Haptic Lab

How to Hang A Quilt

How to Hang A Quilt

Displaying a quilt as a wall hanging is easy: you'll need basic sewing skills, a sewing machine and use of a "blind stitch". Here's a quick tutorial from the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Amy's post at "Amy a la Mode". 

    • Measure the width of the quilt, near the top of how you plan on hanging the project.  To make a hanging sleeve, sew a 6" wide strip of fabric together just short of the quilt width - turn inside/out, and press flat with a warm iron. Attach the hanging sleeve to the back of the quilt using a blind stitch, about 1" from the top. You're essentially appliqueing the sleeve to the quilt - DO NOT stitch all the way through the project.
    • For the hanging bar, I suggest using a piece of pine or poplar approximately 3/8" thick x 2" wide; cut the bar to the length of your sleeve. Make sure that piece of wood is straight! Wood gets a little wiggly when the cross-section is this thin, so be sure to eyeball it at the hardware store.
    • Attach two eyelet screws to the ends of the hanging bar, making sure they extend beyond the edges of the hanging sleeve but NOT the edges of the quilt itself. 
    • Mark the two hanging points on the wall where your quilt will hang, using a level and the hanging bar. Put in two nails and suspend your quilt. 

    Do not hang your quilt in an area the receives direct sunlight; UV light damages natural fibers very quickly and you don't want your quilt to fade. If you need help creating a hanging sleeve, take your quilt to a local quilt shop - Haptic Lab does not offer this service a la carte, but almost every quilt shop does. 

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