We treat many textiles, from samplers to flags to historic apparel and more (for information see this page: Textiles + Quilts + Beaded Objects). Our clients want to frame some of these objects, and while we do not frame items, we can make them “frame-ready“. This post is about what frame-ready entails, because depending upon the item to be framed, it can be several days.
MARGARET ROSE SAMPLER
Our first example is Margaret Rose’s Sampler, circa 1832 , shown right ready to be delivered to our client (click to read the entire treatment). Our client’s goals were to: repair lace, remove the folds, and stabilize rips. Finally, she wanted to display it in her home, so it was to be mounted in some manner and she asked for our input on how to best do this; after treatment we made it frame-ready.
Once the many repairs were made, the sampler was completed. It still had folds, and the ends wanted to curl upward, even after ironing.
Our client chose to back Margaret’s sampler with a lovely organic, green-grey hemp twill, which complimented the sampler and highlighted the lace.
The frame size chosen was 2-inches larger all around the sampler, shown above. The face and sides of the sturdy 1.75-inch frame were wrapped with a 7 oz hemp /cotton twill, chosen for stability.
The green-grey showcover cloth was pre-pinned along the edges prior to tack down, then adjustments made as necessary. This ultimately protects the thinner hemp twill showcover from abrasion. Then the showcover hemp twill was tacked to the frame, shown right.
Thread chosen for the attachment of the sampler was Gutermann CA02776 Color 1140 beige, to match the overall color of the sampler.
The entire piece was pinned onto the face of the stretched hemp cloth, shown right.
After centering the sampler, pinning began in the middle line, and worked up and down on the lines pinning the sampler in place. The lace was pinned, top and bottom, and in the center where no line existed an imaginary line was created across the body of the sampler below the central motif. Finally the sides were pinned.
Stitching began in the same places, working top and bottom as described above, then the edges. The stitch appears to be a running stitch, but it is carefully stitched straight up and down, shown above, in order that it not pull the piece along the long stitch lines. A knot was place at beginning and ending, and one spot in the center.
Finally, using Gutermann CA02776 Color 1140 beige, a tiny stitch was used all around the edges every 1/4-inch to secure the edges to the hemp cloth, shown left.
I tried to photograph these stitches but it is hard as the threads blend into the linen, which is good!
The sampler was frame-ready, that is, they could decide to let it be hung unframed, or set under glass, shown right.
Showing Margaret Rose’s sampler “frame-ready“, above. Note: The “wobbles” in the sizes of the linen as we move from top to bottom have an interesting story. I originally thought Margaret cut her linen wobbly. Instead, Margaret cut her linen precisely, but as she stitched the stitches took up the threads on the overall width to varying degrees. The areas where almost no stitching occurred is the widest width; where there are layers of many patterns of stitches the linen is pulled in, and so we get the “wobbly” edge.
OTHER FRAME-READY EXAMPLES
Margaret’s sampler was several feet high; Ross’ sampler below is much more diminutive and typical of samplers, approximately 14-inches wide. It was very dirty, right, but also had bleach damage and a darkened stain which was irreversible. After repairing the fraying corners, we cleaned it and attached it in much the same manner as the sampler above, to a frame.
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