BUDDY?

This is from Buddy:
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Buddy_frame.jpg


This is a cross stitched piece that my wife, Marie, entered in a needlework competition some years ago. It was entered in the "Most Innovative" category. It was entered there because she used silk gauze (the top layer) and two other layers of aida to form a three dimensional effect of what was intended by the designer (Told in a Garden) to be a flat basic pattern.

It required her to choose what would be seen on each level based on
perspective and it required her imagination to fill in the voids that were caused when sections of the original pattern were placed on different levels.

I as the framer, had to mount the gauze and the other layers separately, contouring the second level over foam core match the floral trail and aligning each layer to match the others. This is easier since she filled in a few stitches in each side of the voids.

The first mat was cut to follow the shape of the scroll work at the bottom of the gauze. This was done by tracing the scrolls and setting a compass to the desired distance and drawing the pattern on the rear of the mat where it matched the straight sides.

The filigreed work was done by drawing a pattern that filled in 1/2 the void from the scallops to the straight v-grooves and then flipping it over to create a mirror image on the other side of the mat. The scallops of the second mat were traced using the compass set at 1/4 inch and following the bottom mat. The scrolls were cut using a Dexter-3 cutter, cutting out the openings and leaving the desired filigrees. Spacers were also placed between the two mats which were both cut from 8555 Bainbridge mats.

I was taught that it is better to use the same or similar colors the more involved the cuts so not to cause too much distraction. I think this accents the pattern very well even though it is one of the most involved mats I have ever cut. We charged $85 (for the mat) for the only duplications we ever did in a hope to discourage request. It didn't work. So now we use it to show case our design ability and have featured it in a Newspaper add.
 
Buddy,

I am really glad to see you finally got this photo posted. For awhile I thought you had posted a picture of a white goose in a blizzard!!

That is an outstanding piece of work, both yours and your wife's, and I particularly like the use of the mats and layers in the piece.

You are to be congratulated on a fine framing job and your wife on a great piece of cross stitch.

Framerguy
 
Buddy and Marie - What a labor of love on both your parts! That filigree mat is absolutely gorgeous but I think you're under-charging at $85.00.

Kit
 
Good grief, Buddy, please don't say you and Marie still charge $85.00 for such a beautifully executed piece! Have you done it more than once, and for how much? Just lovely!

Cathie
 
Buddy and Marie, that is beautiful work. :eek: I am humbled. Humbled because I designed a piece recently with a curved banner cutout, then found out FramerSolutions doesn't do such things. After trying my hand at such a simple free-hand project with pathetic results, I redesigned and now am having a lettermat cut instead.
 
Buddy, This piece is what framing is all about. True craftsmanship. I don't suppose you learned from Brian Wolf? I have always wanted to handcarve mats. I've done very minor jobs, I can't imagine taking this on. Your work is worth much more than 84.00. How many hours does it take to do one?

Kathy
Out on a Whim Custom Framing
 
Beautiful, just beautiful!!! And even I would charge way more than that for a mat like that!!!!

And you did it with a DEXTER??? Is that the regular size one or one of the smaller cutters. I have had a lot of success with a Dahle cube cutter.

BTW, the best way to succeed at cutting alphabet letters is to always remember that your cutter sits over the knock-out. That way the directional stuff won't mess you up with backward bevels and all.

Buddy, GOOD JOB!!!
 
When I first received this photo, I thought, "Buddy has a CMC and he knows how to use it!" When I read that he did this with a Dexter, I nearly gagged on my SlimFast!

Buddy, you put me to shame. I don't know how many times I've avoided complex designs (and I <U>have</U> a CMC - sort of) and made the excuse, sometimes out loud, that it would be distracting from the art. This piece is drop-dead gorgeous!

A point of clarification: The $85 figure is for the mat alone, not the whole job. Personally, I think this is a $300 mat. I'll edit this in the previous post.
 
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I'm green with envy. I do needlework AND framing and have never produced needlework or matcutting to compare with the posted photo Buddy!
Thanks for sharing. Beautiful work from both of you!
 
You guys really know how to make us feel good.
I'm going to try to answer some of your questions and comments.

First Framerguy It it wasn't for Rons help the white screen is all you would have seen.

Kit Thanks it was a labor of love for both of us.Marie use to win this categorey so much some others took it personal to stop her.Naturally I did my best to help her.

MM We only charged $85 for the mats(I had Ron correct that after you posted).However we really thought that would deter people from requesting it.We actually didn't want to do too many of these since the mats could take 2-3 jours to cut. It didn't stop one lady but most of our customers think $85 for even this is too high.The only other time we did one similar they opted to leave off the filagree trying to save the shop time charge.We would definetly charge more now.

Mel don't be so humble . I can't do CAD and I've had My Wizard for over 2 years now and have attened a few classes given by Wizard.I wish they would have an entire class dedicated to CADD.

emibub I have taken Brian's classes almost ever time he taught when I went to a show.But this doesn't come close to his work. And he uses a Exacto knife like a surgeon.I idolize him .In fact we have a mat he demonstrated on and signed in San Fransico Humteen years ago.I try not to let customers compare my work to it.Also I cut from the rear since I draw the design first and they don't always erase cleanly.He doesn't draw anything he just cuts.You do know that Brian is a consultant for Wizard?

Framar yes this is done with the regular Dexter Jr.I cant use the Mini and the cube as well. They give me cramps in my habds. But they do allow tighter curls.Love that tip. I have cut a bunch of Louisiana shaped openings with the table top straight cutter . But I wish I had a dime for all those that face the wrong way (You need to reverse the design from the rear) or those that the bevels weren't all the same directions.

Ron and Mitch as I said I can't use CAD and this is how I cut my first mat(Dexter and a T-square). It was a double mat for a row house crosstitch that I told my wife I could save her the cost of the framing .Boy have I learned a lot since then.Both about cutting and the cost of things.But I think it is a real benefit to start out with the crudest tools and work up to the higher tech cutters. I often feel sorry for todays kids that need their calculators to do simple math.
Thanks again but this was really to show what we were advertiseing . We got a really poor seperation on the grays and the transfer to Ron didn't help either .Just another hi-tech thing I'm not good at.
BUDDY
 
I knew that was $85.00 for just the mat: how about something in the range of $150.??? That's what we'd charge---if we could even do it---I know you think they won't pay, but I bet they would! Do the same needleart in a plain mat! and see the reaction.

Still can't believe it's "hand done."
 
Buddy, Brian Wolfe is my idol too. I was in one of his classes maybe 10 years ago. I remember the first time I saw him at work I must have stood there for half an hour just marveling at what he could do. I was twice as impressed because he is left handed and so am I. It was very easy to interpret what he was doing. It was nice to see everybody else twist their necks to look at it upside down for a change. I bought all the books and that cube cutter and various cutters and practiced a lot. I haven't even tried in years.
I'm with Merps Mom, at least $150.00 if not more. You put CMC's to shame, you have inspired me to bring out my little Dexter cube!
By the way, I am a cross stitcher also and the needlework is beautiful too.
Kathy
Out on a Whim Custom Framing
 
So Buddy,

After having read this thread what will you be charging in the future??

Someone please help me find the spot in the computer where I plug in my hand so I can do designs like a that.
 
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