Stitchboard Admin message #2
new chick
May 23, 2013 at 1:39:48 PM  (in response to Teresa message #1)
 
Hi, Teresa!  Welcome, and nice to meet you!

Your loomwork is amazing!  Are these your own patterns?  How did you frame and mat something as thick as beadwork?!  We've had questions in the past about framing large beaded items, and I simply didn't think it was possible to frame behind glass (or add a mat), but I'm happy to be proved wrong! 

What stitch are you using for 3D beading?  So far, I've only been brave enough to use peyote, though have been toying with the idea of using square stitch.

Excellent work, and I hope you'll also share some photos of your jewelry...I'm sure it's gorgeous!

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Stitchboard Admin message #4
new chick
May 24, 2013 at 2:03:43 AM  (in response to Teresa message #3)
 
Teresa,

Thank you so much for explaining your "process"!    I can totally understand wanting as few colors as possible for beading pictures.  How do you come up with photos that will handle as few as four colors?  So many things that I try to make use MANY more colors than that. 

Your explanations of how you mat and frame your work are quite nicely detailed...thank you so much!    I would love to see pictures of it, as well.  Custom framing is such a bear...it's so expensive, and one reason why I gave up on cross stitching, because I couldn't handle the expense, and I hated doing all of the mounting work, as it involved a lot of sewing. 

Do you ever have custom mats cut or do you mainly buy off the shelf?

And how do you manage to spray your work with E6000...LOL, I'd lose my nerve!

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Cindy message #5
Re: new chick
May 24, 2013 at 10:02:47 AM  (in response to Teresa message #1)
 
Melanie,

I also do cross stitching(when I have time and there's no little people at my feet) and if it's possible, depending on the shape of the picture/pattern, I mount and frame my own pictures. I never sew them....instead I use straight pins and just push them into the foam board as far as I can. If I had to sew them, I think I would give up too, although I would hate if I had to give something up that I loved doing!

Stitchboard Admin message #6
Re: new chick
May 24, 2013 at 2:35:29 PM  (in response to Cindy message #5)
 
Cindy,

Thank you so much for the great advice...I'll have to remember this, as I still have many old finished cross stitched pieces stored away, and they're mostly unframed!  I couldn't do it...buy the frames, then stitch those pieces around the foam boards.  I probably have at least 50 such pieces needing framing.  LOL, sigh, they added up over the years that I didn't want to stitch them around the foam boards.  Since some are from kits, they also probably need additional fabric sewn on them.    I just don't like the sewing part.  The cross stitching was fine...the cross stitching was great!  But that sewing...bleah.  Plus how harrowing it was on the few framed pieces to pull that fabric to get it tight and even, since I didn't know the pinning trick.  LOL, well, maybe someday I'll invest in a bunch of frames and plenty of straight pins.  Some straight pin manufacturer will be very happy...should buy stock before I buy the pins! 

Thanks again for the excellent advice...LOL, where were you about 10 years ago?! 

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Cindy message #7
Re: new chick
May 24, 2013 at 9:06:13 PM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #6)
 
Melanie,

My very first cross stitch piece that I did, I had it framed as it was a circle when it was finished. When I picked it up from the Frame Store, the woman told me that she pins the cloth/adia to the foam board or she'll sew it....sometimes both. After hearing that, I took it upon myself to start framing it myself, plus it saves me a bit extra cash. I definitely can say that I wouldn't like sewing the back either.

Good luck framing your picture's and I hope when you look into buying stocks for those straight pins they are cheap! 

Cindy

Stitchboard Admin message #8
Re: new chick
May 25, 2013 at 2:01:08 AM  (in response to Cindy message #7)
 
Cindy,

LOL, with at least 50 cross stitch projects to pin, I figure I'm going to need so many of them, it's the only way I won't lose a fortune, if I buy stock in the companies! 


A circle...wow!  I can't imagine...the pins would probably be far easier with a circle!  Have you ever had to work with an unusual shape like that?  I've only worked on square/rectangular frames.  I can't begin to fathom a circle.  Shudder!

I had to frame a few when I needed them for various things...contests, etc.  I used to faithfully read British cross stitch magazines, which had step by step instructions on mounting pieces...and it was all sewing.    Not a single mention of pinning.  Maybe more of my pieces would be framed now, rather than away in storage if they'd mentioned pinning!

Anyway, you're smart to do the framing all yourself...it's way cheaper than paying a place to do it...if someone else frames it, then you have to be sure to go to a place that understands how to work with cross stitch, or a careless store might ruin your piece.    At least this way, the work doesn't leave your sight! 

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Cindy message #9
Re: new chick
May 25, 2013 at 9:49:35 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #8)
 
Melanie,

My piece that I had someone frame for me, was framed in a square frame, it was the actual piece itself that was a circle. All the other pieces that I've finished were all rectangular or square shape which made it much easier to mount and frame myself.

If I ever work on an odd shape piece again, I think I will just get the mat and frame cut to the size I need, and it will still be cheaper! LOL

Cindy

Stitchboard Admin message #10
Re: new chick
May 25, 2013 at 3:18:51 PM  (in response to Cindy message #9)
 
Cindy,

I'm sure you're absolutely right...it will definitely be cheaper.  I see what you mean about the circle.  IMO, framing it with a mat or even just trying to center it without one would be a bear...but still cheaper than custom!  I would do the same, frame it myself...screaming in frustration all the way! 

I did do an odd piece like that once, a heart shape in that case, and I matted and framed it myself.  I had purchased two very different mats, as I wasn't sure which would look best, but the one was cut incorrectly by the store (which was nice, because I could bring it back and get a refund), so I was forced to use the other.  I think it was a diamond shape mat that I was left with (I don't remember what the returned one was...an oval, maybe).  It all worked out okay...but ugh, I do remember the whole stitched mounting and how awful it was!  That would have been the perfect use for pins.

Do you get special frames, or do you buy them from Michael's or something?  I once bought a frame from Michael's for a cross stitched piece (the frame may have actually been for a photograph...but it worked for the cross stitch!)...it was a really pretty one, on sale, and it just happened to perfectly match the item I'd stitched, colors and all.  I think that mat had some kind of random sparkly pattern.  Anyway, I don't believe I stitched that one on...IIRC, I glued it.  It was a gift, and I have to say, it came out wonderfully.  Sure hope it's held up all of these years, but I wouldn't be able to find the person again to ask! 

Sure wish there were a shortcut to all of this framing stuff, though!  For a while, I was seriously considering nicely folding or rolling the edges of the fabric, just to be done with it!  Bad, huh?!    Of course, it would have looked awful...but at least there would have been no framing, little sewing, no matting, etc!  LOL, a plus! 

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Cindy message #11
Re: new chick
June 10, 2013 at 8:57:28 AM  (in response to Stitchboard Admin message #10)
 
Melanie,


I have bought frames from Micheal's in the past and recently I bought a frame from a store that specializes in putting frames together. I once bought a frame from the local Dollar Store to use for a picture I made for my son. It was nice and deep and made for mounting and putting a mat in as well a little easier, as there was plenty of room!  

Stitchboard Admin message #12
Re: new chick
June 11, 2013 at 12:49:28 AM  (in response to Cindy message #11)
 
Cindy,

I've found that for my own uses, dollar store frames are hit or miss (mostly miss, because parts fall off of them).  The Michael's frames have been "okay" - they tend to be best for photos, though.  In the aforementioned cross stitch piece, the frame wasn't really for cross stitch, it was for photos, but I managed to somehow get the piece in there...LOL, don't ask how!    Anyway, I would imagine if you found a deep enough frame, even a dollar store one would do the trick!  

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