Finishing and framing kinusaiga

Finishing the edges

Inside the picture every fabric edge disappears into a groove. On the outer border there is no neighbour to share a groove with, so the fabric needs somewhere to go. Decide this before you score, because option 1 needs an extra groove.

1. A frame groove (the cleanest)

Score a groove all round the board, about 1/4 in (6 mm) in from the edge, with a ruler. Every piece that touches the border is tucked into that groove, so the picture ends on a crisp line, like a mount. The narrow strip outside it is then covered with one fabric (a dark solid works well) tucked into the same groove and wrapped round the sides, or left bare if the piece goes into a frame that hides it.

Many patterns already include this frame line. If yours doesn't, add it: it is the single easiest way to make a piece look finished.

2. Wrapping the sides

Cut the border pieces with an extra margin equal to the board's thickness plus about 1/2 in. Bring the fabric over the edge, down the side and onto the back, and glue it there. This gives a gallery-wrapped look, like a stretched canvas, with the picture continuing round the sides.

• Fold the corners like a gift wrap: one side flat, the other folded in a neat 45° pleat.
• Use white craft glue (tacky glue) or a low-temperature glue gun on the back. Many spray adhesives and solvent glues dissolve polystyrene foam: test on an offcut first.
• Cover the back with a square of felt or card afterwards to hide the raw edges.

3. A ribbon or bias border

Tuck or wrap the outer fabrics roughly, then glue a ribbon, bias tape or braid round the sides of the board so it covers the edge. Choose a width equal to the board's thickness: 1/2 in ribbon for a 1/2 in board, 1 in ribbon for a 1 in board. Start and finish at the bottom, overlapping the ends by 1/2 in. This is the fastest finish and the one that hides the most, so it is popular for gifts and for ornaments.

Frame it or not?

Both are fine. Unframed, a kinusaiga looks like a small fabric canvas and shows off its padded texture from the side. Framed, it is protected from dust, curious fingers and pets, and it looks at home next to paintings and prints.

• Frame it if it will hang in a kitchen, a hallway or a home with cats, if it is a gift, or if the edges are not your best work.
• Leave it unframed if you wrapped the edges neatly, if it hangs somewhere calm, or if you want to make a grid of small pieces.

Which frame for which board

A kinusaiga board is thick: usually 1/2 to 1 in of foam plus the fabric. An ordinary picture frame is made for paper and has only about a quarter of an inch of space behind the glass. So, whatever the size, you need a shadow box or a deep frame, and you should measure the inside depth before buying: it must be at least the thickness of your board, plus the depth of any spacers.

Mat openings are cut a little smaller than the artwork (usually 1/4 in less in each direction) so the mat overlaps the edge and hides it. That makes a mat a good friend of a wobbly border, and a reason to consider a frame groove (option 1 above) placed where the mat will cover it.

Budget deep frames. Square shadow boxes in 8x8, 10x10 and 12x12 in are easy to find at craft stores. IKEA's SANNAHED is a popular cheap choice: a deep 25x25 cm frame (about 9 3/4 in) whose mat has a 12 cm (4 3/4 in) opening, which suits a 5 in board nicely. Without the mat, it can hold a larger board floated on a backing card.

Glass, spacers and shadow boxes

The texture is what makes kinusaiga special: every fabric gently domed, every line recessed. Glass pressed directly on the fabric flattens it, and the piece ends up looking like a photograph of itself. Three good options:

1. A shadow box: the glass sits at the front, with a gap of 1/4 in or more before the fabric.
2. A deep frame with spacers: thin plastic or wooden strips stuck along the inside edges of the frame keep the glass off the fabric. Frame shops sell them, or use strips of foam board.
3. No glass at all: take the glass out of the frame. Indoors, away from the kitchen, this is fine, and the texture can be seen and touched.

Many inexpensive frames, IKEA's included, come with acrylic (plastic) instead of glass. It is lighter and safer for posting a gift, but it scratches and attracts dust; wipe it only with a soft, slightly damp cloth.

Hanging without a frame

Foam is very light: an 8x8 in board with its fabric weighs only an ounce or two. That makes hanging easy, as long as you never attach anything straight to the bare foam: a nail or screw will simply tear out, and adhesive strips pull off the surface of the foam when you remove them.

First, glue a square of mat board, cereal-box card or thin hardboard to the back with white craft glue, slightly smaller than the board, and let it dry flat under a book. Then add one of these to the card:

• A self-adhesive sawtooth hanger, centred near the top. Simple and neat for one piece on a nail.
• A ribbon loop: glue both ends of a ribbon to the back and cover them with a felt square. Pretty for a gift or a small piece on a hook, and the natural choice for ornaments.
• Removable picture-hanging strips (the hook-and-loop kind): ideal for rented walls and for grids of several small pieces that must line up.

For a shelf or a desk, a small easel or a plate stand works perfectly and needs no hardware at all.

Protecting it from dust and sun

• Keep it out of direct sunlight. Cotton and especially silk fade with time in sun. A wall that never gets direct light keeps colours bright for years; if a sunny spot is the only option, a frame with UV-filtering glass or acrylic helps.
• Avoid heat. Don't hang it above a radiator or a stove, and don't leave it in a hot car: polystyrene foam can soften and warp.
• Avoid the kitchen unless it is behind glass: cooking grease settles on fabric and is very hard to remove.
• Dust it lightly every few months with a soft brush, or roll a lint roller over it without pressing.
• If a tuck pops out, push it back with your tool. A piece that is never framed can be repaired forever.

Giving it as a gift

A framed or neatly finished kinusaiga is one of the nicest handmade gifts there is. A few touches make it feel special:

• Sign and date the back, and add the name of the design. In a few years, someone will be glad you did.
• Put the hanger on before you wrap it, so it can go on the wall the same day.
• Protect the front with a sheet of tissue paper and a piece of card before wrapping, especially if it is unframed: a parcel corner can push in a tuck.
• For Christmas, small 5x5 in pieces and ornaments make perfect stocking fillers. Browse the Christmas patterns, all free to print.

Still at the tucking stage? The step-by-step guide covers everything from printing the pattern to the last groove.