Rod Pocket

I hope I followed your reasoning! (I'm not firing on all cylinders today

- so far!).

I usually only use a quarter inch binding (or smaller for minis). So, I never sew my hanging sleeve on with the binding, because I do not want to run any risk that it might show on the front. (I also quite often use a facing rather than a binding).

I'll tell you what I do, in case you want to try, but it is a bit more labour-intensive than most people like to do!

I finish the quilt completely, including the binding. Then I make the hanging sleeve: (I use 8.5" because where I hang them the people like to have a 4" space). I fold in the ends as you have described (I always sew these down with one of the decorative stitches!). Then putting wrong sides together I sew the joining seam the full length, and press it open. This means that the inside of the sleeve does not have any seam allowance bits to get in the way of the hanging rod as it is pushed through.

I fold the sleeve so that the seam is half way up the back, and hand sew the top about half an inch below the sewn-down binding edge. Then I re-position the sleeve so that its top edge runs along the sewn-down binding edge. I press this and pin it. Then I hand sew the lower edge into place. This is what gives the little bit of space to enable the rod to get through. .

In message , Dannielle writes

I've done both, Dannielle, depending on whether I think the seam allowance of the hanging sleeve will cause a lumpy problem in the quilt binding or not. One thing to consider, though, is that the actual rod going through the sleeve needs some "space". Because that can cause an unsightly lump in your hung quilt, I usually baste a 1/4" tuck along the width of the entire sleeve before sewing the two raw edges into the binding (or together in a seam). Go ahead and sew on the sleeve as usual and then remove the basting. The ease created should help to let the quilt hang smoothly. :)

My vote is with Sandy. I like to create a small pleat so the rod can be accommodated without making a lump in the front of the quilt- then I stitch it in place with the binding. I make my pockets the full width of the quilt in length, cut it in half and turn both ends under- about 1/4 in. the first turn and about 1/2 in. in the second turn and stitch the turn under in place. Then it stitch each rod pocket from the edge of the binding towards the center. This will create a space of about 2 in. in the center of the quilt with no rod pocket. That's enough to hang on a nail or whatever and a bit of room to adjust it to keep the quilt hanging level.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Here's a link to the directions that Minnesota Quilt Show exhibitors are asked to use:

Julia > Ok guys, I am seeing rod pockets being sewn into the binding and sewn

In case you care, I do it the same way as Pat on the Hill. It is good to have that little 'extra' to accommodate the rod. This is a time-honored method for an attractive and functional sleeve for show and other displays.

I'd like to add that if I have to piece the sleeve to get required length, I finish the raw edges of that seam by stitching with decorative stitching so that the edges are not flapping inside the sleeve, just waiting to cause some ruckus when the rod is inserted!

Pat in Virginia

Thank you so much for all of your replies! I wasn't quite getting the whole "tuck" thing until I read the website that Julia posted. Now I understand! I've always done bed quilt type stuff (never anything for the wall), and I have two students turning their pieces into wall hangings! Now I can help them accomplish that with real information!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dannielle