"It takes ages to finish a quilt you're not working on!"

Sunday, August 12, 2007

In the mood for framing...

It has been a busy productive weekend for me. Do you ever suddenly decide to do something that has been hanging around for years in the too-hard basket? That is what I did on Friday night. I'd made up my mind to get the perforated paper sampler ready during the weekend, and I started thinking about the other unframed projects I had lying around. All of a sudden, there I was, surrounded by second hand frames, masking tape, etc. and getting these projects finished off for once and for all! I stitched this for our 25th wedding anniversary 4 years ago, and had it on display under glass on our coffee table for the year. Then I took it out and stuffed it in a drawer...anniversary over, don't need to show that now! Tch, tch, said Ken's Mum. Why don't you frame it? I finally found a frame that the heart shaped aida fitted into, but it looked lost on a white background, so I tried some different background papers and decided on this blue gingham wrapping paper. Just to finish it off, I put a piece of crocheted lace down each side. I know, I'm such a cheapskate! Wrapping paper, frames from op-shops...well this framing business is expensive! Anyway, I think Ken is pleased to see the anniversary sampler on the wall with my other stuff.
This picture of Gouldian Finches is the only long stitch I have ever done. I'm not a fan of long stitch, but Ken was breeding the finches at the time, so I thought it would be nice to have. I was torn between filling in the white background and leaving it, and I posted the question here on my blog a year or so ago. Most people suggested leaving it, so I did. The frame is one that is designed for these particular long stitch pictures, and they don't supply glass in the kit. One day I might have it reframed, or see if I can slip a thin piece of glass in there. I don't like leaving embroidered pictures uncovered.
This item was a Christmas Round robin cross stitch project, and I was reframing it because I wanted the original frame for something else. It was the first one I did on Friday night. Unfortunately, when I had everything lined up, I put it face down on the floor (carpet), pressed the masking tape down on the back, and heard an ominous crack. When I turned it face up, the glass had cracked right across the picture...dammit!!! Well, I learnt a lesson, didn't I. Don't put things face down on the floor and don't press so hard on them!

1 comment:

loulee said...

Wow you were busy. It's nice to get that sense of achievement though. Your stitching is beautiful.