If you’ve been reading my blog over the last month you know I finished the cross-stitch work on my piece A Changed World by The Scarlett House.
The problem this time around…I had to lace it. I don’t love doing it. I think I just need more experience. But, in an effort to save some money, I gave it a try.
HERE is the Spray Starch I use to get it ironed out flat. I use an iron set on the linen setting. Most people use a pressing cloth between their piece and the iron. I was feeling lazy.
Here is how my lacing looks…
I ordered the frame from Custom Frame Solutions.
Here is a DIRECT LINK to the frame I ordered.
I called in and talked to someone to figure out how big to get the frame. I like about 1/2″ of fabric to show past the border. The guy on the phone said to add 1 3/8″ to each measurement if I wanted 1/2″ of fabric to show…and that’s what I did.
I also went on Amazon and ordered spacers. If you are framing something and are using glass, you need to use spacers so the stitching does not touch the glass. HERE is the link for the spacers. There are enough spacers in the package to keep me busy for a LONG time.
I got it all together and then immediately put a label on the back with all of the details. You can find the clear index card holder HERE.
Here it is… all ready to be hung. I had the worst time trying to get a picture with no glare. This was the best I could do.
I am totally in love with the frame. The gold is a little bright but I really think it brings out the gold stitched in the piece.
For the record, it was stitched on Lakeside Vintage Meadow Rue. The fabric is darker than the other linens I’ve used. I used a color conversion from Country Sampler.
Here it is on my sampler wall. It’s the one to the far left. You can see that it is much smaller than some of my larger samplers.
I am so glad that I pick different frames that complement each different piece.
I’m hoping to get something stitched to fit into that little frame below A Changed World.
I started stitching this last August with Judy from Patchwork Times and Denise as a Stitch Along. I really poked along. I knew I wanted to stitch this but really didn’t have time. I started with them anyway. I stitched occasionally until this year in February when I work on it much more diligently.
For some reason the picture makes it look like the letters are wavy but they really aren’t. I think it’s a glass reflection thing.
Stitching the row of houses was a lot of fun. Stitching all the black, not as much fun. If I were to stitch it again, I would probably work from the bottom up. I would outline the black area and then take the project with me as my travel project and work on fill-in stitching. It was a bad move on my part to leave all of the black stitching until the end.
I love that the things I stitch often have a bit of history or remembrance to them. The saying on this was so appropriate to the time I was stitching on it and what we all are going through…
The last election and unrest in politics
covid
shortages in the stores
war in Ukraine
I made sure to note that on the back of my label. I think it will be interesting for my kids to go back and see what was happening in history when I was stitching this piece.
I’m just thrilled to have another one finished. I am kind of spoiled because in the last few months my sampler has really grown. I had so many things I was stitching and they all kind of got done all at once.
Now I have many projects that are at the beginning stages. It’s going to be quite a while before I have a lot of finishes again…except for the Floral Motif Sampler. That is at the framers. Oh, I can’t wait to get that one back!!
I am just thrilled to see my sampler wall growing!!
Great job Jo! You wall just gets better and better!
Beautiful words to remember and beautiful piece of stitching.
Another beautiful piece, Jo! Your sampler wall looks amazing.
Beautiful, Jo. It looks wonderful on you wall.
I love the label on the back, and how people who see the wok will know some history. It’s a great idea and I may add that to some of my larger pieces. Thank you for the idea.
Love and prayers
Beautiful! And I agree with your list of 4 things that are awful. And three more yrs to look forward to. It makes you wonder how we can manage through it all. Keep stitching!
This is absolutely beautiful!
Jo,
Love , love, love it. My recommendation – Try a piece of non-glare glass. It is so worth the extra money. I tired it years ago and will never go back to regular glass. Your pieces are worth it!
Hi Jackie. Sadly, it is the non-glare glass. Between the sun coming in, the angle, the camera settings and the powers that be, it will still glare in pictures. It does not glare at all in real life.
Loved your postThe framing is beautiful.
I was an art teacher, we had to photograph artworks for portfolio.
To photograph a work that has issues with ‘glare’
( as glass framed works),
First place a tissue ( Kleenex, toilet tissue ) or a soft white cloth over the flash of the camera, or your phone.
If you still have glare , have someone stand BEHIND you with a large piece of cardboard, or a sheet to block the light source that is hitting your artwork.
(This may take TWO people, depending on the size of the cardboard or sheet.)
Usually only covering the flash with tissue does the job, but sometimes it takes both of these to get the good, no-glare photo.
The ‘cardboard’ I always used was a piece of foam core board, stiff and lightweight, usually about 3’ X 4’ in size.
Hope this helps.
Rita Mc.
Beautiful job on framing your sampler Jo! I also love how the sampler wall is growing. It looks like something you would see in a needlework shop!
Beautiful! Your cross stitch collection and the buffet/cupboard look so perfect together!
Hi Jo! Looks great! It’s pricier, but you can get non-glare glass. Also if you think the gold in the frame is too bright you might try rubbing it with some dark wax.
