Tapestry Framing

We deal with a lot of fabric items, mostly cross stitch, but over the years we have done a huge variety including silk scarves, batik and even a flat cap! 

Here is a tapestry that has just been completed and I thought I would share the technique.

Our overiding concern when we farme any fabric work is to make the framing process reversible and to use materials which will have no adverse affect on the item.  So we never use any staples, glues or self adhesive tapes to mount the work or come into contact with the work.

Here is the initial stage and you can see the tapestry has been stretched and laced over a piece of conservation mount board using mercerised cotton thread.

A box is then formed from strips of foam board which are slightly wider than the margin planned for the mount and these are secured to each other anchoring the tapestry in place.

The mount is then cut, aligned with the tapestry and the excess foam board trimmed away.

The frame can now be made and in this case the customer has chosen an oak veneer in a simple flat profile.  The package of tapestry and mountboard is then fitted into the frame which in this case has been glazed using  Water White Anti Reflective glass.

This final picture was taken with the glass in on a ceiling mounted camera with strip lighting overhead and still there are no detectable reflections!

Apparently this tapestry ws completed about twenty years ago but now it is framed to last and be enjoyed for a long time to come at around £80 including the special glass.