Vintage Molas

[Dimestorehalo]

Hi! First off, I'm not a professional by any means. I was gifted a number of vintage molas by a friend who admired the ones I had framed years ago when I lived in the city. Now, there's only one framing shop in the town in NE AZ that I live in. I took one of them in to get a quote, and they want to glue it to the backer board. Not going to happen! It appears that I'm going to have to mount them myself. So I've been doing some research and I've seen pinning, sewing, and I finally found out what lacing is. I'm interested in opinions about the best mounting method. It also appears that if they are pinned/sewn, there needs to be some other cloth between the backer and the mola.

Molas are so much fun--picking out frames and mats. They let you go a little bit wild...

 

[cvm]

Hi! Do a search for "trampoline mount".

 

[Framing Goddess]

Pinning these to fome core will work nicely. You can even use a piece of thin batting behind the mola to give it a more uniform looking surface.

 

[Framar]

I used to frame molas all of the time many years ago and then they sort of disappeared. But someone brought one in only last week.

I plan to stitch it around the edges and it is getting a double mat on top. Or maybe I will use the micro AttachEZ.

I love molas!

 

[wpfay]

Welcome to the G.
Method of stretching will depend on margins, but any of the options mentioned will work depending on that.

 

[Dimestorehalo]

Welcome to the G.
Method of stretching will depend on margins, but any of the options mentioned will work depending on that.

Thank you for the welcome! All but one was formerly part of the traditional blouse and so have 1/4 to less than 1/2 inch side margin. The top and bottom margins are obviously smaller. One is rather interesting--additional fabric was sewn to the back to increase the size slightly to fit the wearer. Maybe she had to fight the bulge like many of the rest of us!

 

[Ylva]

Welcome to the G!

Now you have to show us some photos

 

[Dimestorehalo]

Welcome to the G!

Now you have to show us some photos

Here's a few of my favorites I think I'll try mounting the butterfly one first because it has the largest margins to work with. All 3 pieces are about 17x12. The lamp and the fruit ones are my favorites, and the fruit one is the one that the local shop wanted to glue down. I'm already doing mats and frames in my head.

 

[framah]

I always float them on a mat by sewing them into place. For me, the edge is a major part of the look and shouldn't be covered.

Plus, they are rarely square.

 

[Jim Miller]

... 1/4 to less than 1/2 inch side margin. The top and bottom margins are obviously smaller.

For a textile with narrow margins, Trampoline Mounting allows you to show all or part of the edges, and you can vary the tension of the Trampoline laces to straighten & square up the sides.

Also, you can make a presentation using recto/verso mats to show the entire back of the textile, which is a unique benefit of this mounting technique.

Here are a couple of photos...For more details & illustrated instructions, check the October, 2011 article, "Trampoline Mounting a Mola".

 

[wpfay]

I just did a couple using Acid-free foam board (I know) and stainless pins, but only used the bottom layer of fabric for pinning.
. Orange, red, purple, and black are only complete sized fabric colors.
Shows pinning purple layer to back so the raw edges show in the presentation. The edges of the purple layer still show a bit. Only used about 1/16" of fabric in the pinning.

 

[Ylva]

I have done one similar to what Wally above describes, but I have also sandwiched them between fabric backboard/ double coroplast and plexiglass, without any attachment. I don't think I even used batting on that but I might have.

They are fun. Of the three you're showing, I think the last one is my favorite. Absolutely beautiful. Glad you asked question at the frame shop as it would be horrible to glue it down (and totally unnecessary)

 

[David Hewitt]

I just did a couple using Acid-free foam board (I know) and stainless pins, but only used the bottom layer of fabric for pinning.
.
View attachment 40541Shows pinning purple layer to back so the raw edges show in the presentation. The edges of the purple layer still show a bit. Only used about 1/16" of fabric in the pinning.

I like the pinning process, ( ss or nickel plated brass ) but, FWIW, my favored mounting board for fabric is 1/8 art care foam board sandwiched between 4ply rag or art care. ( if it warrants ) ( all boards glued together ) It makes the pinning easier, keeps the pins straighter, and from bending, or penetrating through the foam board. It's also makes for a very firm board, and for the most part gives adequate protection, not the very best, but it has its purpose for many projects.

 

[Dimestorehalo]

I have done one similar to what Wally above describes, but I have also sandwiched them between fabric backboard/ double coroplast and plexiglass, without any attachment. I don't think I even used batting on that but I might have.

They are fun. Of the three you're showing, I think the last one is my favorite. Absolutely beautiful. Glad you asked question at the frame shop as it would be horrible to glue it down (and totally unnecessary)

The fruit one is my favorite and is the most delicate. It has only 2 complete layers--the black and the top orange layer. My friend almost threw that one out because of its age and a few tears. I'm so glad she didn't.

 

[wpfay]

I like the pinning process, ( ss or nickel plated brass ) but, FWIW, my favored mounting board for fabric is 1/8 art care foam board sandwiched between 4ply rag or art care. ( if it warrants ) ( all boards glued together ) It makes the pinning easier, keeps the pins straighter, and from bending, or penetrating through the foam board. It's also makes for a very firm board, and for the most part gives adequate protection, not the very best, but it has its purpose for many projects.

Another option is to dry mount two sheets of 4-ply rag together with Buffer-Mount, but cut the tissue back from the edge about the length of the straight pins so the pins can slip in between the layers. I've only done this once, but it worked.