My y chromosome is safely stowed away, so I can venture forth with a craft question ;). Mrs beagledave made a needlepoint wall hanging for our daughter. She went to the local Michaels to get a quote on getting it framed…they quoted $166 to mat and frame this sucker!! (obvioulsy custom frame).
The hanging is 14.5 by 28.5 inches. Does this seem like the right price range for this kind of thing? Are there other (read “cheaper”) mounting/framing options for a needlepoint wall hanging?
TIA
Yeah, that sounds about right. I’ve always had to pay in the neighborhood of $100 to get embroidery pieces of about 8x10 inches done. I know–embroidery seems like such an inexpensive hobby until you get to the framing…
Go to a real art store, buy matboard and frame sections, and do it yourself. You’ll have to go to a hardware supply to get the glass, which is the priciest part. If you can cut a straight line and a 45 degree angle, you’ll save mucho dinero.
Ah, except, Squish, that a lot of the charge for needlework is getting it stretched and blocked. If you just put it in a frame, which I’ve done, it looks kind of wavy and uncertain. The stretching makes a big difference. If you can do that yourself, go for it.
actually that seems a bit low to me. i’ve seen much higher quotes.
you can go the do it yourself route. you would need the following:
foam board that is adhesive.
mat in the colour you want
mat cutter to cut the mat
frame, either parts you put together or ready made
try to cut the foam and mat to the same outside dimentions, this will depend on whether there is enough material around the finished work. if the foam and mat match they will look better in the frame.
you place the needlework on the foam board, wraping it around the sides of the foam board. you have to evenly stretch the work and fold the corners very carefully. you tack the work onto the back of the board to hold it.
then you measure the outside dimentions of the mat, and cut it. then very carefully center the inside dimentions of the mat and cut them. this is where the mat cutter is very important. the inside dimention has a bit of a bevel.
then you place into the frame the glass or plexi, the mat, the foamboard with the work, and finally close the back off with archive paper. attach hanging hardware. hang onto wall.
there are precut mats available, if the work will fit into it, that will save you a bunch of money. precut mats will fit into ready made frames, also saving you a bit. if this work is unsually sized (and the only time your wife will do this and want it framed) it is worth having the framer do it. at least now you know why it is so pricy.
Wow…this has been an education for me. My jaw about hit the floor when she came back from the store with the quote. She did mention that the “stretching” part was one of the key elements to the mounting…they even have it as an itemized expense.
I bought a circle/oval mat cutter recently (about $60). I plan on displaying some colored vinyl albums and 45’s and I want to cut mats that display as much of the discs as possible. I was given a quote of $70-90 PER ALBUM and $50-60 PER 45!! I have about a dozen or so LP’s and as many 45’s to do so it was worth it to buy the cutter. If I don’t screw it up, I believe I can do it for about $20-25 each.
Best out of context quote of the week. 
Beagledave, this is all good advice, especially rocking chair’s on how to frame. I feel I need to add some info on the stretching part, and how important it is to do first.
To properly stretch out the needlepoint you’ll need some stretcher bars (fairly cheap at any fabric/crafts type store, in a wide variety of sizes-get the closest to the overall size of the mesh she did the needlepoint on), a good stapler gun (with plenty of staples, of course), and quick reflexes (for getting your fingers out of the way of the gun). First get the needlepoint slightly and evenly damp; a spray mister filled with water works well for this, and I prefer to mist the back side of the np, just in case any colors run. Find the middle of each side of the np and of the s bars (so I’m too lazy to type today:p). The way I do it is to start at the top, staple the middle of the fabric to the middle of the s bars (the top side that’s facing up when you have it laying down flat all put together). Then do the middle bottom. Then the left side middle, then the right, stretching the np firmly and evenly while doing that. Then do upper left top, lower right top; lower left side, upper right side; and so on till you have covered the s bars with the np, and have staples approximately every half inch or so. Once done with that, place it flat, stretcher bar side down, on a table or other flat surface, and then leave it alone to dry thoroughly. It should dry to a flat, evenly-sized shape which will be so much easier to work with. I often leave the whole thing on the stretcher bars and that helps it to fit inside a frame much easier too. The mat(s) will cover the staples if the frame itself doesn’t.
Another note about putting it behind glass. While many prefer it that way to help with dusting, etc; I do not advize that, at least not right away. The reason for that is that all fabric must breathe, or mold and other nasty, unsightly, damaging to the fabric things can happen. Back with archive paper, to be sure; but I’d forgo the glass at least for a few years. I would however hang it up out of easy reach of curious people who would like to touch it. The natural oils in our skin is one of the most damaging things to needlework over time, and will discolor it the quickest.
Side note: I loved that out of context quote too, Mr Blue Sky, and I’d like to add my vote.
sigh And I even previewed too.
Make that ‘upper left top, lower right bottom’ and ‘advise’. Tsk!
::smacks self on forehead::
My recommendation - skip the craft and/or picture framing stores. mathematical imprecision is correct when s/he says needleworkers are often unhappy with the results they get there, and I firmly believe it’s because framers are taught to frame flat work like paintings and posters. Needlework DOES need to be stretched/blocked, and there’s a right way and several wrong ways. There are stores that sell needlework supplies, and many of them have custom framers who know what they’re doing when it comes to needlework. However, no matter where you go, it’s going to be pricey, I’m afraid. If one does a lot of needlework, a class in stretching and framing is well worth the money.
I’m a professional picture framer. I do most of the stitcheries that come through our shop because the other guy (I’m one of only two framers in our store) isn’t quite as patient with them. I can’t say I’ve ever sent anything out puckered – I can usually get them pretty damn straight, and certainly flat. It also depends on the stretchiness of the fabric. That thick cross-stich stuff blocks pretty well. Cruel stitches and things on fabric with more give are much harder. Personally, I stretch them on an acid-free foam board with stainless steel pins holding them around the sides. It’s removable if you need to take it out for whatever reason later. We cut strips of the same material and place them around the picture underneath the matting so that it stays even and secure in the frame.
The method of stretching that purrplebear mentioned (on wooden bars, from what I can tell) is more typically used for stretching acrylic and oil paintings on canvas. They also make a sticky white board you can press it down on, but I don’t recommend that. Bugs and stuff will get in the picture to eat the glue. Stretching on bars might also not be so good if the fabric is of a looser weave and you can see through it.
The price they quoted you sounds about normal, but keep in mind that the price varies quite a bit according to the frame style, type and number of mats, glass choices, etc. For instance, my store carries about seven different kinds of glazing. I used to work at Michael’s (I work a different place now - for a reason), and I would not leave anything of any great value there myself. Their prices may be slightly cheaper but I would not trust them with anything like my original artwork. The $166 sounds reasonable. Tell your wife to have them print her an estimate with their computer. (They can do this – if they tell her no they are LYING. Some stores are refusing to give them out now because they’re losing business to competitors after pissing off so many of their customers. If you gripe long enough, they’ll fork it over.) Anyway, take the computer estimate to a more professional-looking place, and see if they’ll match or come close to Michael’s price. Many of them will.
The place I work now is much more professional about things and meets my own personal standards. I do frame all my own artwork that I sell before shipping, but unfortunately I really can’t do framing for other people through the post, or I could personally do it for you much cheaper.
Thanks again for the help. FWIW…I poked around in the newgroups and found a DIY link here.