Stretching Bedsheet Paintings

[Shayla]

Sometimes, people bring in these tourist paintings that are basically on bedsheets. Over the years, we've stretched a few, and I've mounted a few others (either to Canvas MountCor or with acrylic gel). The newest one has too little fabric on one side for our stretching machine, and although some of you have said you can stretch with just a half inch of fabric, I have no idea how. We need a lot more than that. He doesn't want it mounted, doesn't want to come into the image, and is willing to pay to add fabric. Most of the border is wide enough, so it's just this side, plus part of another that needs extra. I don't know whether to add Beva strips or to just hand-sew strips of fabric to these places, with super strong thread. We just hand-stitched a scarf to a whole, larger piece of muslin for stretching, but that was delicate and done by hand. This painting is around 34 x 45, and will need to be stretched taut. (Also, I've warned him that the few places with weak spots could rip.) The one thing he won't do is send it to a fabric conservator, because it was bought for a song while on vacation. It's a side-staple stretch, not a gallery wrap.

What would you do?

 

[wpfay]

Take advantage of tensionable stretchers.
It can be stretched with just hand tension and tightened with the keys.
The client needs to understand that the fineness of the material, coupled with the fragility and condition will not result in a drum tight stretch.

We had these issues with the influx of Haitian art in the 80's. On sheets, sewn together rice bags, etc...

 

[Nikodeumus]

I literally today just finished a canvas stretch similar to yours.
Only about 1.25" (less in some areas) of excess material to use for tensioning.
Add to it that the piece was painted skewed by about 1/2" from left to right.
Attaching additional material was not a cost the customer was not an option.
I told her (and she completely understood) that I could only just barely pull tension enough to try to minimize sagging, but may not get it "tight".
Because of the artist's lack of forethought, side stapling was the only option, which meant a cap frame rather than a float, which she was OK with.

My fingers are sore as heck now as I type.
The way I usually stretch canvas is to lay it flat upside down on the workbench and use canvas stretching pliers to tension, but there wasn't sufficient material to use stretching pliers and get the stapler in position on the edge of the frame. Also, the angle was very awkward compared to when I usually staple on the back of the frame.
I used tacks to hold the canvas where I wanted it on the frame and hold the initial tension as I worked, then set it on its edge on a pad on the floor. ( This way | instead of this way __ )
I could then use one hand to grip and pull the canvas downward with my fingers and set the staples with the other hand.
I did the usual start from the middle of each side and worked outwards to the corners.
Surprisingly, it came out with fairly decent tension, not so loose as to sag, but not "drum tight" either.
Will have to see if it retains that in a few days, a week, or longer.

Given the poor preparation of these artists, people are often disappointed with how much extra work and therefore cost of framing their "vacation deal" will cost to frame.