displaying a crocheted bedspread

Create a Post
D_Derbonne

D_Derbonne

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Jul 12, 2001
Posts
5,410
Loc
Middleburg, FL
Business
semi retired
I just had a customer in the shop, dropping off an old photo to be restored. She saw some of my shadowbox displays and asked if I frame large items.
Seems she has a crocheted bedspread, made by her grandmother that she would like to display. She has a wall waiting for it.
She doesn't neccessarily need it to be completely spread out, much to my relief. I'm feeling kind of brain dead and could use some ideas if anyone has them. I'd like to be able to impress her when she returns with the bedspread.
This lady could be an ad for custom framing. She has a wall of old family photos and several shadowboxes in her home already. She saw a sample of one in my shop and wants to bring one of hers in for me to do over.
As I said any and all ideas would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.
 
With blankets, I sort of toss them on to the mat board. That way they look as if they were just used. Therefore they are not in a square. It is more interesting and personal looking. I sew them in place under the folds and at the top. Some times I support the folds and wrinkles with conservation mat board. I peal the mat board and roll it to fit the folds. Then they never flatten out. The blanket is shadow boxed.

I just did a crocheted flag that was intended to be a large couch throw. That I sewed the way a flag should be displayed. I sewed at the top of each of the stripes and at the top. I also sewed around the outside of the flag. The flag was framed in a shadow box.

I always camouflage stitches in patterns, through buttons or through the original stitches.
 
Purp's got a great idea going there. Another idea, if you don't want to stuff it with mat board, you can use quilt batting in select places to keep it "poofed" where you want it. Just be sure to sew it securely. Crochet stretches like crazy over a very short period of time.
 
I like your idea Purp.
Please elaborate on how to correctly stitch this. Do I need to line it first?
I have the feeling this could be a nightmare if not done correctly. It could be a nightmare if I do it correctly but don't price it correctly! I realize that crochet is very stretchy. I've done a small doily but never anyting of this size.
I still relatively new to framing and these kinds of jobs are still a big adventure for me.
I am so happy to have the advice of so many experienced folks.
 
On something stretchy, I stitch everywhere there is a hidden place and on the top. Even on the top I hide the stitches as much as I can. Sometimes it is necessary to stitch the sides, too.

By the way, don't stitch the sides until you have stiched the middle places.
 
A few things to consider.

Crocheted bedspreads are very heavy. The stitches to sew it down could pull threads in the bedspread because it is so heavy and stretchy. Over time I feel sure this would happen.

Why not choose a fabric to cover the board you are mounting it on, then completely line the bedspread with the same fabric. That way it would have support all over because the fabric would not stretch.

I would also use some kind of a form inside that do most of the support work, and take the stress off of the bedspread having to suport itself. The form could be acrylic with stratigic holes in it for attaching to the backing. It could be foam board, or 8 ply rag.

It would take a very deep strong frame, an acrylic box would be nice, or an acrylic box with a flange so that you could put a frame on it.

The 2 crocheted spreads that I have are very, very heavy. It seems to me that the best way would be to mount it flat with many stitches. It should probably be slanted in the frame, that is the board it is mounted on would rest closer to the front of the frame on the bottom and closer to the back on the top side.

Is that clear as mud? Ellen, do you have anything to add? Hope it helps.
 
I agree there should be many, many stitches but not through the threads, but around them, using the same color as the thread you are sewing around.

Wouldn't the crochet sag on fabric as much as it would on mat board? There would be the same amount of stitches.
 
SUPRISE ! Did someone mention acrylic box frame??? I thought so. I do have some suggestions for framing something very heavy using an acrylic rod. I hate writing these things on the grumble so if you have questions, please give me a call and I'll explain it happily.

Lois
 
Thanks Lois, I'll call you next week.
Stitching a blanket to a mounting board sounds like a form of torture to me. I would do it for the price but an acrylic rod sounds like it might be much simpler.
 
I would use Lois's approach. If you have a nice rod to fold it over there would be no stitching involved. I too think with the weight the stitches would eventually tear the spread. It would then look great in an acrylic box or even a regular shadowbox. Good luck Deb, even after 17 years of framing, I still have to "drop back two and punt" once in a while.
 
Acrylic rod mounts work well for blankets and other big things that are fairly sturdy.

But would that work for a crocheted bedspread? Some crocheted items I've seen are made in patterns that are dense and somewhat rigid, but others are downright flimsy. How flimsy is it? If you fold it and drape it over a rod, would it support itself? Or would the textile sag over time?
 
Originally posted by Jim Miller:
Acrylic rod mounts work well for blankets and other big things that are fairly sturdy.

But would that work for a crocheted bedspread? Some crocheted items I've seen are made in patterns that are dense and somewhat rigid, but others are downright flimsy. How flimsy is it? If you fold it and drape it over a rod, would it support itself? Or would the textile sag over time?
Click to expand...
Good point. I haven't seen the bedspread yet. I'm just gathering information in advance so I can speak intelligently to the customer when the time comes, doing some homework in advance. :D
 
Deb, I was going to suggest something akin to a wall mounted quilt rack under an acrylic bonnet. If it is really heavy you could use several parallel support bars and cascade the fabric over them. Theoretically the box could be hinged and secured in such a way as to make the textile removable for cleaning or use, but I would leave that up to Lois to engineer.
 
Create a Post
Back
Top