The week I opened, many years ago, when I knew little about framing, a man came in with the Lord's Prayer in crochet. Sure, I can frame it, couple of hundred bucks. A week of invention later it was in a frame 45 x 93 inches with mats glass etc. I had just hired a woman that had never framed anything before this piece and it took the 2 of us just about all week to figure it out and finish it. I made a stretcher frame and stretched canvas over it. We then put this across saw horses and with one of us on the floor under it and the other pushing the needle down from above we spent about 10 hours sewing the crochet to the canvas. Next the mats which were spliced out of 4 sheets for each of the 2 colors. Then I had to get the glass shop to deliver the glass as I couldn't carry it. Not too much trouble after this - 3 inch oak frame and assembly. Went to the sailboat supply shop for some rigging wire to hang it. It looked great!
- I learned a lot on this job
- The lady I hired became one of the best framers I've ever come across
- Although I carged about 10% of a realistic charge for this job, the customer went crazy at the price and threatened to sue me. The man then donated it to his church and told the congregation he had spent thousands to get it framed. On the way home from church he had a heart attack and died.
- the frame still hangs in the church and so I occaisionally go to church to see it
- the next year another member of the church brought the 23rd Psalm to be framed to match - when I told him the "new" price he declined and this one is now stapled to the wall in a corner of the church.
- I often wish I knew a bit about conservation framing back in those days - the canvas backing should be OK - there's no wood within 3 inches of the crochet - the paper mats are 2 inches away from the crochet - no glue - and it doesn't touch the glass. I've been tempted to reframe it but....