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Click on one of the tips below or choose another link
category from the menu on the left.
If you'd like to submit a tip for inclusion in our Tips & Tricks list, click on the submit button below.
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The first principle in framing your work is this: If your needlework
was worth tens or even hundreds of your hours to create, be generous
when it comes to framing it. Your work may well be passed on to great-great-grandchildren;
it could even end up in a museum some century. Make sure it will arrive
in the future in as good a shape as you can ensure.
Toward that end, if you are matting your work, use acid-free mat. Also, use foam core as a backing, rather than the less expensive corrugated backing. The corrugated may cause deterioration in your needlework.
You can use either glass or acrylic. Consider where the piece will be hanging. If in a child's room, acrylic is the way to go. It can always be converted to glass in the future. If there won't be small children about, then anti-reflective glass, though expensive, is the best way to protect and display your work. Note that this is NOT non-glare glass, but is a newer product that looks like it isn't there. It requires special handling, but is worth it.
I recommend using the clearest version of whatever you use because non-glare will tend to obscure the fine details of your stitches. You spent a lot of time on those stitches--make sure they show!
Since you don't want to have the glass or acrylic pressing down on your work (which crushes the stitches), use at least two mats, and possibly three. Or, consider using a frame that has separate slots for the glass and for the artwork.
If you are matting, you can consider having a larger or smaller amount of the cloth you did your needlework on showing. I have seen needlework that used only its own cloth (a very high thread-count Aida in this case) as the"mat," to very attractive effect--somewhat like a linen liner, only different.
Some needleworkers prefer not to use anything on top of their work, and instead allow the work to be exposed to the air, with or without matting. This avoids the problem of having the glass or acrylic pressing down on the work. However, I can tell you from personal experience that the needlework will get dusty and is very hard to clean once mounted that way.
One method for making the stitches in your work appear even more three dimensional is to use a thin layer of 100% cotton batting under your needlework (between the needlework and the backing, such as foam core). You can use archival glue or two-way tape to attach the batting to the backing (on the outer edges only--you don't want to risk having it affect your needlework!), then lace or otherwise attach your needlework as usual around both the batting and the backing.
As an advanced tip, you could even selectively pad under your stitching to make just certain areas stand out. Getting the batting to stay in just the right place can be tricky.
If you use batting, you will need to make sure that your frame has enough depth to accommodate the foamcore, the batting, your needlework, and two or three layers of mat, plus the glass or acrylic. There is another tip in the Tips & Tricks section that suggests how to make such a package thinner by making the under mat smaller; see that tip for more information. Enjoy your project!
Submitted by PictureFrames.com customer Marina
Michaels
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Non-glare acrylic is very important to use whenever art will be displayed
in a room with high-mounted lights or if hung opposite a large window.
These are two situations that usually lead to unsightly glare on your
piece. Since art is hung at eye-level (an average of about 5 feet)
and most ceilings are 8 to 10 feet high, any light that is behind
and above the viewer while looking at the piece will be reflected
straight into their eyes. Most rooms have a central ceiling-mounted
light that happens to be the perfect distance behind the viewer to
create the proper angles for unsightly glare. Though artificial lighting
can be manipulated to prevent this, sunlight is not so easy to deal
with. When changing the lighting situation isn't acceptable, go with
non-glare.
However, never use non-glare on any art with very fine detail or text that needs to be legible (such as newsprint). Though non-glare looks great for most pieces, it tends to diffuse light and can therefore make small detail very difficult to see. Also, never use non-glare on any piece with more than two mats. The more space you put between non-glare and the art, the more diffuse the light and therefore the less crisp the appearance of the piece.
Submitted by PictureFrames.com customer Randy Carson
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Often, people have small keep-sake items they wish to display that
are simply too small to justify shadow-boxing. A good example would
be a collectable stamp. A good solution is Depth Matting:
First, select a frame with a deep rabbet, such as one designed for a canvas. Next, select a neutral (preferably white) mat color. Measure and order dimensions for 6 to 8 mats in the same color, each with an opening 1/4 of an inch larger than the one below it. Your top mat should have a relatively small margin; no more than 2 inches.
When these mats are stacked in the frame, they will draw the eye to the small keepsake, giving it importance without distracting the admirer from the piece.
Submitted by PictureFrames.com customer Randy Carson
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