LION FRAMERS EVENT

1. LION FRAMERS EVENT FRAMING TEXTILES Mal Reynolds GCF Adv(Textiles)

2. GENERAL POINTS Clean work surfaces, clean hands (no hand lotion), no rings, no drinks/food – good impressions start here! Be able to recognise the basic forms of embroidery and talk to your customers about the subject! Closely examine the fabric art for possible faults – remember the embroiderer will know they are there! Faults to look for: Travelling stitches Loose ends – not tied in!! Incomplete rows of stitching Dirty fabric – see later This is your thinking time How do I support the work? How do I keep it away from the glass? etc. Do I need to contact the FATG Help Line?

3. CROSS STITCH Stitches in the shape of a cross Hence cross stitch Base Fabric – Measured in count - holes per inch - Aida – regular and square pattern – most common base fabric. - Evenweave - Less common. - Linen – Used by the more experienced embroiderers. Technique – either counted x stitch or printed design.

4. NEEDLEPOINT Sometimes termed incorrectly as Tapestry after the wools used in completion Stitches termed as tent stitch Half a ‘X’ stitch Base Fabric – Measured in count - holes per inch. Canvas – loose weave stiffened by gum Arabic size. Mono – Single Weave Duo or Penelope – Double weave as diagram. Interlocking – say no more!!! Technique – either counted or printed design.

5. Textile Conservator’s Main Points Focus on two main areas: Materials/Techniques Always use the best materials/techniques available. Never use materials/techniques that might damage or alter an item. Display Position of framed work: factors to consider sunlight, damp and the effect of radiators.

6. Enemies of Textiles Fabrics are essentially organic and as such they will degrade. The rate of degradation will depend upon the following factors: Light Humidity Heat Acids and Alkalis Biological Attack – Insects and Mould Techniques and Materials used in Framing Whilst existing damage to textiles is irreversible, conservation framing will limit further damage.

7. Materials Always use the best quality materials and those that will not damage the fabric art. MOUNT BOARD – Conservation wherever possible No tapes or adhesives in direct contact with fabric art EvaCon –R Lion Cat pt no 5844 Seal moulding rebate wherever applicable Lineco sealing tape Lion Cat 1588 Use material in same classification group as fabric art Cotton with cotton, linen with linen, silk with silk – if in doubt use cotton.

8. Customers should make one of the following decisions: Light Vacuuming Washing Dry Cleaning by conservator DO NOTHING Washing/Cleaning Framers should never wash a customers fabric art - more so today as embroiderers are using many different materials in their embroidery. Beware of SPOT CLEANING Washing and/or dry cleaning is considered a CONSERVATION process and should always be accompanied with light vacuuming There is very little that one can do to improve the appearance of fabric art especially antique art such as samplers.

9. Techniques – Method of Support In my view this is sometimes incorrectly termed stretching as I am not an advocate of putting textiles under tension. I use one of the following five methods of support: Lacing Pins and Foam Board Tight Fit Light Tack Donor Materials All these methods can be used to a minimum of CONSERVATION LEVEL FRAMING

10. LACING Pencil lines to ensure work lined up square on board T-Pins P 82 Lion Cat Ref No 3154 Thread of similar weight to base fabric Cotton Crochet/Aida Blunt Nose/Tapestry needle pushes threads apart

11. Stainless Steel pins Watkins and Doncaster www.watdon.co.uk English pins code E6835 Pins and Foamboard 5mm foam-board as support board

12. Newberry Method • Can be used with both pins and foam board or lacing • Foam board provides a filler thereby ensuring that • the window mount lies flat. • Essential some form of filler is used otherwise the window mount will lift.

13. Tight Fit Foam board preparation Silk placed on cut out Finished Front Finished Back

14. Light Tack Light stitches placed in back of fabric Holes drilled in support board lined up with stitches Stitches threaded through holes Stitches tied off and taped

15. Light Tack - 2 Shadow float mounted – same support method as light tack -1 Shadow Glued to two 5mm foam boards using EVA-Con R Edges finished with black mount board. Glued to base mount board again using EVA –Con R.

16. Use of Donor Materials Preparation Linen – stripped of dressing. 100% Cotton Wadding EVACON – R Linen laced to cotton museum board

17. Use of Donor Materials Sampler positioned on support before sewing. Sampler sewn to donor linen after lacing Strands from linen thread.

18. Home Made Spacers • Effective, flexible option - spacers are: • Exact Size. • Colour. • Standard of Framing. • Customise. • Low Cost. Harlequin diamonds continued onto spacer Mountboard/ foamboard spacers Homemade spacers Width 3mm upwards Edges hidden behind narrow window mount

19. Spacer Tips Artwork and materials used in framing will expand and contract at differing rates and albeit this maybe small by allowing for such differences this will reduce the possibility of damage and problems that may be caused from bowed/broken glass, restriction of expansion and broken/cracked frame joints. Lignin will in time, adversely affect pressure sensitive tapes with the increased possibility of failure. Sealing the rebate will help. Fix the top and bottom spacers in first as these will be partially supported by those on the sides should the adhesives weaken or fail thereby preventing the top spacer falling into the frame.

20. Alternative Spacer Frame/Slip within the Frame Glass placed between moulding and slip Note: Surfaces of slip and moulding in contact with artwork are taped

21. Finished Samplers

22. Cost Comparison To frame a Needlepoint 12’’ x 16’’