Love the gold in that frame! Really picks up the gold in the sampler, which is beautiful! Looks great with the other samplers you have, too. Love seeing your sampler wall develop.
Jo your sampler wall is looking so good! Your A Changed World fits in so beautifully and the frame looks good on that piece. I like that each one has a different frame to suit each piece. It makes the whole wall so much more interesting! I love what you’ve done!
LOVE it!!! And that sampler wall is great – you are inspiring me to get some of my finished pieces framed and hung. Thanks for the link to the spacers, I may try framing some myself…
Beautiful finish! It is a very meaningful for the period of time you stitched. I really like the idea of putting the cards on the back.
Just beautiful. You have a Great Wall!!
I love your sampler wall. I agree that the use of different frames really makes the wall interesting. You have inspired me to get stitching. :-)
Love your frame on this piece. Someday after a lot of practice I would like to attempt this crosstitch. You have sparked an idea about your cards on the back of every piece. I’m going to do that not only on my framed cross stitch but I am going to add the cards to old framed photos so future generations will know about the people in the photos and the situation behind the photo. Thanks for all yor inspiration. I’ve ordered my red bird project. Can’t wait!!
I love it! It’s smaller than I thought – all the time you were working on it and showing progress, I saw it as much bigger in my mind’s eye. I was impressed before, but now even more impressed because smaller things are more difficult! I’m loving how your wall is looking. :)
Originally, in my mind, it seemed bigger too. Once I got the border done and saw the size, I knew I should try to lace and frame it myself.
An easy way to iron cross stitch without starch. Spray the piece LIGHTLY with plain water. Roll it up, put it in a zip lock and then into the freezer. I don’t know how long to leave it in the freezer, but I usually freeze it for 6-24 hours. When I pull it out to iron, the wrinkles come out magically. Be careful with this method if you are using overdyes that might bleed ( but I have used it before on pieces with overdyes without issue).
It looks soooo good and I just love your sampler wall! I have never tried to lace anything large, so kudos to you.
I don’t love lacing them but I’m trying save a little money plus I get the pieces to hang so much faster when I don’t wait for a framer.
Great job, Jo! Your wall is looking amazing! I love your idea of noting what is happening in the world when you have stitched a piece. I may just do that, too! I’m still a bit concerned that no one will want my work, but I am not going to let that steal the joy of stitching from me. I have purchased way more than I will ever use but I don’t feel guilty about it. It was so much fun!!! Oh, I almost forgot to tell you…we have made your what I call Poor Man’s Crepes (made with tortillas and pie filling)….so amazing that something so simple can be so darned good! Thanks for sharing recipes with us!
I’m glad you like the recipe!!
Generally believe in “live and let live” on sharing blogs, but this time . . . YOU PRESSED YOUR EMBROIDERY ON THE RIGHT SIDE!!! YOU FLATTENED ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL TEXTURED STITCHES!!! Those cross stitches have a texture and a pattern of their own, and you smooshed them! I enjoy following your blog, but as a collector of old cross-stitched pieces, you’ve committed a cardinal sin. Plus spray starch! Insects LOVE spray starch! You do such beautiful work on pieces that will be treasured for a long time — please do some research on how to preserve your handiwork! That is all.
Jean, I’m glad I’m not the only one who caught that — starch and pressing from the front and squooshing that gorgeous stitching that took sooo many hours. My heart fell when I saw that iron on the front of your work. I used to press mine face down on a clean terry towel (now we have those nice wool pressing mats). I would then cover the back of my work with a clean linen towel or other press cloth and press (not iron) with steam before doing the lacing. I’d hate to see some kind of accident after all your time and effort spent.
I just wish it was a diet food!
Your sampler wall looks amazing Jo!!
I agree that selecting each frame specifically for each piece is the way to go….gives each one so much personality! Thanks, as always, for sharing your beautiful projects!
Beautiful work as always, Jo!
Vonna at The Twisted Stitcher has an excellent tutorial on framing and lacing. In fact, all her tutorials are excellent! I highly recommend her since you put so much work into your stitching,
I just watched Jean Farish Floss Tube #6 and wow…I learned so much! I highly recommend if you haven’t watched it. Jean also does a basting stitch around the edge of the area she wants to be on the front of the acid-free foam core (I didn’t even know there was such a thing!)…she uses sequin pins to pin all around the edge and does not do the lacing at all…I will definitely be buying sequin pins to do this from now on! I’m working my way through her floss tubes and she teaches on each one. I am self taught so I am learning so much!
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Beautiful finish and I love the frame your chose!
It’s beautiful! I’ve been working on it this past year. Still trying to decide if I will use the bottom 2 lines as charted or my own. I did change faith to Jesus & had to take stitching license to alter “our” to fit it in & get back on same space as Tanya. At this point, I just wa;t to be finished, so I can begin another sampler.
Thanks for your post, it is encourages me to make a decision & finish.