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I'm continually baffled to find so many CCS motifs that finish to a size incompatible with standard sized frames. It's often so close to a standard size, but just a bit over-sized. Is there any explanation for this? I would think that a creative designer could tweak a chart to better fit a frame. TFL!

Definitely understand this one!! I have wondered about that for years--it can be quite frustrating at times!!

I suppose it depends a bit on what the designer thinks people will do with it; she (or he, of course) may have had a cushion in mind rather than a frame - or if she's anything like me, not really thought of it at all....

To some extent a design is what it is, and the designer will have created it the way it is because that seemed right to her/him; to add the requirement that your designs have to fit particular frame sizes just adds and extra complication to a process that is not always easy to begin with.

However, there is nothing to stop stitchers from doing a little creative re-designing themselves to make it fit the exact frame you have in mind - once you've purchased the chart or kit you can stitch it whichever way you like!

I wondered about that too. I think it makes sense that a designer might have a specific size in mind because they tried to keep it closest to the original work as possible (if it was previously a work of art) and you want to keep it from being distorted in the end. If I decide to frame it (usually I don't) I try to make it fit into a "normal" sized frame by matting it.

Re: Design sizes

I always use mats when framing. You can make non-standard size stitchwork fit in a standard-size frame with mats. I think I might be a bit annoyed if a design started with frame-size constraints. The designer can't possible know what I plan to do with the finished piece.

You can always adjust the size of the design by changing the count of the fabric on which you stitch it. For example, a design that is 144 stitches x 180 stitches would be roughly 10 inches x 13 inches on 14-count fabric, but if you stitched it on 18-count it would be 8x10. If you start by thinking what you want the finished size to be, you can pick a fabric count that will get you there (or at least close to it).