Monday, September 12, 2011

The Frame Game

I had a couple of my more recent finishes framed at Joann Fabrics. Finding the right frame for a piece is no easy task! I really wasn't sure what would be best for Dandy Dreams, and struggled to find something that fit. I had a very opinionated framer helping me who felt that it should be matted because it was fairly small, but I resisted, though I did let her convince me to use glass for both pieces - something I continue to be ambivalent about. I'm curious - what do people think about the glass issue? To use glass, or not to use glass, that is the question. In any case, I ended up with a frame that I don't really love, but the color is exactly the color of the lettering and the rough texture seems to go with the design. So I'm going to live with it.
Dandy Dreams
Silver Creek Samplers
28 count Chime linen and DMC

With The North Wind I again chose not to mat it. This frame has a little bit of blue running along the inside beveled edge that you can't really see in the picture. I like this one a lot.
The North Wind
Little House Needleworks
Meadow Mist Belfast/Crescent Colours and DMC
Now my only problem is finding places to hang these pictures. I don't have a lot of unused real estate for wall space. There's one perfect wall but it contains my husband's poster of a cyclist climbing the Going to the Sun Highway, and I would fear for my marriage if I ever suggested taking it down.

I also stitched up a small LHN design called Snow White, though I used Mer Bleu Belle Soie instead of the Icing it called for. Blue is such an icy color - it just seemed to fit the piece.
Finally, I've been enjoying the iStitch Mystery SAL, and here it is up to Part 3. As I told Carol. I was really relieved the latest section was tiny - last week I scratched my cornea, which put a big crimp in my stitching life. After three different medicines I seem to be on the mend, and I'm looking forward to Part 4!

I just gor the September Owl chart from Oakhaven Designs, so I'm off to get that going. Hopefully my eye will cooperate!

7 comments:

Chris said...

Beautiful frame choices.
The mystery sampler looks great!

Lesleyanne said...

I think both pieces look great framed. I always use glass in my frames. The mystery sampler is progressing well.

Siobhán said...

Yikes on your cornea scratch!! I hope it heals quickly.

I love the frame choices and IMHO, think you were right to not go with a mat! I don't care for mats unless they're the Jill Rensel-ish type mats, and even then I think some pieces just don't need mats. Particularly if you are short on wall space--go no mats. As for glass, I go with regular glass (and spacers) on every piece unless I know it'll hang in a particularly sunny location, in which case I use museum conservation glass. I have one or two pieces that I didn't mat just to see what I thought & my DH has asked me when I am going to get them finished. LOL

Love the WIP! I think your LHN with the blue was a great choice--I much prefer that over the white, but then that's JMHO.

Sally said...

Those frames are lovely and compliment your stitching beautifully.

Love your LHN piece. The thread you chose looks really good.

The mystery sampler is looking lovely.

I hope your cornea is healing nicely now.

Shebafudge said...

I have to admit to loving both frames. The top one really suits the piece so I hope you do grow to love it.

Your mystery sampler is looking great. I'm sorry to hear about your cornea scratch - sounds painful!

I'm not overly bothered with glass. If I was doing a cube or something there wouldn't be glass to protect it so I don't worry too much about framed pieces either. If it comes with it I will use it but if not I wouldn't go and buy a bit!

jayne@~an eye for threads~ said...

nice framing and great choices.
Be always in stitches.

Carol said...

Oh, a scratched cornea sounds awfully painful, Michele--I hate any eye-related problems... So glad it's beginning to heal.

Love your frames... I never use mats or glass, but I probably would on a really special, large piece. You know me, I tend to do smaller things!

And, I won't let my husband read this post--don't want him to get any ideas about putting cycling posters up in place of my stitching :)