Do you put your stretcher bars on the front of the canvas (on top) or on the back of the canvas (on bottom).
Like most stitchers I know I put the bars on the back of the canvas. I have tried the other way but didn’t like it much.
Vicki DeAngelis is trying bars on top on her project, a idea she got from Susan Portra. Vicki writes, “So you ask why I am stitching in “the ditch” or in “the well?” It’s not my first choice mounting the canvas that way, but taking it with Susan Portra, that is her preference. Her reasoning is #1 with the bars on top, it keeps your hands off your work and #2 when you turn your canvas over to end your threads, it keeps the stitches from being rubbed against the table! Plus I will be doing a fair amount of beading coming up and I do like the bars that way when beading!”
Which do you do?
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
My criteria for deciding about top or bottom canvas on stretcher bars is made by the size of the design and the overall size of my canvas – if the design goes close to the edge of the canvas I put the stretcher bars on the top of the canvas – if I have at least 2 inches or more surrounding my design I put the stretcher bars on the back of my canvas.