Cross stitch needs to be stretched over a conservation board, which has no impurities
that would eventually leach into the fabric. We glue the Conservation board to a 3.5mm foamboard which makes a
stable base to stretch the fabric, and enables the use of T-pins to be inserted through the fabric and into the side of the foamboard.
The cross stitch is firstly centered on the board with T-pins inserted at the center points of the four sides.
The fabric is then pulled square with an even tension, inserting T-pins every five or six threads, working along the fabric line.
It is important that a double mount or spacer should be used to prevent the fabric touching the glass.
We use Conservation paper tape to seal the glass to the foamboard, which prevents
the intrusion of dust and insects. A solid 3mm medium density board is used as a final backing board and this is fixed to
the frame and sealed with a long lasting gum paper tape. Finally felt pads are placed on the bottom corners to give a
space between the picture and wall, to promote air circulation. The pads also grip the wall making constant level
adjustments unnecessary.
Glass is a poor conductor of energy, and sudden changes of room temperature can cause
condensation on the inside of the glass. The cross stitch fabric is very absorbant, and the danger is that
moisture will cause the fabric to lose its tension. High humidity conditions will
also have a detrimental effect on the fabric. The use of double mounts or a spacer between the fabric and glass greatly
reduces the effects of condensation.
FRAMED CROSS STITCH SHOULD NOT BE DISPLAYED OPPOSITE WINDOWS OR
UNDER FLUORESCENT LIGHTS. If strong lighting conditions cannot be avoided, a UV Filtered Glass should be used to
protect the artwork.
We also offer a low relection glass, which when viewed
at the optimium viewing angle (directly opposite the framed image), the glass tends to disappear.
To reduce reflections especially from windows and lights we sometimes wedge a small box such as a matchbox behind the
top edge of the frame. This tilts the picture slightly down towards the floor minimizing reflections.
Conservation Board
We use a solid white conservation board from Arqadia. Made from
a high quality bleached alpha cellulose, the board is essentially lignin-free (see Acid entry ). Under accelerated ageing conditions
the board changes from pH 9.4 unaged, to pH 7.5 over a 100 years; pH 7.5 in 150 years; pH 7.5 in 200 years.
Conservation Paper Tape
We have been using this conservation tape for about twenty years to seal the glass/mount/foamboard package, which prevents
the intrusion of dust and insects. The tape is acid free, water based, and non-ageing.
2.5mm UV Filtered Glass
We use Tru Vue Conservation Clear 2.5mm Glass which has a filter on the side facing the Artwork. This
absorbs 98% of the damaging UV energy that exists just beyond the violet end of the visable spectrum. It is important to realize
that UV Glass does not offer complete protection, and Artwork should still be shielded from direct and excessive sunlight.
UV is defined as energy within the 300-400 nanometer range. Ultraviolet (UV) light transmits energy into the atoms of the object
it strikes. This energy excites the atoms and transforms them into new substances, which manifests in artwork as fading and degradation
of paper and fabrics.
Low Reflection Glass
Approximately only 92% of light is transmitted through glass, the rest
is reflected towards the viewer. Low reflection glass transmitts over 99% of light, giving a brighter, clearer image, with minimal
reflection. Most types of Low-Reflection glass are coated with a multi-layer optical interference coating (OIC) which is very
similar to the lens on cameras and binocolars. Coated glass must be handled and cleaned with care, as the coating can be vulnerable
to scratching.