OK, this is for Grace, Liz and others who have asked...
It's a gray rainy day for photos, but here's my three cents about backings and framing.
I have mixed feelings about covering up all of the stitching on the backs of pieces. The tangle of threads and knots does seem like a part of the story, but sometimes a backing serves a purpose. You'll see that I do a variety of things, much of it versions of things Jude has shared over the years, and/or just making do.
First up is one of my little squares. They are backed with a square of cotton, using a whip stitch around the edges of the piece. I wanted a place to sign the piece, and to put the title, which is an important part of the story to me. Also, it sometimes helps to square things up, if needed.
This bigger piece was done in a similar way, but with small running stitches around the edge.
The "X" across the back doesn't go through to the other side, rather the stitches catch on layers in the middle.
"Playground" was done in a similar way, but because the backing was flannel, I was afraid it might fray too much, so the edge was turned under on the backside. Making mitered corners is not my favorite activity in the world, but the flannel felt too bulky to just fold square at the corners.
"Beyond" is only finished on the top edge, with the torn edge of the cloth left raw.
The backside evolved, with layers being added to it for stability in certain areas, as I worked, so some of the stitching is buried beneath, such as the first stitchings of the tiny dots across the top.
As for framing- Folks have done a variety of things- from having them traditionally framed in flat frames or shadow boxes, with and without glass, to just using magnets to hold them on the fridge.
This piece shows what I've done for shows...
The piece is held on with two tiny nails (I wanted something that felt like sewing pins) in the top corners onto a cradled board (this one was painted with phthalo turquoise watercolor). The bottom is unattached.
These boards are nice because they can stand freely on their own or hang on a nail using the opening on the back.
All to say, different things happen on different pieces. I try to just go what feels right. For example, at the show, it seemed a more finished look would appeal and be easier to display. The bigger pieces are sometimes used on table tops, and people often don't want to worry about what could happen to the work if left exposed and handled over time. Personally, I love seeing as much of the work as possible. Once, I was given a blanket, and I opened up a bit of the binding to see what the inside looked like. (I did stitch it back together!)
I hope this has been useful, please say if I've missed something.
As for the business piece... At long last, new pieces are in the shop. (All backed and unframed!)
