I Was Framed!!

Sounds like Tessie....

Actually, I started the embroiderer's frame this morning.  Very simple.  four boards, four pegs and lots of carving and hole drilling.

Here's the pattern, if you would care to build one.

I started with the long bars.  My only tools were an Exacto knife and some emery boards.

When you are doing something with holes in it like this, it is safest to do the holes first and then the rest of the carving.  There is less chance of splitting the wood that way.  Always start with the cuts that go across the grain of the wood(stop cuts).  Then do the lengthwise cuts. After that was done, I sanded all of the pieces.

I didn't make it very fancy, because these frames weren't very fancy.  Anyway, most of the frame will be covered by fabric and stretcher ropes.

I needed pegs to hold the frame in place.  Thank heavens for fancy toothpicks.  I just cut the top off and then shaped the tips to a point.

I drilled holes every quarter of an inch  in the plain sections of wood. That is so that the depth of the frame can be adjusted.  It should be the depth of a worker's arm or the depth of two if there are two embroiderers working on the same piece from opposite sides. 

Next, I will build two sawhorses to go at one end of the frame and attach a shelf  on one wall of the house to hold the other end. 

Unfortunately, I am afraid that the only wall large enough is the wall by the door.  Otherwise, it is going to have to go upstairs.  I would rather have that as living quarters.

Tessie and Zar have ascertained that the frame should set at table height. That would be about 2 1/2". 

Now I need to get the saw horses built and stain everything.  The last step will be to stretch fabric on the frame.  I will show you how to do that tomorrow.

See you then.