Framing Textiles
Fabrics, clothing, and needlework can be framed!
Just because a sentimental item is made of fabric doesn’t mean it has to spend a lifetime in your closet. Textiles like autographed sports jerseys, handmade cross-stitched pieces, delicate embroidery, and heirloom clothing can be protected with custom framing. Fabric pieces make for rich visual displays so you can cherish your memories every day.
Favorite clothing like baptismal gowns, wedding dresses, and sports jerseys make for excellent framed displays. Capture a long-gone moment or vintage style. Relive a winning sporting event, a beautiful wedding day, or a baby’s first outfit each time you see these pieces framed.
Besides memories, the best souvenirs from travels are pieces of art. Once framed, the art lets you remember your travels every day! Many travel destinations have fabric-based souvenirs unique to that region. The bonus? It fits in your suitcase for the journey home.
Hand-made crocheted pieces can be delicate, beautiful, and hard to display without proper framing. Crocheting, tatting, and knitting are quickly becoming a lost art. Whether these were passed down through generations or machine-made in the modern era, show them off in a custom frame.
Countless hours are spent sewing an embroidered piece. It is a labor of love, but once the stitching is complete, it still needs to be properly mounted and pinned. To display a cross-stitch or embroidery, it must be framed.
The afghan that your great-grandmother knitted became so fragile that you packed it away. Wouldn't it be a show stopper to display it for everyone to enjoy? Create not only a conversation piece, but an heirloom.
Should You Put Glass On Textiles?
YES! Glass provides protection.
If the piece will be in direct sunlight, UV-filtering glass will reduce damage from harmful UV rays. Glass also protects the art from dust, dirt, smoke, and other indoor pollutants.
Acrylic vs. Glass
Acrylic is available in larger sizes than glass and it is not as heavy. Acrylic has static and can lift fibers which will distort the look of the piece. It needs a special cleaner. Comes with UV protection.
Glass is usually not as expensive as acrylic, however it can break and the shards can permanently tear fibers. It does not come in oversize pieces. Comes with UV protection.
Conservation Materials Are Important For Textiles
Textiles need the same acid-free protection that art on paper needs. If mat and backing boards have acids in them, they can burn into textiles, causing damage to the fibers.
What is behind your textile?
Your textile is stitched or pinned onto acid-free matting or backing board to ensure that it will stay in place. This process does not harm your piece and is reversible. Spacers (usually a thin strip of acrylic) are used to keep the glass off your textile.