The glass you choose when you are having your needlework project framed is perhaps the most important and easiest decision to make. There are basically three choices.
Regular Glass
This glass is clear, but reflects lights, windows and even reflections of someone standing in front of it. It usually has no UV protection; however some frame shops do offer the choice of regular glass with UV protection.
Non-Glare Glass
Non-glare glass has a frosted look with very little glare. It should only be used if you want a very soft look – perhaps not the best choice for needlework.
Anti-Reflection/Glare Glass
This glass cuts UV light and helps protect your needlework piece from fading. It has almost no reflection at all.
Masterpiece or Museum Glass
This is the top of the line in glass. It cuts the glare so there is very little to no reflection, and it also has UV protection to protect the needlework piece through the glass. This glass is the clearest, best framing glass available. It brings the most important things more clearly into view.
There, of course, is a difference in price between these glass choices – regular glass being the cheapest and masterpiece/museum glass being the most expensive. We put a lot of love and time into every piece we stitch, so we should choose carefully how we want it to look after it is framed. We have used all the above types of glass for our various projects (except for the non-glare glass) and were blown away with the masterpiece/museum glass. It makes cross stitch pieces look absolutely beautiful – they take on a life of their own.
We have had several pieces framed at Michaels and have been very pleased with the work they do and the frame and matting choices they have. They also have very knowledgeable personnel to assist you. Custom framing can be expensive, but Michaels has wonderful coupons (up to 60% off everything!), so when your project is ready to go to the frame shop, start watching the Michaels flyers for their framing coupons. If you don’t get the Michaels flyers with your newspaper, go to their website and sign up for email alerts on their specials.
We have no affiliation whatsoever with Michaels – we just think they provide wonderful quality, value and service.