Do you ever use stretcher bar frames in your embroidery initiatives?
I do. I take advantage of them particularly for small-to-medium sized initiatives that may take longer to work, however not so long as initiatives that I’d arrange in a slate body – that are often fairly intensive initiatives.
I like stretcher bars as a result of they’re fast to arrange in comparison with a slate body, they supply wonderful rigidity in the event that they’re arrange appropriately, and, for those who’re utilizing sure stretcher bars, they’re adjustable.
After I use stretcher bar frames, I at all times use Evertite Stretcher Bars, and since I’ve acquired a repeated query about stretcher bars and about Evertite Stretcher Bars particularly, I believed I’d reply that query right here.
Right here’s an Evertite stretcher bar body I arrange final week. It’s 8″ x 9″. I used to be setting as much as take photographs of a sew tutorial and clarification, as a result of I wished extra room than I’d get in a hand-held hoop, and since I want the sq., taut floor of the material after I’m taking photographs of stitches.
If you’re uncertain of what an Evertite body is, the way it works, and the way it’s arrange, you’ll discover all that info on this article on Evertite frames.
The naked bones: whenever you buy stretcher bars, you buy two pairs. They are often the identical or totally different sizes, relying on the scale of completed body you need in your challenge.
If I’m engaged on a challenge that’s 5″ x 7″, for instance, I’d in all probability use a pair of 9″ bars and a pair of 11″ bars. This may give me a 9×11 body, which offers me with 2″ across the perimeter of the design space – a snug margin to work with.
My material could be minimize bigger than that – not less than one other inch to 2 inches on both sides, relying on the way you prefer to tack your work onto the body. I usually will take my material round to the facet of the body, in order that the tacks aren’t on the highest. In that case, I’d add two inches throughout.
The principle benefit of Evertite frames is that they’re adjustable after the material has been tacked to the body, permitting you to realize a extremely drum-taut floor with out the distortion that may be brought on by pulling and tacking the material in hopes of attaining good rigidity.
The adjustment is completed with a T-tool that has the equal of an Allen-wrench tip to it, and you employ that to loosen or tighten the screws which can be embedded within the ends of the stretcher bars.
These patented frames are fairly ingenious!
They’re a little bit of an funding, sure. Undoubtedly extra of an funding than buying plain stretcher bars.
And that brings me to the query I obtain regularly about stretcher bars, and notably about Evertite Frames, when persons are contemplating investing in them.
Are you able to re-use Evertite frames, and in that case, what number of instances earlier than they “go dangerous”?
Sure, you possibly can re-use Evertite frames.
And you’ll re-use them a lot.
I’ve been utilizing the identical Evertite frames – all totally different sizes, relying on the challenge I’m engaged on – for nigh on 20 years.
I do not know what number of initiatives I’ve mounted on this explicit set of bars, nevertheless it’s been many!
So long as you handle them, so long as you might be cautious when screwing and unscrewing the tightening screws, they may final you a very long time!
As I discussed above, I usually take my material round to the perimeters of the frames, however typically, I tack on the tops of the frames. You are able to do it both method – I simply want to not have the tacks on prime.
For those who wished, and also you had the surplus material, you may even fold the material round to the again of the body and tack it on the again, however I don’t discover that one of the best follow. It makes it laborious to get to the screws.
However my level is – you may have not less than two good sides (prime and facet) of every bar to tack in.
You’ll be able to tack in the identical holes repeatedly. Positive, my frames are tremendous hole-y, however they maintain doing the job simply in addition to they did after they had been new.
It will take many, many, many, many initiatives tacked onto certainly one of these frames to deliver the wooden to the purpose of not working to carry the tacks. Many initiatives!
Definitely worth the Funding?
Say you find yourself paying $40 for 2 pairs of stretcher bars to make one body of a generally used dimension.
Say you’re employed not less than 20 initiatives on that body (and possibly extra). That’s $2 a challenge for wonderful rigidity and a handy framing technique. Sure, the body might “deteriorate” or depreciate in worth through the years and plenty of makes use of, however it’ll serve you nicely for the fee.
Like all respectable software, it’s an funding.
You simply must resolve if it’s an funding that’s price making. Is it definitely worth the comfort and ease of use, the outcomes you possibly can obtain, and so forth, over the span of its life?
Personally, I feel they’re price it – however that’s one thing that you need to resolve.
Extra Info on Hoops and Frames
For those who’d prefer to learn extra about hoops and frames – and whenever you would possibly use a hoop vs a body – take a look at this text, which has additional assets and details about totally different hoops and frames and such.
Pre-Order Enchanted Embroidery Now!
Bear in mind this ebook that I previewed for you earlier this month?
For those who’ve been anticipating it as a lot as I’ve, you can be pleased to know that Jenny Adin-Christie’s Enchanted Embroidery is out there right here for pre-order!
The books are on their method to me proper now. I count on them later this week, which suggests we are going to ship them to you very first thing subsequent week.
If the pre-orders promote out, don’t fear! We can have extra inventory coming in with the order, however I wish to be certain that we don’t oversell in case we find yourself with any broken books.
I’m fairly positive that this ebook can be The Guide of the 12 months, so far as embroidery goes. I’m guessing the entire publishing run will promote out fairly rapidly. So for those who plan so as to add it to your library, now’s an excellent time to get it!
