Framing Silk Paintings

Bagel Framer · Post by **Bagel Framer** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 12:11 pm

Hi all,

I was after some advice please on the correct way to frame silk paintings, please as a customer of mine writes:

"The other thing I mentioned to you was framing of silk paintings, I have two still stretched on their frames but would have to come off. Would you possibly be able to find out how to do this and then we could discuss it."

Presumably there's no glass involved?
Can you mount them to mountboards?
Should they be mounted to foamboard?
Should you use a barrier card at the back?

Thanks all..!

Sean

Post by **prospero** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 1:12 pm

I've got 9 small ones to do. Only touristy things but I have been pondering how to mount them. They only have small borders so I can't lace them. I don't want to stitch them as it would take too long. I don't really want to use tape hinges either.

I am leaning toward cutting a back board slightly larger and laying them on that and taping the board to the back of the mount. Hopefully this should hold them in place nicely.

I would welcome any better solutions.....

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 4:00 pm

hi,

Get a piece of 5mm Acid-Free or 100% cotton FOAM BOARD

Cut to "glass" size.

Then cut out a piece slightly larger than the aperture size.

Place the Silk print on the fall out and re insert it into the foam board.

Mount and frame as usual.

Hey Presto !

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 4:22 pm

Recommended reading

Needlework Framing by Vivian Kistler
i recommend all her books 1 - 6

www.columbapublishing.com

Post by **prospero** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 5:15 pm

absolute framing wrote:hi,

Get a piece of 5mm Acid-Free or 100% cotton FOAM BOARD

Cut to "glass" size.

Then cut out a piece slightly larger than the aperture size.

Place the Silk print on the fall out and re insert it into the foam board.

Mount and frame as usual.

Hey Presto !

Pure Genius.

Roboframer · Post by **Roboframer** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 5:24 pm

This method is the 'Newberry' or tight fit method - cut the aperture in the foam board at 90 degrees - a bevelled aperture just drops back in; not squeezes back in.

Overcuts are not an issue as you'll be mounting over that aperture.

Silk can 'crack' in time if wrapped tightly around a board though. It can help (and look good) if you pad the fall out with something like 2 oz polyester quilt wadding and wrap that around the fallout, with the silk as well.

All depends how much margin you have to play with too.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 6:42 pm

Another method that I have used successfully is a 'static' mount on perspex. Just place the silk onto the surface of a piece of perspex and the static electricity will hold it down flat. This is especially good if there is very little silk around the image where the Newberry method is impossible.

I did this with a piece that was about four feet by two feet and had mats around it. The perspex was the same size as the rebate of the frame.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 6:45 pm

If you do use the Newberry method you must sandpaper all of the edges of the mounting board where the silk will come into contact, to remove the sharpness.

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 9:13 pm

We used the newberry method last week for a silk scarf after taking advice from the forum. We used foamboard for it. It was dead easy to do and I think I might use it more often for needleworks, or is that not a good idea? the only problem is that the scarf was over a metre square and it needed 2 of us to work with it. Still waiting for the customer to collect, but I think she will be happy.

osgood · Post by **osgood** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 9:24 pm

Mary Case GCF wrote:We used the newberry method last week for a silk scarf after taking advice from the forum. We used foamboard for it.

"Artcare" foamboard, I hope, Mary?

Not your average framer · Thu 13 Mar, 2008 9:29 pm

I like the sound of the static mount idea.

I did also wonder if encapsulation might be feasible if the item was of a suitable size.

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 10:14 pm

Thats a great tip, Absolute Framing. Cheers.

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Thu 13 Mar, 2008 10:20 pm

osgood wrote: "Artcare" foamboard, I hope, Mary?

Of course! What do you take me for, Ormond, some fly by night cowgirl?

Bagel Framer · Post by **Bagel Framer** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 8:47 am

Great answers and dialogue as usual guys - good work.

