The Finishing Stage Is Where Most People Ruin Their Work
You spent however many hours actually hooking the loops onto the canvas. That part's the grind. But the finishing? That's where things fall apart if you don't know what you're doing. I've seen too many completed latch hook pieces go into the trash because someone skipped a step or rushed a detail at the end. Let's get through this properly. Once your hooking is done, you need to trim the loops to an even height. Use sharp embroidery scissors or a small pair of fabric shears. Cut the loops so they're all roughly the same length - somewhere around half an inch to three-quarters of an inch works for most standard Wonderart kits. Go slowly around the edges where the canvas shows through. If you cut too close to the base, you'll leave bald patches that are nearly impossible to fix later. After trimming, the piece will look lumpy and uneven. That's normal. What you need next is blocking. Lay the finished artwork on a flat surface, preferably a clean carpet or a large foam board. Lightly mist it with water using a spray bottle. Don't soak it. Just enough moisture to relax the fibers. Then place a second flat surface on top - a board, a piece of plywood, whatever you've got - and put some weight on it. Heavy books work. Wait 24 hours and the piece should lie much flatter.
Now for the backing. You can use felt, canvas, or even batting depending on what you want. Cut your backing material about half an inch larger than the front on all sides. Apply fabric glue or craft adhesive to the back of your finished latch hook piece, working from the center outward to push out air bubbles. Press the backing material onto the glued surface. Make sure the edges are fully adhered, especially around the corners where they tend to lift over time. I ran into a problem once with a Wonderart kit where the backing started separating at the corners after about six months. The adhesive I used wasn't strong enough for the weight of the finished piece. What ended up working was a thin layer of fabric medium mixed with glue - something like a 50/50 blend. It penetrates better and stays flexible instead of becoming brittle. I applied it with a small brush along the edges and pressed them down firmly. That fixed it permanently. For hanging, you have a few options. Some people mount the finished piece onto a wooden frame similar to stretching a canvas for painting. Others use adhesive picture hanging strips if the piece is light enough. A larger finished piece may need D-rings screwed into a wooden frame with strung wire for proper wall mounting. Whatever you choose, make sure the backing is fully dry and sealed before you attempt to hang it. A heavy unfinished piece can tear right through a weak backing.
One thing people consistently mess up: the front edge finishing. After backing is applied, you'll have excess backing material hanging off the sides. Trim it flush with the front surface, but don't cut into the looped area. Leave a small margin of backing material folded over the edges and glued down. This gives the piece a cleaner finished look and protects the loops from wearing against whatever surface it rests against when displayed. If you're displaying the piece in direct sunlight, keep in mind that the dyed yarn colors will fade over time. This isn't something finishing can prevent. Position it away from windows or consider using UV-protective glass if framing under a frame. The fading rate varies by yarn quality, but generally you're looking at noticeable color shift after a year or two of direct sun exposure. There's no real shortcut around these steps. The finishing takes as long as it takes. Rush it and you'll deal with the consequences later. Take your time, let the adhesive cure fully, and your piece will hold up for years.
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