Some textiles are visual works of art that deserve to be framed. Take for example a personalised tea towel. It could be used as art in the kitchen rather than using it for its practical purposes.
Framing textiles is done in a similar way to most framing processes, but with a couple of additional steps involved. Those being stretching the fabric and securing it in place with staples.
What you need are:
- An acid-neutral backing board such as a sheet of MDF
- Stapler and plenty of staples
- Picture mount board
- Spray adhesive or acid-free tape
- A picture frame
The Steps to Framing Textiles
Step 1: Prep your fabric by affixing it to the backing board
The first phase of framing textiles is to attach the fabric to a sheet of backing board. For this part, stretch the fabric so it is taut and affix it in place using staples. When stapling the fabric, take care to remove any creases and keep the staples as close to the edge of the backing board as possible whilst also keeping them in a straight row. Keep in mind the size of the mount board you are using as this will also be used to hide the staples inside the frame.
Step 2: Prep your mount board
If you are using a double mount, as in two pieces of mount board for a dual colour scheme or thicker padding, prepare the boards first by trimming them to size and sticking them together. You can use a spray adhesive for this or acid-free double-sided tape.
Another reason to use a double mount is that it keeps the fabric farther away from the glazing. The mount board can be trimmed so that it is a little a wider than the row of staples you need to cover.
Step 3: Attach acid-neutral boards around the edge of the fabric
Acid neutral boards are ideal for stapling over the fabric. It is much easier to stick boards together than it is to stick board to fabric so a base layer of acid-free mount card can be stapled in place, then the final mount you will be using in the frame attached over it.
Step 4: Prep the frame
Clean the glazing, inspect for dust, then put your backing board with the fabric and mount boards secured in place inside the frame and seal it.
In Summary
When you are framing any textiles, it is important to stretch the fabric and secure them in place to prevent the material creasing inside the frame. Mount boards should be used to put distance between the fabric and the glazing to prevent any of the ink sticking to the glazing and to minimise the potential of static from tugging any loose threads, which could lead to damage.
With the right materials and a little bit of extra work in preparing your fabrics for framing, a range of textiles can be flattened out, framed and used as creative art around the home, or to add appeal to personalised gifts such as tea towels.