Using velvet

[Mick Walker]

I have always used 1/8" luan plywood stained or painted as a backer for my portrait or scenery cuttings. I am working on Jeff Zaffino's "Fishing the Dawn" two loons on the water and would like to use black velvet as a backer. Would like some ideas as to how to attach it to my backer board and would I glue the cutting to the velvet? I don't intend to cover it with glass.
Mick Delta P-20

[Marsha]

Mick, I use felt when I line the drawers of my chess boxes, I think velvet would work the same way. I use spray adhesive to glue the felt in, I spray the adhesive on the wood not on the fabric. I would also use the adhesive for gluing the fretwork to the backer board, but spray the wood not the fabric.
Just my $.02 worth
Marsha

[Mick Walker]

Marsha, thank you for the quick reply.
Now I will reveal my secret as to how to make a ¢ sign. Hold the Alt button and 0162 you will get a ¢, if you want a degree sign you hold the Alt button and 0176 and you get °. Just my 2¢ worth.
Mick.

[Eric]

I would glue it like Marsha too, but I would glue the velvet to to its own board if it is going in a frame . Therefore you could always change the background if it did not fit the room. I would not put a glass in the frame as I would not want the glass to stick on the finish of the wood. If you want to put a glass in front go to a place that sells frames and pick up spacers so the cutting is not directly on the glass.

Eric

[Jim8Mad]

I agree with Marsha on attaching your backer of choice to the board. The only difference is I like to spray the board and the backside of the felt for a stronger hold. I then spray the backside of the project, let it set for about 30 seconds, then spray it again just before attaching it to the backer board. I prefer to spray twice rather than use one heavy coat because I'm sort of clumsy and sometimes slide it around and smear the glue onto the felt between the frets.

You can also experiment with different materials. I haven't used velvet before, but it sounds interesting. I have used felt, fun foam, tissue paper, plain printer paper (if I want a white background), and even spray paint on the backerboard. They all work fine, and I've only had one project come apart as the backer board started to warp over time. It was already framed so I just put some wood glue in the area around the backer board and the frame and clamped them until dry. I also put in a few glazing clips into the back just in case the glue gave way again.

Now that you got me thinking of using velvet I'm going to have to make that Elvis portrait I've been putting off.

[ChuckD]

What I use for backings that look like velvet is the felt sheets that sell at Wal-mart for arounf 22 cents (the alt and numbers don't work for me.) And I always use glass in my frames. It seems like folks like to touch things and it is a lot easier to take fingerprints off glass rather than your project and then there is dust. Dust is very had to get off anything that is back there including a black painted board. As far as the glass sticking to the project I can't see any reason why it would have to be taken apart. I usually use dark colors or colors that go with the picture, not what fits the decor of the room.
Just a Thought

[sheltiecarver]

I was looking at the using suede cloth from Joanne's - I suspect it would be treated the same. I thought it might give a sort of Western flavor to the cutting. Then again, it may look a lot like felt, since it is in the background shadows.
Sandy
alt 162=ó
alt 176=░
There must be some other factors at work here.

[Jediscroller]

I've used Aleene's tacky glue in the brown bottle with good results on velvet.

[Sawduster]

I use felt squares like Chuck D and glue them directly to the backer that comes with the frame. I spray the backer, not the felt and then trim the excess when it is dry ...... ¢ ¢ Hey it worked !

[Rolf]

If you are spraying glue directly to the back of the wood what keeps the glue from getting into all of the frets? I put flat black matt board behind my projects. If I would use velvet I would put it on a separate backer board.

Even using Ailenes how do you control where it goes.?

[Jediscroller]

Even using Ailenes how do you control where it goes.?

Rolf,
I use a small glue brush and put it where I want it. Not sure I understand your question? Aleene's isn't a spray, it has a small tip and is very easy to control.

[Marsha]

Thanks Mick,
I thought there was some way to do that, just didn't know how.
ALT0162= ¢ works for me.

Now back to the glue.
The spray adhesive on the back of the fabric should not penetrate to the front of the fabric and leave a mark, especially on velvet, like Aileen's tacky glue will, also it is very difficult to get the Aileen's smooth, so as not to create lumps under your fabric. When using Aileen's on the back of the fret piece you would need to stay away from the edges, because Aileen's will ooze when you press the fret piece down on the fabric and again this will damage the velvet. The spray adhesive in the frets will not show, unless it is sprayed on too thick and gets runney.
I ruined the covers of a photo album I made for a customer by using Aileen's tacky glue to adhere fabric to the inside of the front and back covers.
Again just my 2¢ worth. (this is great, life really is one learning experience after another)
Marsha

[Rolf]

Jedi,

Marsha expresed my concerns about the Aileens. To me nothing is worse than exposed glue squeeze out. It can take a beautiful piece of work and turn it into something I won't mention. I just had it happen on something I spent a lot of time and effort on and I was too generous with the glue.
Fortunately I was able to repair it.

[ChuckD]

Alt 0162 still nothing
When I ever feel it is neseccary to glue the fabric to the project I use Aileens. I put just a dab on places where the cuts are not. If you are puting a project, glass, fabric and the backer into a frame it is going to be tight and I have never had fabric slip or wrinkle even inside the frame.

[minowevie]

I have always used 1/8" luan plywood stained or painted as a backer for my portrait or scenery cuttings. I am working on Jeff Zaffino's "Fishing the Dawn" two loons on the water and would like to use black velvet as a backer. Would like some ideas as to how to attach it to my backer board and would I glue the cutting to the velvet? I don't intend to cover it with glass.
Mick Delta P-20

Mick. velvet is so observant. and it has lots of little hairs on the face of the fabrick. also it is streichie. and frays alot. it is a big dust collecter. and I dont' know if i would use it in a fretwork, without a fraimed glass front. the dust will just get in all those litte places. also if you just glue your potrait on the face of the velvet. it will stand out some. and there is a chance the glue will show. flowting on the velvet. so. this is a old trick. put your velvet in a stritch frame. the size of your work, but bigger than your work and the fraim. then. before you glue it on your backor board. sprits it with some water. on the face of the fabric. put it on the back side of you project. make sure you have some soled fowndation behind your cut work. and take a iron. and steam or iron the fabric over your fretwork. just for a couple seconds. then you have embosed the velvet. with the pattern. leaving the furry stuff untouched. being in a fraim. the velvet is now embosed. ready for glueing. with a flat surface to glue too. glue your fret work to the velvet. on a hard surface. with some weights. like a piece of plywood covering the whole thing. use some sand,or water, filled milk bottales,or jars, or what ever to cover the whole thing. and let it glue up. then after it has dryed. take the whole thing to your backer board, still in the tight fraim and glue it to your backer board. with some spray addheasive. acid free. and wheigh it down again. now every thing is together. then take the fraim off, and fraim it like you wish. whooooooo. hopes this helped Evie