Wednesday 12 September 2012

The Lazy Girl's Guide to Framing Cross-Stitch

In a brief but welcome respite from a bedroom decor post (thanks for all the encouraging comments!) I will share how I managed to quickly frame the four pictures I had stitched in order to get them up in the bedroom before it was needing to be decorated again!

Having purchased four cheap frames from that bargain hunters' mecca, 'Wilkinson', I gathered the tools I required - a craft knife, a ruler and some really stiff card.  As there was no stiff card around and I was in the mood to get the job done, I used some damaged ring binders that were about to go in the bin. 


I pulled off the prop bit at the back of the frame, as I was going to hang these, not prop them up.


I drew round the piece of hardboard from the back of the frame...


...and used the ruler and craft knife to cut the cardboard to the right size.


Then I simply place my well-ironed embroidery into the frame, making sure to centre the design correctly, placed the stiff card on top, folded over the edges...


...used a hot iron to make the corners a bit flatter...


...then simply put the hardboard back in and fixed it in place.  

I know that a more thorough person than me would carefully pin the edges of the embroidery to the card and tape or lace it down, but this way, when I want to have a change, I can just take the embroideries out.  I don't think you can tell from the front that they haven't been done 'properly' and at least it meant that the job was done, when otherwise I'd have procrastinated and dithered my way into a new decade before finishing the job!

To get them up in the right place, I cut pieces of newspaper the same size as the frames and taped them up on the wall (this was actually before we had redecorated - I was so keen to see them up!)...


...having already marked where the hanger on the back of the frame was...


...and then hammered a nail into the wall where the mark was...


Easy-peasy framing and hanging!


4 comments:

  1. Taking a bit of time makes it all so much better! I ram things into the frame and then have to take them out and readjust about 30 times until its right! As for positioning on the wall, I just hammer a nail in, then another, and another until the wall is covered in holes! Will follow your guide from now on! Love these pictures Alix! xxx

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  2. You make it look so simple. My corners wouldn't be neat, I'd cut my fingers on the knife, and I'd forget to plan the position of the pictures before the wall was painted, and there would need to be several attempts at getting nails in the right place.....and then the frames wouldn't be level..... a very impressive job, they look great.

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  3. Great tips there, they looks fantastic! I love how you mark the wall for the nails too, I will definitely try that method and avoid tons of wonky frames.

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  4. You should have a tv programme, "Lazy Girl's Guide To.......". I'm sure you've got lots of tips you could share (which makes me sound like I'm really calling you a lazy girl, which, of course, you're not). I wouldn't mind having a little 5 minute feature on there, "Even Lazier Girl's Guide to Procrastination." I'll let you think about it.

    x

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