Shuttleworks' adjustable, stainless steel silk painting stretcher frame is now available.

All you need to do is add wood! We recommend Fir as it is typically straight grained and strong. The Shuttleworks' frame set is adjustable, portable and made in Canada. This kit is easily assembled and can be set on a table using the built-in 2" high legs or you can add legs to raise your work to a more comfortable working height, slope your frame by using just two legs or you can even add longer legs and dispense with the table altogether. Another benefit of the legs is that your fabric will clear the table if it sags a bit.

This frame has been designed to use wood rails so that either Assa pins or suspension claws can be used to hold your fabric taut - a major advantage of using wood, as compared to plastic or metal rails. And, if your wood rails get stained or warp over time you can replace them as required. Another design feature is the use of stainless steel in fabricating the corner brackets - they won't rust, they are strong and will last a lifetime.

About the wood rails, they can be as long as you like and can be made from most types of wood, preferably with a reasonably straight grain. You can source them through a lumber yard or get someone with a table saw to rip you a few pieces.

Depending on how fussy you are, the rails can be a snug fit or a loose fit as the screws will lock them in place. If you are using a harder wood such a fir you might want to drill small pilot holes before putting the screws in, to avoid splitting the wood.

The image on the left shows how Assa pins and suspension claws along with elastic bands can be used to hold your silk fabric or scarf to the stretcher frame.

The four short legs raise the work surface to a more comfortable height when standing at the work table.

The two rails leaning against the frame are extras to be used to make the frame wider or longer. A five minute job at most.

Or if you prefer to work on a sloped frame just remove the two back legs - remember liquids run down hill so you might need to use a thickener or just let gravity help distribute the color.

Assa pins and suspension claws are available at Shuttleworks.

You can see that the frame easily supports my weight. The strength of the frame is due to the design and materials used.

Hey, you could also use your stretcher frame as a coffee table when its not being used for silk painting by adding a wood or glass top.

Dyes and Chemicals . . .

Chromacolour Silk Dyes . . .

Silk Fabric and Scarves . . .