HOW TO FINISH OUT A NEEDLE PUNCH

THIS IS THE FINISHED PIECE READY TO BE MOUNTED ON A FINISHING PIECE OF CHOICE.

Your needle punch piece will eventually be mounted onto a finished project of your choice.  Some examples would be a wood board, pillow top, chip board the size of a frame, etc. So the finished punched piece needs to finished out in a way that would protect the punched stitches and that could easily be attached to it's chosen mounted format.

FIRST YOU CUT A BOARDER AROUND THE PIECE.

The first step would be to cut a boarder around your finished piece. I prefer to use a 1 inch boarder.

STEAM PRESS THE EDGES IN TOWARDS THE IMAGE.

Next step is to steam press the edges toward the inside of the project.

I PRESS PELLON APPAREL INTERFACING ON THE BACK

Next cut the shape out of interfacing ( I use apparel Interfacing - Specialty SF101 shape-Flex Fusible.  It feels like regular cotton fabric with fusible capabilities) and iron it to the back of the project.  The interfacing holds the shape of the project plus it protects the threads and helps to keep them stable.  The interfacing holds down all the turned in edges and makes a nice neater and stable edge that enables you to easily attach it to what ever medium you choose to frame your piece.  It's a much nicer finish to be able to glue the project down to a surface and it gives a barrier that helps to protect the threads from the glue product.  Since the edges are now in a fixed position it's a lot easier to sew to a surface because you don't have to constantly struggle to hold the edges down. This interfacing is pliable and it doesn't make the project stiff.