Introduction

Hey everyone! I’ve recently decided to reopen my blog! I posted years ago about my first art fair and everything I learned from that experience but the whole blog venture quickly fell by the wayside. Lately I’ve been wanting to share some of the processes I use for framing, felting and organizing so I’m starting it up again and glad you’re checking it out! By the way, I’ve also added some updates to that very first post to let you know how things have changed since then, so feel free to check that one out if you’re interested.

For today I’d like to share the “float mounting” techniques I’ve been using to frame batches of small felted scenes. All the step-by-step information you need is provided below.

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what is a float mount and why use one?

What is a float mount?: Float mounting is a technique that brings your artwork front-and-center by creating the illusion of it floating within the frame. This effect is accomplished by attaching foam core to the back of the art to raise it off the surface of the mat behind. The foam is hidden by the art so it looks as if the piece is “floated” off of the backing.

Why use a float mount: Unlike traditional framing, float mounting allows the viewer's eyes to explore your artwork more deeply. The strategic use of spacing between the artwork and the frame provides a visual depth and dimension that draws the attention straight to the details and textures of your creation while letting the organic edges of your felt shine, displaying the complete textile!

choosing a frame/shadow box

What I chose: The first thing I needed to do was decide on a frame. In order to float artwork you need for the frame to have plenty of depth which makes shadow boxes a nice choice. These pieces are 6 to 7 inch squares so I decided that a 9 inch square frame or shadow box would be good, allowing an inch or so of breathing room between the art and the frame on all sides. I found an eight-pack of 9”x9” shadow boxes online and thought they’d do the trick. After working with them, I’ve decided I will continue to use them, but they did have some short-comings.

Cons: There was a little bit of puckering and bubbling of the fabric backing, especially where there were pins inserted in the front by the manufacturer. This wasn’t something I saw on every frame but the fact that it was an issue with more than one is worth noting. In addition, a couple of the backings had a bit of discoloration. I found that white chalk covered the spots and ultimately, they were areas which got covered by the artwork. In my case, so much of the backing is covered by the artwork that none of this was a major problem.

Pros: My favorite features are the built-in spacer and the fabric-lined back. I already knew that I wanted to remove the glass and the way this shadow box is built makes glass removal very easy. (You can, of course, opt to leave the glass in place but I’m a little picky about my glazing choices and only use museum quality products to avoid the glare created by the type of glass used in store-bought frames.) I find the overall look to be pleasing, especially for frames that come in around $13 each.

attaching the “float” to the back of the art

• Steam ironing: Before adding my float, I prepared my artwork. I started by giving the front of the art a nice steam press on the wool setting of my iron to smooth out any flyaway fibers.

• Adding interfacing: Once this was done, I added a fusible midweight interfacing to the back of my felt. Adding an interfacing gives the adhesives used in some of the following steps something to stick to and also adds some stability to the felt. I used pellon 931TD and this particular interfacing is acid-free which is great for framing artwork. If you try this product and like it, a lot of fabric stores sell it by the yard. I used a quilting ruler and rotary cutter to create squares about half an inch smaller than the size of my felt and ironed them onto the back of my felt squares. Keep in mind when ironing the interfacing that the fusible side (which is rough or shiny) is what goes against the felt.

Cutting foam core squares: Next I needed to add my foam core to the back of the felt to create my float. I purchased a 12-pack of 20”x30 foam board that is 3/16” thick and acid free. I decided to double the thickness of the foam core so the artwork floats more prominently and doesn’t catch shadows from the deep frame. One sheet of this product is enough foam for all eight of my frames when cut according to the diagram pictured below so this pack should last me awhile!

Attaching the first foam square: To secure the 5”x5” square to the back of my art, I used Yarn Tree Stitchery Tape for Framing . (UPDATE: This product became unavailable so I’ve tried something new, at a lower price point and find it very comparable. I went with the 1” wide option from AJ Sign World and am really liking it as a replacement so far. At the much lower price I doubt I’ll switch back.) I placed my felt face down on a clean, dry surface, added two strips of tape along the sides of my foam, peeled the paper backing from the tape and pressed my square firmly down onto the center of my felt. There was about one half inch to one inch of felt overhanging the foam on all sides ensuring the foam wouldn’t be visible behind my artwork.

Attaching the second foam square: To secure the 3”x5” foam square to the previous square I used 3M Scotch 924 ATG Tape . I use this product all the time and love it! You can spend a little more to get an acid-free variety but for holding two pieces of foam together this works great and gets wonderful reviews. I love that it has a rubber cement type quality to it and can be rubbed away if necessary. Apply two strips to the foam core and press into the middle of the previous piece.

Now that I had my float attached to my art, I prepped the float for framing by attaching two more strips of Stitchery Tape where the float would attach to the backing of my frame.

Preparing the frame: Next I opened the back of my frame by folding up the black tabs and pulling on the black tab to lift the backing out. If you opt to leave the glass in place you still may want to give the glass a cleaning at this point before sealing up your artwork. If you are removing the glass, carefully do so now.

CAUTION: Handle glass with care and precision. Wear protective gloves to prevent injury. To dispose of small glass safely, wear gloves and goggles. Wrap the glass in newspaper or bubble wrap, label it as "FRAGILE", and put it in a sturdy box. Seal it with packing tape. Contact your local waste management for specific instructions or a safe pickup. Dispose of the glass responsibly.

Attaching the float to the backing: Before attaching my art, I had to remove the product label from the fabric lined backing which was held in place by two sewing pins. (Hold onto these to use later.) Before I placed my art I made sure I knew the orientation of the hanging mechanism behind my backing so the top of my artwork would be correctly oriented. I then peeled the paper from the Stitchery Tape on the back of my floated art and slowly lowered the art onto my backing being careful to keep the artwork centered. Once I was sure the artwork was centered properly, I pressed down firmly to attach it to the backing. (Optional: For extra security I placed the pins through the top and bottom of my foam core at an angle into the backing itself so the piece wouldn’t move. See picture below.)

Sealing the frame: At this point it was time to bring it all together. I placed my spacer back into the frame and then carefully lowered the backing and artwork into place. After pressing all the black tabs back down into place it was time to step back and admire the finished product.

After completing all eight of my frames I can say I love how these turned out! I think I will probably go ahead and attach wire hangers along the backs for a more professional finish but other than that, they are ready to go!

I really hope that you’ve found this guide on how to float mount and frame your felted artwork useful and that you are feeling empowered to embark on this framing journey with confidence! These are techniques that will undoubtedly enhance the presentation of your creations, and by learning how to float mount, you have acquired a valuable skill that not only showcases your felted artwork in a visually stunning way but also provides a sense of sophistication and professionalism. Most importantly, this method allows the artwork to take center stage, which is what your artwork deserves!