I have a design that I did that's dimensions are 70x70 stitches I did on 14ct Aida . . . so if I did my math right it would make the finished design 5x5 inches. So I bought a frame with a 5x5 inch opening. BUT IT WON'T FIT! It's about 1/2 inch to big for the frame. I'd have to hide 1/4 inches on all sides to make it fit. That just doesn't seem right. Below is the project and I wanted the design to go right up to the edge of the frame so it looks like a stained glass window. I could frame it in what I've got but I'd lose the whole outside border and that makes it not seem right (plus it makes it hard to wrap the fabric around the backing with a couple rows of stitching in place).

So . . . I took my piece to Michaels to try it out on other frames and there was one labled 6x6 and that would have been a tight fit just to make it fit in the opening (but the wood coloring wasn't right). Either my math is wrong or a 5x5 inch aperature in a picture frame realy isn't 5x5 inches. I have a trivet I could put it in but it loses the whole stained-glass window effect if I do. Now I'm bummed.

Well you math is correct I am not sure about the frames though. Maybe you could ask a framer if when they measure they are talking about the OD or if they are talking ID.

I've noticed that too--if it says 8 by 10 the viewable area ends up 7.5 by 9.5 or so--it's really no fun to try and match up frames that way!!

I know what you mean, I got caught like that also. Now I carry a tape measure with me all the times and simply measure the inside so I know for sure it will fit.

Cheers
Jan

I think it may be a combination of two things -- although strictly speaking 70 stitches on 14ct aida should be 5 inches, I've found that as I stitch the fabric seems to "stretch", so that actually it often ends up a little bit larger than expected (and usually not "evenly" either -- it'll stretch more horizontally than vertically, or the other way round! *grrrr*).
And there's the "viewable area" thing, where you don't actually get the full width/height that it says on the frame.
Together that may have caused your problem.
I know that's not a solution but sometimes it helps to know WHY things don't work as you expected!!!!

I believe that the measurement on the frame is not the opening but to the edge where the picture sits, sorry I don't know how to explain it. But I believe it's because pictures are printed a certain size so the frame opening is just a tad smaller so that the picture sits firmly in the frame with no white showing. am I making any sense???

Yup. I've had trouble with frames in the past. Had a 6 x 6 cross-stitch that would not fit in a 6 x 6 mat opening...but I wasn't about to pay for custom framing/mat, so about 1/2 inch of the fabric is shown. Of course, it didn't really matter much since I wasn't going for a stained glass effect.
Might have to get it custom framed, unfortunately.
Or maybe add another row or two all around onto the cross-stitch to fit in the larger frame?