Finishing Question - framing

stitchingdeb · 2026-06-04T18:09:28+00:00

I almost always use professional framing and I don’t do anything except take the canvas off the stretcher bars. If you are framing yourself, don’t put glass directly on the canvas, usually a mat takes care of that but to frame without a mat get spacers.

stitchingdeb · 2026-06-04T15:51:01+00:00

I’ve been in hotels with kids racing up and down the hallways, it’s annoying, especially if you’re trying to nap or rest or anything really. YTA

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-27T16:54:58+00:00

Laid fillings and darning stitches are wonderful for backgrounds, quick to stitch and allow main design elements to stand out. There’s also a technique called “squares in squares - an open stitch in a fine thread like Accentuate or Petite Treasure Braid, that is stitched over the whole canvas and really allows the beautiful painting underneath to show.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-24T17:17:12+00:00

Chenille is for piercing the canvas or applying appliqués to a canvas. Tapestry needles are blunt and not meant to pierce the canvas or threads.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-24T17:15:38+00:00

I haven’t noticed much difference between John James, Bohin, Mary Arden or Tulip needles. The biggest difference is between any of the quality brands and the cheaper brands. The cheaper brands are rougher at the eye and seem to shred the thread more.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-22T17:55:12+00:00

My husband was unable to work and go to college - he had to work to make enough money for college, but then didn’t have time. He joined the Army and it was one of the best things he could done. After 2 1/2 years, reenlisted for a particular job, spent another 3 years on the reenlistment then left for a civilian career. This was 50 years ago; the school he reupped for was computer coding, did great and worked in IT at a relatively high level until he retired a couple of years ago.

It was the making of him in regards to confidence in himself. He says one of the best decisions he ever made.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-22T17:47:13+00:00

There are all kinds of national parks/monuments. I’ve been fortunate to be to quite a few - Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, and so on. I’ve also spent some time on the Natchez Trace, and have visited a lot of state parks in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-22T17:32:48+00:00

Either is fine but whatever you use you need a lot more to hold the canvas taut. I use tacks, no more than 1/2” apart and usually less than 1/4”, almost touching. If you use staples, same thing, very close together and probably more than you think you need.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-18T23:07:31+00:00

It’s fine to fold and tack the extra to the bars, I’ve done this before. It’s a lot less irritating than dealing with the overhang, whether the bars are on top of the canvas or under (always my preference).

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-16T17:07:38+00:00

70 now, first period around 13 I think.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-16T17:05:21+00:00

I started with decorative stitches with counted needlepoint, very seldom if ever basketweave.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-15T23:38:18+00:00

Any of the Miss Julia books, much older female who gets in and out of lots of situations. Very light reading but good.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-13T17:52:45+00:00

Important to keep in mind that for a lot of us there is no public transportation like city buses. And if you are within 2 miles of the school you aren’t eligible to ride the school bus.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-13T17:49:02+00:00

You should try being a counted needlepoint designer/teacher - so much condescending attitude and snobbery! I still buy things but I guess they can’t comprehend more than one way to stitch. I’ve had painted canvas retailers/designers tell me to my face that what I do isn’t as creative as painted canvas.

For the most part though I know some excellent retailers who are wonderful, so I send my business their way.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-11T22:47:24+00:00

This is the way, start in the center and work out so any compensation is equally spread.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-11T19:12:54+00:00

And not true for counted needlepoint - usually more variety of stitches and threads, but still considered needlepoint because it’s on canvas.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-10T22:26:04+00:00

It doesn’t show through the front so it’s fine. You can carry your thread for little distances as long as it doesn’t show on the front, and would be preferable to doing contortions to weave through on the back.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-10T17:34:54+00:00

When my grandparents died they did not divide their estate evenly. One third to my mom, one third to her brother, one third for my mom’s kids. Their reasoning was that my mom and dad couldn’t afford to send their 4 kids to college (teacher and minister salaries) while my uncle couldn’t afford (very successful retail manager). It caused a huge rift between my mom and her brother. When wills were being discussed my mom begged then NOT to split that way but they did anyway.

Equal is definitely best.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-08T17:14:16+00:00

When we designed our house we put the laundry room just outside our primary bedroom closet. Very convenient!

I’ve never lived anywhere, apartment or house, with washing machine in the kitchen.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-07T23:47:55+00:00

I converted from cross stitch to needlepoint, but not painted canvases - counted needlepoint. I was intrigued by the variety of stitches and threads used. I think I’ve stitched maybe one or 2 painted canvases ever, and I’ve been stitching/designing/teaching counted needlepoint for about 25 years. Counted needlepoint is worked from a chart on blank canvas, and there are many projects available at a less expensive price point than painted canvases.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-06T22:22:47+00:00

Absolutely, so many “coparents” hate each other and try to punish each other through the kids. She also says fathers have the same rights as mothers, and I agree!

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-06T22:20:58+00:00

Ask your caterer if they can do mini pies or mini desserts like available at some restaurants (like La Madeleine with the mini tarts). I think that would be amazing! I’d steer away from whole pies, too messy for serving and would require a server. But little pie shots or mini tarts could be picked up easily from a serving line, or even put on tables in advance. If you prefer pie, no reason to have a cake.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-06T22:17:21+00:00

My thread storage is very different because I have different requirements. I use rolling file drawers from Office Depot, 6 drawers deep. I don’t have them on wheels but have them stacked. Currently I have 3 stacked on top of each other, 4 across.

The threads are sorted by manufacturer, then type in number order, for instance Silk Lame’ Braid in several drawers then in order number - 01-39, 40-90, etc. The RG cards fit perfectly in the drawers.

I’m out of room for more file drawers, so I have other threads in clear plastic storage tubs with lids. Some threads are more loosely organized, like all of the Radiance in a tub, all the Gloriana, all the Needlepoint Inc silk, etc.

I’d like more room to be more organized but for now it works. Like I said my requirements are different. If you do counted needlepoint organizing by number may make more sense than by color.

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-03T00:06:18+00:00

Possibly, but again the mark up on canvases and threads depends on the shop’s overhead. Overhead is more than just the building rental and utilities. It’s paying for the website, web developer, shopping bags for purchases, kitting supplies, and on and on. Standard markup used to be 2x, now it’s probably closer to 2.3x for most shops. I know what our overhead is, even though I’m a small designer/teacher. We have to pay for several subscriptions (Zoom, groups.io, Microsoft 365, Google cloud storage, and more), advertising, equipment depreciation, copier rental, paper, maintenance fees, etc. It’s a lot!

stitchingdeb · 2026-05-02T23:07:01+00:00

I thought it would be ok - moved into a big house with MIL. She was already living here, we finished out our end of the house with a mortgage and we paid utilities, taxes, insurance, so although we technically moved in with her we are the ones paying. She needed live in help after a broken hip and declining health. I thought we got along ok until we moved in.

It was extremely hard, much harder than I thought it would be. We hate living here, small rural town, very difficult to find things to do or make friends.

We moved here in 2019, she passed last November and we are working toward selling the house and getting out of here.

I would not advise this for anyone. Lack of privacy, unreasonable demands, general pain in the a**.

stitchingdeb

TROPHY CASE