Meyers Collaboration X

Clearly there's some tomfoolery going on here. Or is it teddy-foolery for this turkey with inflated vest, spectacle and oversized pocket watch is a bit reminiscent of President Teddy Roosevelt, well noted, you know, for his bullying, braggadocio and bluster. But note the red tie: did Teddy wear those? Of course, this turkey is really a pilgrim, and all these references are likely connected. Anyway, quite a neat bird, a lovely product of Sara's craftsmanship, a perfect complement to our Thanksgiving celebrations.

As before the word collaboration is used loosely as the handmade frame of oak takes so little time to construct compared to the exquisite needlepoint stitching. I did, however, help out in one other way: spending near an hour going through dozens of bins at Ace Hardware until I found the exactly sized set of washers which compose all the circular forms here, each then painstakingly wrapped with thread.  The gold chain was found in a flea market in Sierra Vista.

Meyers Collaboration IX

As with all our previous collaborations, in which my wife Sara does the needlepoint, and I make a custom frame, 98% of the labor is hers and about 2% mine.  We are particularly fond if this particular piece for its lovely colors and simple symbolic elements.  Take the heart to symbolize our love for one another rather than a heart perched over a handlebar moustache symbolizing my love for cycling.

I finally abandoned using biscuits to secure the miters in small frames as they inevitably interfere with the rabbet cut for the glass and mat.  Discreet brads secure the corners instead in the black walnut frame.

This beautiful work is photographed with the glass intact, the reduction in reflectivity due to the use of non-glare glass, something we should have used all along.

Meyers Collaboration VIII - Framed Needlepoint

Marriage is often described as compromise, but why not collaboration? Our husband and wife collaborations of needlepoint and woodworking allow us to labor quite easily together without getting into one an other's hair. In this eighth collaboration it was necessary to turn the typical flat 2” cherry molding sideways in order to keep the overall frame size down due to location space constraints. In order to add interest to the perimeter two 1/4” square black walnut strips were embedded into the cherry. If any future refinisher wants to sand down this frame they will certainly never go through such so-to-speak veneer:

We are currently using a somewhat unconventional method of matting needlepoint. Our first collaboration, however, was mounted in the typical fashion of stretching the needlepoint canvas over a Masonite board with heavy thread. Frankly we found this very difficult and required extreme care not to distort the canvas. Since then, we have developed this cheating method which is much easier:

1. A sheet of thin cotton batting is attached to a piece of mat board, the same dimensions as the exterior of the cut mat board, using spray adhesive.
2. The canvas is then “stretched” flat over the cotton batting using one's palms. Interestingly the cotton acts as a type of weak Velcro and adheres to the canvas keeping it in position. Also, the white color is an excellent background for visible holes in the canvas.  Furthermore, the thickness of the batting (about 1/8") prevents knots behind the canvas from telegraphing to the front.
3. Lastly a couple of continuous strips of double-stick tape are attached to all sides of the back of the cut mat, which is then placed carefully in position, centering the art piece exactly in the cut hole.

In none of our pieces using this method has the needlepoint slipped out of place or sagged. No promises, though, as to how long this will last.  Stretching with thread is still probably better.

I continue to be impressed by the enormous number of hours stitching a piece such as this still life demands. All things considered the extra detail inlaying black walnut into the frame may have raised the proportion of my work for one of these collaborations from the usual 2% to maybe 3%.

Notes: As usual the mat was expertly cut at Sarnoff Art Supplies & Framing in Tucson.  The glass was removed for the purpose of photography without reflections.  The frame is finished with multiple coats of  Waterlox Sealer Finish.

Meyers Collaboration VII -- Framed Needlepoint

This is the seventh collaboration between my wife Sara Meyers and myself in which she stitches the needlepoint work, and I build the frame. As mentioned in previous posts about these pieces the use of the term collaboration is really a misnomer as 98% - 99% of the work rests in the stitching, a rather rigorous art requiring the difficult friendship of patience and concentration.  I am simply amazed by her beautiful work. The heart shape, however, provided a significant challenge to matting.  We checked at least four commercial frame shops in Tucson, and none were able to cut the inner mat precisely to the shape of the heart, though the outer mat was nicely cut, as always, by Jinou Naval at Sarnoff Custom Framing. Our friend Nathan Benson took up the challenge, and through a time-consuming and considerable sequence of image transfers and manipulations he was able to program his laser engraver to cut the inner mat very close to the perimeter of the heart. Sara then added a background continental stitch of gray thread around the silver heart perimeter to fill the small remaining gap and cover the raw canvas. Nathan was also able to add the nice touch of a subtle and delicate "signature" and date to Sara's piece:

Several combinations of speed and power proved unable to eliminate laser scorching of the paper, though 50% power did work better.  The edge of the mat was completely Cajun and brown flares radiated onto the surface.  This is not surprising considering the low ignition point of paper, Fahrenheit 451 if I recall, a number we might keep in mind.  Interestingly, about 90% of the surface scorching could be removed with a simple white eraser which did not alter at all the texture or sheen of the mat board (also obtained from Sarnoff).  When it came to removing the charred surface on the mat's cut edge 180 grit sandpaper worked very well.  The image below shows the mat board prior to removal of the scorching:

Meyers Collaboration VI

Now each of the grandchildren has their own needlepoint by Sara Meyers, most of which appear in past posts.  This collaboration runs a similar 98/2 ratio, needlepoint/woodwork, though my work has more "weight."

Meyers Collaboration V

This is the fifth of a series of framed needlepoints.  The stitching, which represents 99% of the work, was accomplished by my wife Sara.  My simple cherry frame is edged with a round over and small fillet.  The piece was made in honor of the birth of our granddaughter Hazel, though it does not mean we expect her to be counting sheep in order to fall asleep.

Meyers Collaboration II

Meyers Collaboration I

The needlepoint sampler by Sara Meyers was facilitated by materials and studies at the West in Tucson.  The piece is stretched over 1/4" masonite.  The frame is made with cutoffs from the upcoming "Hungarian Sideboard with Razor-Thin Light Box."  The matting was expertly crafted by Mia Schneider at Photographic Works in Tucson.  The glass does not touch the thread and was salvaged from discarded storm windows, though remarkably scratch-free.  Mia managed somehow to fit the entire assembly into the 3/4" thickness of the cherry.