Reading through it all the "newberry" method sounds good. What if the customer doesn't want a mount though, as sometimes people don't - the only problem there of course is that the object being framed is tight up against the glass which isn't recommended as you all know. Is silk/fabric different in that respect? Presumably if no mount was a requirement then you'd just tuck the edges round a piece of foambord that's the glass size and secure it (imagine a laid tabletop but upside down - that's the only comparison that comes to me at this time of the day on a Friday)

And the back of the frame, should one add barrier card and then art-bak conservation card as a backing, or would just art-bak conservation card suffice, with backing tape to finish it off.

I also intend to get Vivian Kistler's book too, to add to my already growing collection...!

absolute framing · Post by **absolute framing** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 10:21 am

Hi,

Using the "tight fit" method is good for light silks

the "Newberry" method can be used for embroidery and heavier materials.

The difference between the two is that in the "newberry" method the falling piece is trimmed by about 3-4mm off top and one side.
All 90 Degree cuts.
Your needlework is the attached to the board using pins and then re inserted into the board.
Its
This is not done in the "tight fit" methos as the silk is so light.

Both methods require a mount.

If you do not want a mount you can use T-Pins and Foam board.
Board is cut to image/glass size.
Attached through side of board using T-Pins (available from Lion)
Then use EconoSpace (available from Lion) to seperate image from glass.
An alternative to EconoSpace is, narrow strips of suitable foam board.
Alot of these methods are a variation of the same theme.

Conservation art-back could be used on its own to back low value items.
You could also use some acid-free or 100% cotton Foam board as a combined barrier/backing
Of course the "best" method is to use a barrier board/undermount + backing
This can be discussed with your customer, as to what level of framing they require.
But ALWAYS keep the image/silk/emproidery away from the Glazing.

Regards

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 7:42 pm

For my silk I must have used the "tight fit " method. I didn't trim anything from the fallout. The customer didn't want anything used to attach the scarf as it came from Hermes of Paris and cost £200. No idea who Hermes of Paris are. Not interested in designer labels. Am I an odd woman out or what! Anyway, we topped it off with a black mount and a black frame. It looks the bee's knees ( the polite version of the dog's b****cks). Just wish the customer would come and get it. It's taking up space. Maybe tomorrow. Why is it that the jobs that aren't collected are always the big ones?

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Fri 14 Mar, 2008 8:21 pm

Hi Mary
We had a job collected this afternoon that was made in MAY 2005.

Came in all bubbly and said that she had forgotten all about it.

That is until I showed the number of telephone messages and telephone conversations that had been made. 18 in Total.

She paid the remaining £28.63 then started getting grumpy with the £20.00 storage charge. Then I told her to either pay it all and have the finished package or I will take the piece apart and she can have her 'precious Sean Been tapestry' back as she gave it to us.

She paid and left.

Framer Dave · Post by **Framer Dave** » Sun 16 Mar, 2008 2:51 am

Just to maybe clarify a couple things:

The Newberry Method is great for silk items since it does not require the use of any pins which would leave behind large holes in the silk or cause it to run. It's held in place purely by the tight fit between the cut out piece and the border into which it fits.

It's also good for needlework on linen or other fabrics without an obvious grain, since keeping the warp and weft dead-on straight isn't as much of an issue. For something like Aida cloth pinning or lacing will give the framer better control.

James R. "Stoney" Newberry invetned the method years ago. He was located in Ohio's Amish country and the gallery he was at catered to the tourists who drove in every weekend to gawp at the Amish in their horse-drawn buggies and black clothes. He purchased from the Amish families the samplers the young ladies of the family stitched for just a few dollars each.

He sold these samplers to the tourists by the shedload. Since these people were there for just the day, a quick turnaround time was crucial. He limited the choices of frames and mount colors to what he kept in stock. He created what we now know as the Newberry Method as a way to stretch these cross stitch pieces very quickly, well and efficiently.

kev@frames · Post by **kev@frames** » Sun 16 Mar, 2008 9:00 pm

put it in the Oracle, Dave

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Sun 16 Mar, 2008 11:59 pm

BTW. The customer collected her hermes scarf and was delighted. I was delighted with the money she paid me for framing it. Unfortunately it wouldn't fit in their car. Came in a 10" x 10" box. Left in a 1m x 1m frame. Had to deliver. Luckily was on my way home. Now I know the Newberry method, I can see a use for it on a regular basis.