Sprite Stitch Board!

Hey everyone!
I want to show you all my first big project and I also need some advice in finishing it.
As a huge Zelda-Fan, I decided to take the scene where Link gets the Master Sword in A Link to the Past and do a gobelin (I guess it's a half cross-stitch, but we call it gobelin where I come from =D)
I'm almost finished after a year of work and now I am asking myself: "What are the final steps?"
As you can see in the picture, my work is a little slope and there is a bend in the middle. I already found the tutorial for ironing but I didn't find anything about washing for the first time. Do you have any advice or tutorials for that?
And I also plan to attach my work to a pillowcase. Did anyone tried to do such a thing before?
I'm hoping for some answeres =)

edit: I changed the name of the topic 'cause I don't want to make a new thread for every single project

Our very own Eliste has written a most excellent blog series on how to wash/block/iron/etc. finished pieces. I'll admit, I tend to read it every time I need to finish a project.

Can't say I'm any help on the pillow thing, though. I think some other people have successfully done that, though.

Thanks for the link!
The how tos are really good and now I'm totally motivated to finish my work and start to clean it properly =D
I already have a plan for sewing the stitching to the pillowcase, but maybe there are more professional ways to do so?

Wow, it looks great!

I finished my stitching today =D
I already washed and blocked it, but I'm still not sure if I've done everything right. I did everything according to the tutorial but I still have this bend in the middle and it's still a little sloping, but better than before anyways =D
Should I try washing and blocking it a second time? Do you think it will be better after a second trial?

The colours on this particular picture are a little bit too dark. I will make a picture with more light as soon as I ironed it.

I can never block it perfectly but when I "lace" it for framing all the creases seem to come out.

What a great finish! Congratulations!

Ironing is over!
It looks so smooth and even :D
I'm not completely satisfied thou :(
Nevertheless, it was my first big project and I guess I learned a lot!
Like "Never stretch the fabric to much" and "Don't divide the project into subsections unless you like to have a bend" D:

Do you think it would get better if I rewash and reblock it? (I also have to repair two or three spots, but that's done in a second!)

Now it's time to make plans for sewing it to the pillowcase! :D

Pics:

That is gorgeous! How do you keep the back looking so neat?! Mine looks like a shaggy rug! All in all great job!

sawyerssnowflake wrote:That is gorgeous! How do you keep the back looking so neat?! Mine looks like a shaggy rug! All in all great job!

My thoughts exactly! This looks awesome front AND back!