The Best Method for Putting Your Cross-Stitch in a Frame

The very first thing you should do to frame a cross-stitch is to think about the art itself and then select a frame and mat design that will go with it. The proper frame can turn a cross-stitched piece into a treasured heirloom. Does it need a simple picture frame, or might a jeweled ornate picture frame be better? Personal taste definitely comes into play, as well as the design of the room in which it will be hung.

When you've selected your mat or mats, you'll need to cut out a backing the same size as your mats. Backing can be made out of matboard or maybe foam-core. You'll want to cut a square window in the backing you have chosen, making it about a quarter inch bigger on every side of the mat window. Place double sided stitchery tape all around the edges of the cutout piece; this will eventually be the back side.

Connect the backing that has the hole cut out of it to the chosen mat using the double sided tape.

Center the cross-stitch in the opening, then press the cutout into the window (the side which doesn't have the stitchery should be facing the back of the cross-stitched piece.) It might take a few attempts to get the piece centered properly in the very center.

Pick a corner that appears just about how you want your completed piece to look, and then start to pull the material through the back and stick it to the stitchery tape which is on the back. Begin at that very first corner and make your way all the way around. It is likely that you will have to keep shifting certain parts of the piece, pulling on each place multiple times until it is just the way you want it. Whenever you are finished you can use framing tape to adhere the backing to the window. Cut out a piece of scrap mat that you can fit across the whole back of the piece.

Lastly, fit the "package" directly into your selected picture frame and secure it. Use craft paper to back the frame and then attach your choice of hanger, either a sawtooth hanger or eyehooks and some picture wire.

Whether or Not to Use Glass

The climate and the location in your house where this piece is going to be hung have a great deal to do with coming up with the decision as to whether or not you should use glass, commonly referred to as glazing in the framing circle. You ought to use glass if you are living in a pretty dry climate. Accumulation of dust can significantly affect the fabric of an unglazed piece of cross-stitch.

If you're going to hang up your piece where conditions may be humid, like in a bathroom or perhaps your kitchen, you should definitely glaze the cross-stitch and seal it up securely. Your material may often be horribly damaged when the humidity is high in the area it is hung in. When a piece is not sealed well this can result in condensation forming on the glass which can eventually lead to troubles with mold and mildew.

If you are living in a humid climate and never get a dry day where relative humidity is under 20%, it can be hard if not impossible to create a sealed frame package that won't have moisture issues. In fact for this reason, framing professionals create rooms in which the humidity is controlled. So if your climate is like this, you should probably take your cross-stitch to a framing professional so that they can seal it, or else simply leave it unglazed. If you do leave it unglazed, try to avoid hanging it in your kitchen where airborne grease and other oils could ruin your fabric.

So do not forget to use these tips and you'll surely treasure your splendidly preserved cross-stitch for many years to come.

Source:ezinearticles

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