I’m wearing out stretcher bars! I’m 25 days into the 2010 Bargello Challenge and I’ve got to change to a new set of 6″ bars. Luckily, I have several more sets in my needlepoint stash; so most likely, I will not run out of them. However, at this stitching rate, I’ll probably need 15 sets!
Here’s my dilemma. Every evening I stretch a 6″ piece of 18-mesh needlepoint canvas onto four 6″ wooden stretcher bars that have been assembled into a frame.
The brass tacks used to mount the needlepoint canvas make tiny holes in the wood. Each day, I vary the placement of the tacks so that the canvas remains taut; but it seems that after 25 days, there’s no unused space on the bars to insert the tacks, and one-by-one they come out as I am stitching! Quite frustrating, you know.
Any clever ideas about how I can extend the stitching life of my stretcher bars?
| I’ll wrap masking tape around the fully used stretcher bars. Hopefully this will trick the brass tacks into thinking they have an entirely new surface to attach to! |
Hello Julie,
Thank you so much for your donation to the 2010 Challenge. I sure can use the 6″ stretcher bars! I’ll send my address in a private email. Again, thanks so much! You’ve made my day! Althea
Dear Bargello Needlepoint,
I am truly enjoying your daily patterns. I have tried a few of few, but I have other projects on my schedule at this point.
I would like to make a donation to your challenge. Please email me privately with a snail mail address. I would be happy to send you 6″ stretcher bars. I have many sets, and am not comfortable using stretchers that small. They are just gathering dust (LOL) at my house.
Thank you.
Julie
Thanks. You inspire and encourage me by your interest! Happy Stitchin’ Bargello Needlepoint! Althea
Hello Margaret,
I’ve done that! The other side is just as filled with holes from the brass tacks. Talk about doubling the life of a set (smile)! Althea
That’s really funny. I’ve never heard (or conceived of) someone wearing out stretcher bars. I love all your samples. It’s so much fun to see a new one each day, and very inspiring.
Turn them over and use the other side; that would double the life of a set. Wouldn’t it?