I want to frame parts of an old quilt for my children. Anyone know how?

Question

I have an old wedding ring quilt. It has been in my family for years and slept under my most of my family, from my grandparents to my children. My kids even used it as a race track and ran their match box cars on it at my grandmother's house. It is getting thread bare and needs to be retired from use. I wanted to take pieces of it and frame them for my children and their families so they can enjoy looking at it and remembering our passed on family members. It carries so many memories for each of us. How can I frame it so it will be protected and where can I find frames to use? Has anyone ever had this done before? I want to frame it myself and add even more to it's memory. I want to put it under glass to keep out the dust.

Answer 1

Too bad the Amish grandmothers aren't using the internet to tell you what to do, eh? Here's what you do:

You will have to find an art supply, framing shop or a hobby shop in your area that sells supplies for framing. You can buy the supplies and do it yourself, or you can have a professional do it for you. (Expect to pay $200 to $300 to have it done for you; or half this to do it yourself).

The basics for framing a quilt portion are as follows: You will need to use what are called "archival framing materials." These usually include acid-free mat board and UV- (ultraviolet light, which causes fading) -filtering frame glass. Also, you will need a shadow box or a deep frame, deep enough so that the quilt piece doesn't touch the glass. In sum, you want to frame your quilt section in a shadow box or deep frame, using archival framing materials.

If you have been laundering your quilt throughout its history, you should launder it one last time before preparing the sections for framing. The best idea is to wash it in a front-loading machine, in lukewarm water, with plain, unscented soap or detergent (Woolite for instance), no fabric softener. Never dry-clean your quilts.

You will have to decide how much you will destroy your quilt in order to get a portion in a frame. You may need to re-hem the portion that you remove from the quilt, or you can use a framing border around the quilt section to hide the edges.

When your quilt sections are framed, they should be hung in a place without any bright or direct sunlight, as they will fade quickly if they are in bright light. Also keep the framed pieces from humidity to avoid mildew.

Find a frame shop to get more specific information for your quilt.

Answer 2

Depending on where you live (I'm in Miami)
But I used to work for Michael's arts & crafts stores I think they have a website too, I was a framer there last yr. & we did that all the time they do excellent work most times but depending on frame could get pricey but the assist w/all of the pricing ect. Or you could find another similar store that specializes in arts & crafts, any frame shop most will do it.
Good luck