Embroidered Sajou albums in cross stitch

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Accordion mounting of Sajou albums to embroider in cross stitch

In this article, discover how to easily assemble our Sajou albums embroidered on linen with gloving thread, using an elegant and simple accordion mount.
This technique can also be used for other small embroidery projects.

See the Sajou album cross stitch kits

What you will need
Our embroidery kits include:

• linen fabric and gloving thread for the embroidery
• a blue Sajou album and a chart to stitch the cover motif
• mounting boards: thick ones for the embroideries and thinner ones for the backs
• wadding and muslin
• a card of ribbon from the Comptoir Sajou Collection

Additionally, you will need:

• gummed kraft paper (generally sold in rolls) or strips cut from plain kraft paper
• a paint brush and white craft glue
• a ruler and a pair of scissors
• a bone folder (optional but recommended for a perfect finish)
• a clean cloth

Embroidering the cover and pages of the albums

Embroider in cross stitch over ONE THREAD of fabric, using the gloving thread as it is.
Start the embroidery for the album cover 6cm from the side and 4cm from the top. Leave a space of 6cm between each page..
Don’t forget to stitch the border frame around each page.

The number of stitches is roughly 80 high and 47 wide.
The original editions have slight differences from one page to another which have been conserved.

Watch the video on our YouTube channel

Preparing the elements for accordion assembly

Once the embroidery is finished, gently press the back with an iron, then cut the linen fabric in between each page. If the fabric has frayed slightly during stitching, do not hesitate to trim a few millimetres from the top and bottom.

For mounting the embroidery, use the thickest boards.
The thinner boards are for the back of the accordion.

Mounting the embroidery

You can click on the photos to enlarge them

• Layer the smaller piece of wadding, the larger piece of wadding, and the board. Turn over and place on the muslin.
• Apply glue around the edges of the board and on the part of the muslin that extends beyond the board.
• Fold all sides of the pattern fabric over the board and pinch the corners along the bisector.
• Trim the four small “horns” by placing your scissors flat against the board.
• As shown in the video, flatten the corners carefully with a bone folder, or with your fingers if you don't have one.

• Cut four small strips of gummed kraft paper to cover the edge of the board without overlapping. For a long-lasting finish, stick them in place with a little glue (dampening alone is usually not enough).
• Hold the piece up to a light source – a window, for example, to centre the embroidery over the board by transparency.
• Place everything flat on the table and stick the linen fabric in place in the same way as you did with the muslin, over the kraft strips.

Attaching the ribbons

• Arrange the embroidered pages in the correct order according to the album.
• Important: the cover page does not need ribbons on the left, and the last page does not have ribbons on the right.
• On each of the thinner boards, mark a guide line 5mm from the top and 5mm from the bottom.
• Lay the boards side by side, leaving a 1cm space between them.
• Cut small pieces of ribbon, each 4cm long.
• Glue a small piece of ribbon at the top and bottom on each marked line.
• Apply glue to each backing board and stick the corresponding embroidered page on top.
• Leave to dry for several hours under a weight, such as a heavy book. You can also use sewing pins, making sure to place one at each corner.

It’s done!

Read our article on the historical Sajou albums