubleshooting tricky projects. Reach out to other stitchers who post their self-finishes on Instagram or TT. Be curious and connect. This can really create accountability for yourself and share what you learn with others.
Tip 7: Find your flow
Just like stitching, you’re not going to love everything about finishing, and that’s OK. Like a bouquet of ribbon french knots, sometimes the process is not our favorite, but the results are worth it.
If I need to make a ton of cording (my least favorite thing ever, ahem… #LacisGate), I pop on a favorite TV show or podcast and just power through.
Related, I have set up a finishing to-go tote that houses all the stuff I need to sew on cording on the go. I bring it around to different places of my house to break up the monotony of my finishing desk. A change of scenery can improve your creativity or even help you slog through something else. Finishing on work calls? I won’t tell.
Tip 8: Make it a thing
Finally, budget time for finishing. Maybe you finish in batches or finish each project as you’re done stitching. Set some goals and a plan and you’ll be surprised how fast you get through that to-be-finished pile.
I hope these tips help you. My biggest wish for what I’m doing here on Substack is to help you fall in love with finishing through my many tutorials and resources that I’ll continue to develop and share. Thank you for being here and reading this blog. Please consider sharing The Finishing Fairy with others so they can discover the magic of needlepoint finishing, too.
Loved reading and learning from this, Amanda! I am honored to be part of your community! Thank you for including The Finishing School Blog🤍🧚🏻
Beautiful as always!!