Framing in the hoop is a finish I've never used until now, but it is very popular with many of the people selling on etsy, like Satsuma Street and chez sucre chez*, and with a lot of newbies.I matched this up with Bent Creek's Starry Wreath from the 1999 edition of the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue. I bought a cheap wooden hoop at JoAnn's. I sanded and painted it--I used an ochre color with a coat of antiquing medium because I was never going to get close to that weird greenish mustard yellow of the floss.You could buy a nicer hoop, and then you could skip the sanding and painting steps, but it cost a dollar. If you spend a buck on your hoop, you should sand it too. Sand it very well.
I looked back in the magazine and saw that Bent Creek finished this as a round pillow style ornament. It's so lumpy! And distinctly not round. That's just wasn't going to work for me. In fact, this is the happiest I've ever been with a round finish! I am seriously delighted with how this came out.
This finish may be too large for my tree (it's a 6" hoop) but I can display it on an easel or hang it on the wall. (Do you ever switch out your regular pictures and photos at Christmastime?)
Tutorials for finishing your stitching in a hoop:
Floss and Mischief
Hell to Breakfast gives some pointers on what not to do in her tutorial.
Check out Lova Revolutionary if you're a gluer not a sew-er.
Instead of tarting up the back with fabric, I used paper--like you would in regular framing. It's standard brown kraft paper, but the secret is to dampen it slightly before applying it. As it dries, it will shrink and give you a taught backing. In addition to not wasting fabric on the back of a piece, it's also much easier to remove if you decide you want a lumpy round pillow!
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them all even when it takes me too long to reply to you. It's report season at work, and I am so busy. And you can imagine that finishing something every day eats into my down time...
*On a break lately, but the first one I thought of.
20 comments:
Nice! Very simple but perfectly suited to the piece. I'd like to know where you are getting your energy though. :-)
Circular finish for a wreath is perfect. That is such a nice design.
I used to frame in hoops all the time. Very cute.
I used to frame in hoops all the time. Very cute.
This turned out very nice. I have one small (maybe 3 inch) hoop that I made into an ornament years ago.
This is such a pretty finish. Very well done.
xxx
Nikki, thanks so much for these floats on finishing. I am finishing impaired which is why I have a shopping bag full of pieces to put together. You have already given me some ideas and the links are great.
This is a perfect finish for this design! Sadly, when I think of hoop finishes I always flash back to those lace-and-ruffle-trimmed monstrosities of the 1980s....need to get past that...
Great for round finishing! I have a design from about 1987 that reminds me so much of my DS (boy sleeping in a rocking chair waiting for Santa) in a green, rubberish hoop. Every time I come across it, it makes me smile!
I love this. I've been seeing the hoop finish a lot lately and want to try it. Maybe a mini, as a tiny ornament.
How pretty this is! Thanks for the links to the finishing sites...very informative!
Nikki, Your wreath looks really nice. I always enjoy craft month with you. I am sure it takes a lot of your free time, but think how happy you are going to be at the end of March with 31(!) FINISHED projects! To answer your question, yes, I change out everyday pictures with holiday pictures.
Happy March!
This design definitely looks fantastic as a hoopla! In the easel on a mantelpiece ....yes yes....I can picture that!
love it! perfect finishing for that piece :)
I much prefer your hoop finish to the lumpy pillow finish that Bent Creek offered. I also appreciate the time you take to provide helpful links. Thank you!
Robin in Virginia
Looks great! I tried this finish once a long time ago... may have to try it again. Thanks for reminding me :)
Had to laugh at Erin's 80s reference! Guilty of making up a few of those, haha. Maybe I can now attempt an updated look.
This is a nice way to get a perfect round finish. I like the easel to display it too.
One of the UK magazines is particularly obsessed with hoop framing. The one I don't subscribe to anymore!
I love the musshies, and this is so well done!
Back to the gold upholstery from yesterday: my parents have a Victorian day bed. Upholstered in gold draylon. Still at my mom's sister's - since the early seventies - when my parents went 'walk-a-bout' in Africa. (would you look after it for 50 years? ;-) )
I too noticed all the hoop finishes on etsy and they do sort of grow on you. I also came across an few old hoops I had so I think I will be giving this a go. Yours came out very nice.
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