heavy 'tapestry'

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Shayla

Shayla

WOW Framer
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Apr 5, 2008
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Washington State
Hi.

A customer of mine has a piece that they call a
tapestry, but sounds more like a carpet. That's
what they've been using it for, too. It's about
five by seven feet, by his estimate, and he called
me about how to hang it.

At first, I didn't know it was a big, heavy piece
and suggested a tube of fabric sewn on top
at the back to slip the rod through. Then, when
he started describing how it's basically as heavy
and bulky as a padded carpet, I suggested he bring
it in for us to see. If he does, I'll know more.

I'm wondering at what point those tubes for
rods aren't enough and a heavier or more evenly
distributed hanging system needs to be used. Thanks.
 
If it is 5'x7', it would need to be very lightweight to be well supported by a rod and sleeve. Think of how the sleeve is attached (one or more horizontal row of stitches) and how that concentrates the stress points to a small surface area.

Wide Velcro horizontal at top and vertical cotton tapes stitched at edges and every 2' or so also helps to distribute the stress; I use cross stitches to distribute weight too.

The construction of the piece would also affect how it could be hung. The warps need to be strong. If it is a kilim or similar, they are loosely woven and would stretch unless completely backed with lots of overall support stitches.

If this is not something you do textile conservators or high end drapery makers can usually do this kind of thing.
 
I would hesitate to venture any advice on something like this, not within our area of expertise. It is really not related to framing (even if it has to do with hanging objects)

I don't want this carpet to fall on and suffocate this customer's mother in law based on advice about an object we don't even get to see firsthand.....:p
 
Paul, my thoughts exactly! I wouldn't touch this job with a twenty foot pole! Now, I'd try to make suggestions on where they could find someone to help them, but where to begin? Maybe at an Oriental carpet store?

I sometimes get people looking for picture lights. (We don't carry them.) The customer is thinking "Picture FRAME light." I'm thinking: "picture frame LIGHT." So I send them to a LIGHTING store.

Wendy
The Art Corner
Salem, MA
 
wendy lang said:
I sometimes get people looking for picture lights. (We don't carry them.) The customer is thinking "Picture FRAME light." I'm thinking: "picture frame LIGHT." So I send them to a LIGHTING store.
Click to expand...

Wendy:

If you get a decent amount of demand, you may want to carry House of Troy's picture lights. They're really good and people love them.

They're in VT by the way: House of Troy
 
Paul--I know about House of Troy, but I still say, that product belongs in a "lighting store," not a "frame store." Just because they are LIGHTS. We could carry them, but what if the customer complains about the bulbs or the wiring? We know NOTHING about those things, except that BAD wiring will cause a huge FIRE in your store! (Please see our post history! Hee, hee!)

Wendy
The Art Corner
Salem, MA
 
What I told him was that we could come up with a good solution,
but that he might want to have someone do it who has
practice with this kind of thing. Since they've been using it
as a carpet in their home, I doubt it's highly valuable. It's just
that they've taken their rugs up and wanted to display this one.

Thanks for your ideas.

Paul, if his mother in law is still alive, she's got to be
about a hundred and ten. He's eighty-ish. I'm guessing
it would take far less than a falling tapestry to do them
both in. Perhaps a strong puff of wind? Thanks
for the smiles.
 
I have no idea of course, but just because someone has been using a textile roughly, doesn't mean it isn't valuable. I had a client whose family used a William Morrris weaving (original) as a couch cover. Familarity breeds contempt etc.

R
 
Shayla, I recomend to customers to bring it to a rug store close by.

They typically sew loops onto the rug and I am out of it completely.

(On a side note... I was a buyer for a large oriental rug company and I knew not to get involved, rugs you would think to have no value can surprise you)


Bob
 
The large, heavy textiles displayed at the Lourve are resting on sloped panels. The panels are covered with a rough material which helps to hold the textiles in place and more evenly distribute the weight. I borrowed from this technique in framing a piece of modern textile from India that had many semiprecious stones sewn into it.
 
This is a technique I use for decorative tapestries and rugs . I use carpet trackless (oxymoron) strips screwed (remove concrete nails) to the wall with appropriate fasteners or to the studs . and have hung very heavy rugs (12 X18 feet) with this product it is available in different widths from a flooring supplier. This is NOT for any fine textiles and one should be aware in humid environments the possibility of rusting
of the steel nails. The strips may be used in multiple rows to spread the tension
from the weight of the rug over a greater area. Very simple and very effective.
Wear gloves these small tacks are very sharp and you will bleed. I now always wear heavy leather gloves when installing this.
 

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Thanks for your comments.
Rebecca, that's amazing what those people did.
Your advice is well-taken. Wally, do you have
any photos of that project? It sounds beautiful.

Thanks for the pics, Cassetta.
I'm smiling, thinking that, maybe there
should be a note on the back for future
generations: "Before removing from wall,
update tetanus vaccinations." :)
 
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