Paper removal is easy. Lay the print, silk down. Get a corner slightly loose and pull gently pull to loosen that side. Then, on a smaller sized print, the paper can be gently pulled away, just like with the familiar contact paper purchased at a store. If you are removing the paper from a large printed area, lay an empty tube over the loose paper edge and roll the tube to pull the paper up onto the tube. You can hold down on the un-released paper, and put pressure on the fabric edge to maintain tension. By pulling with the straight of the fabric, and not at a diagonal, it should retain its shape.

The material can safely be ironed with a steam iron at 'silk' setting to remove any wrinkles or after hemming the edges.

Below you see a print on the left that has its paper removed, but has a bit of a white edge. This excess fabric should be trimmed prior to any edge treatment or hemming. You can cut the white off before pulling the paper off, but risk having loose threads pulled from the print in the process. It is just as easy and best to trim after paper removal. See the right photo - nice and neat, ready to go.

Take care not to handle the print too much after trimming any white edges from the print.

The raw edges of your print should be either hemmed or treated with fabric anti-fray of some kind (available at fabric stores and department stores that sell fabrics.) Another option is to turn under a quarter inch or so around the print and iron on an invisible hem material also purchased at the fabric store. This method will make the edges stiffer as there is double fabric there now, plus the iron-on material. This may be okay for a wall hanging, but I prefer to hem by hand whether being worn as a fashion accessory or hanging on the wall. It is much more attractive and 'classy'.

Click here for a how-to on sewing a blind stitch

Click here for a how-to on sewing a 'whip stitch' by hand to make a wider hem that a thin curtain rod can slip into. This can also be done on the sewing machine, your option.

Framing has many possibilities. There is the traditional frame, but in my opinion, you may as well print on some lovely paper if you are going to put it behind glass. It is advisable to keep the paper backing on if you are going to frame in this manner.

I often make a hem about 1/2 inch wide - either by hand or by machine - and put a thin bamboo (perfect with silk) or a dowel (not without sealing it first as wood is not archival) or plastic rod into the hem. Then hang from hooks or whatever your imagination comes up with. This a a perfect solution that is quick, inexpensive but looks grand, and allows the silk to be what it is - a flowing bit of energy for your room.

One other thing - the 8mm silk is rather thin. Not see-through, but a textured wall paper can detract. As well, a white wall can make the print look 'thin'. And a wall painted another color will send some of its hue through the print. I counter this by adding another piece of fabric behind the print - sort of 'underwear' for the art. As example - if the print is on a white wall and looking sort of wimpy, I'll pick up a bright color, say hot pink, from within the print and put a piece of silk or rayon that color behind the print. This brings out the right color for your print. Just hem the backing as you would drapery lining and it will be stunning.

Usually any dust can be shaken off the fabric that has become a wall hanging. In the event the print has been used as a fashion accessory, it could in time become necessary to clean it. Silk should be hand washed or dry cleaned. The printing 'ink' is actually archival pigment and is washable with care. See picture here of a print that has been washed.

The print on the left has been washed. No details were lost in the print.