The "no frills, no gremlins (hopefully)" cross-stitch cafe

Mags_cat

JCS1 wrote: »

What does everyone pay for framing?

There is a place near work which is excellent for getting things back within a week, and also great at picking out frames and mounts that match but they can be between £40-£50 each.

I've tried another one closer to home, and again the advice is good and I've been emailed various options to pick from, but the price range again is £40-£60.

I've got yet some more pieces with a third framer to try, not a shop but someone who has a workshop and does it more as a hobby. She is pricing up for me so am waiting to see.

Just makes it very expensive if stitching as a gift.

All depends on size, mounts, glass etc.

I've paid between £15 and £60 in the past. Once you find a good framer, who understands fabric and how to stretch it properly - keep hold of them...they make such a difference to how a project looks. I wait three weeks for my framer to finish pieces but I go back time and time again. The things he makes will last forever and it seems fitting for things you want cherished

emslovesmickey

DSC02779 by slaughter.emma, on Flickr


DSC02783 by slaughter.emma, on Flickr

DSC02785 by slaughter.emma, on Flickr


DSC02782 by slaughter.emma, on Flickr

These are the cross stitches i have done so far since starting it up not so long ago. I'm still learning so there are a few mistakes in there, but i'm really enjoying it! Hope you like them

vl2588

luckycat99 wrote: »

I just wanted to say that you have inspired me to go back to cross-stitching. I have a WIP that I've been working on (very) intermittently for the last 20 years - so it's about time I finished it. Although I followed some of your links and have bought two new kits. Maybe that's why it's taken me so long to finish my other one!

Does anyone have a longer standing WIP? Can anyone top 20 years?

Well...totally cheating as it's not cross stitch, but I have 'inherited' a rag rug WIP from my mum which is at least 25-30 years old, possibly more!

blue_eyed_girl

Welcome to the Cafe ems and vl2588 :wave:

Ailsb - enjoy your hols.

Coxy - hope you're foot is on the mend. Love the pic. It's so annoying having to unpick but if you leave it, it will only bug you later.

sweetcarer - love baby bear.

Mrs. MP - wow what a find :eek:

JCS1 - tulips are so pretty and unusual.

nmm - still loving that fur

mos - great update.

ems - lovely pics

Maisie - good luck with Wine - sure you will get it done in time for Dad.

Hope all that makes sense and I haven't missed anyones updates. Feeling absolutely kn@ckered and ready for bed but I just thought I would pop in to let you know that Lets Do Wine is now a cushion :j. Will take a photo tomorrow in daylight. I can't help having a bit of a smug smile as its not friends birthday until Oct and it done already :D. Have actually got 12 Days back out and made a little bit of progress with that too. Spotted some rather nice felt in Boyes today which I will need for the 12 Days hanging, would have bought it but I wasn't too sure of the size of the piece I needed.

Take care everyone

b_e_g

mrs-moneypenny

morning all
virgin broke the tinernet in our area yesterday so caught up on photo taking and finishing some knitting wips.

i love all the photos that were posted in the last couple of days, some really beautiful pieces.

here are my recent efforts and wips


this is the loverly bookmark kit i was very kindly sent by JCS, its my mums birthday soon so im going to put that in a book for her, ive laminated it after giving it a paper backing.


garden bench, i havent sewn the pieces on yet as i need to wash and press it first, then got to get it framed. my usual framer has told me hes retiring to spain and as yet hasnt found anyone to take over, so ive got to search mounts and try doing this myself. he wasnt cheap but he was good. balckwork angel for example cost me £55 to get mounted and framed.


titanic last time

this morning


this is the little tiger cub i bought that had been started, he had all his dark stripes so im doing the filling in. its been done on a piece of adia that i think is too small to do all the greenery around him and it wont be able to fit a frame properly i dont think so it may be a cushion or bag panel.

flowerofscotland

emslovesmickey wrote: »

Thank you for the tip! I've got another Gorjuss one in my stash so when i finally get round to it i'll buy some of this first. Next on my list is a musical instrument one for my dad.

