Put stitchers together and you will always have controversy about whether to use glass or not. I am an agnostic on the subject, sometimes I frame with glass, sometimes I don’t. I’m this way about all framed art, not just my needlepoint so I guess I come by it honestly.
There is one thing I’m pretty adamant about when using glass — it needs to be museum glass. This glass (actually often acrylic these days) has a coating on it to make it non-reflective and protects the piece from light damage from the sun.
I recently rehung some needlepoint so I have four pictures in a column. Two don’t have glass, two do. One of the ones framed with glass uses museum glass while one does not. You can see the difference from across the room.
If you want to see what damage light can do to your needlework, take a look at this article from Winterthur.
I think I have become a convert!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Renee Wilmeth says
Many years ago, my mother was told by a reputable framer never to use glass on needlepoint if the mounting didn’t allow moisture to escape. He said glass can trap moisture which over time can cause rot. (Then I noticed that years later, he framed for her two antique canvases of my grandmothers with, yup, glass.) However, a) it was museum glass and b) he mounted the canvases using a strange looking mount that keeps the backs open.
Janet M Perry says
That’s one way to solve the moisture problem. Other ways are to use multiple mats, shadow boxes, or spacers to put air between the needlework and the glass.
Keep stitching,
Janet