Ask the experts

I had never liked the way my one-and-only quilt was hung on our bedroom wall.  The hanger showed.  The edges flopped down.  It was entirely unprofessional.

Given the walls now look so nice, I decided to consult the experts in everything to do with quilts.  But instead of just Googling “quilt hanging”, I sent e-mail messages to Rayna and Terry, people who have made many an award-winning quilt.  Within hours I had the answer -- pretty much the same from both of them:

“I  sew a sleeve to the back of my quilt, finished length about 1/2" shorter on each end than the size of the actual quilt.  Most venues ask for a 4" sleeve, which means cutting your fabric 9" and folding it in half to do the seam.  I hand-sew it to the quilt just below the facing on the back.  Then,  I go to Home Depot or wherever and buy a flat piece of wood (furring strip?)cut it to the length of the sleeve, put a screw eye into each end, put two nails in the wall at each end and hang it from the screw eyes.

Other people drill holes at each end of the wood strip; others use Lucite or aluminum strips instead of wood.  Terry may give you a different answer, but that's how I do it.  Whatever you do, don't hang it on a round rod that bulges. FLAT strip through that sleeve.”

After services today I went to Home Depot, where I actually found a somewhat knowledgeable English-speaking guy to help me.  He cut me a 5-foot piece of thin flat wood and then proceeded to give me his opinion about how I should hang my quilt.  I just politely said thank you and headed home with my piece of wood.



Tonight I followed the directions (as much as I ever follow directions) -- made the sleeve on the back of the quilt, got out my coping saw, power drill, and some nails.  I winced as I pounded nails into the freshly painted wall.

But when I popped the quilt (with wooden piece inserted) onto the nails, it made all the difference in the world.  Such an easy fix to something that had bothered me every time I looked at it.