I will post photos as soon as i figure out how to do it!

I'm another fan of Thread Heaven for taming errant threads such as metallics

flowerofscotland

Coxy11 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Anyone for coffee?

Not as much stitching as would have liked over the weekend. Despite having to have my foot elevated, it was so uncomfortable that I only managed to do some stitching last night. Well...I say stitching...yet again I have made a bodge of F.F.S. and used the wrong shade of 'grey blue' on the upstairs left window (there are 4 shades of grey blue :mad:). Cue lots of unpicking and partial restitching. Dear God I will be SO glad when this is finished! I attach a photo.



JCS1 - love those tulips, really unusual colour/design.

nmm - loving the 'reveal' of your project - looking forward to more updates.


Have a great day all
Coxy

Black no sugar please and if there is a cookie going ..............

I love your French flower shop. Really feel for you having to unpick but it will be so worthwhile when it is finished and framed

flowerofscotland

moments_of_sanity wrote: »

Hi All, read every day but don't often post. Here is an update on the Wolf Xstitch I am doing for my DD. I reckon I have nearly done about 17,000 stitches so far, only 35,168 in total to stitch! :rotfl:

Loving all the updates and have to say, I too have had to unpick parts of it through not paying attention! :rotfl: (to many pretty pictures on TV!)

DR suspects I may have Chronic Fatigue syndrome so stitching this has been a welcome distraction from feeling so awful.

Right, off to finish page 4. Have a lovely day stitching all.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/91707691@N04/9390919353/

Fabulous - so lifelike.

flowerofscotland

JCS1 wrote: »

What does everyone pay for framing?

There is a place near work which is excellent for getting things back within a week, and also great at picking out frames and mounts that match but they can be between £40-£50 each.

I've tried another one closer to home, and again the advice is good and I've been emailed various options to pick from, but the price range again is £40-£60.

I've got yet some more pieces with a third framer to try, not a shop but someone who has a workshop and does it more as a hobby. She is pricing up for me so am waiting to see.

Just makes it very expensive if stitching as a gift.

Framing is expensive but having it done professionally on a larger piece does make all the difference. Like others here I will frame smaller pieces myself but anything large or with beads/charms etc needs a deeper recess than the standard photo frame allows. The current framer I use charges between £25 and £65 depending on the overall dimensions, the molding I choose - she helpfully puts the price on each of the sample pieces as I find it isn't obvious which are going to be cheaper/expensive, how many mounts I want - I tend to like either none or 2/3 mounts, and type of glass (no reflective is more expensive than plain. I would rather wait until I can afford to have a big piece framed than spoil it with my amateur efforts. For me when choosing a new framer the most important thing to check is that they stretch and lace needlework over acid free board and don't use sticky tape anywhere near your precious stitching. And if you don't ask first you can't tell when you collect the framed piece. Sticky tape of any kind will eventually mark your fabric and the wrong type of mount board (the cheap stuff) can eventually rot your fabric:eek: I speak from experience here. Years ago one of my stitchings was knocked off the wall - the glass broke and the frame was damaged. When I dismantled it to frame again I was really shocked at how badly it had been treated and at the marks on the fabric.

flowerofscotland

nmm wrote: »

Welcome vl2588, i'm sure I echo everyone when i say we love photos, get some up of your WIP and we'll spur you on to finish it :beer:

JCS1, it depends on the size of picture, if its A4 or smaller then I get frames from the £1 shop or argos/wilkos etc. I've only framed 1 big one and that was a custom frame from here at £27 delivered.(measured 60cmx35cm)

I've bought from ezeframe - not for stitchings but I bought one of their name photo frames as a Christmas present. They have an offer of 10% off any frame at the moment

I've also bought some nice frames from supermarkets which have been ideal for smaller pieces.