My FIRST WH is finished. It is important. It is beautiful. It needs a hanging sleeve. NOT just something to temporarily use for a quilt show and then go on display on a bed to be hugging and loved. This one goes up on a wall for always. How do I prepare my creation for wall hanging so that the recipient ( who's probably clueless about such things) can hang it ( and we both will be happy)? Decades ago, I stitched silver dollars in the hem tail corners of a drum major coat to force them to always return to straight and orderly. Probably would have to sell a hawg and a dozen gators to do that again. What do you suggest? Polly
So far as the sleeve if you can consult with the recipient that would be awesome. Nothing irks like carefully sewing a full sleeve across the back only to find they would have preferred loops or the like. If you cannot do that, then think of her curtains. If she has runners or those hooked kinds, then do a full sleeve on the back, if she has cafe rings or tab tops then match that. Those are a lot easier to do on a WH than on curtains. She will most likely be delighted however you do.
So far as weights I am particular fond of a bit of chain basted onto the bottom in back. Comes off easy for washing, and goes back on easy. In fact I do that for certain styles of jackets and skirts (as per retro Dior). You want to get fancy and solve both conundrums at once, set Mr. Esther to putting some hardware store finials on a couple of lengths of dowel, then stitch down a tube of fabric at top and bottom (on the ends or in the back, your choice), slip the fancified dowels in and you will have made a scroll. Thus providing a weight and a hanger in one coordinated swoop. Just make sure he only glues one end of the dowel, I mention this because Mr. NightMist would very likely do just that.
Just read Nightmist's excellent advice. You say your recipient is probably clueless, so your job is to make it easy for her. The actual sleeve is simple: long rectangle, 5-6" wide, finish the short ends so it measures about 2" shorter than the top width of the quilt. Fold in half and bury the raw edge underneath the binding. If you have already sewn on the binding, you can stitch a long tube, press so the seam is NOT on the folded edge, and simply machine stitch right up next to the binding. It will be nearly invisible. But you still probably have to stitch down the bottom edge of the sleeve, making sure it doesn't lie completely flat. You need some room for the rod. Do the same on the bottom edge. (Is it possible to hang the quilt either end up?)
For a small piece,I like to use the expandable cafe curtain rods, if it's possible to put the 2 little hooks in the wall. The ends of the rod should be hidden behind the quilt. You could then put a chain weight in the bottom sleeve, or use a 2nd rod to hold it flat. For a big piece, it's sometimes useful to make the sleeve in 2 sections with a gap in the middle. This lets you add another support for the rod.
Instead of using a round dowel for a big piece, consider a flat wooden... what's it called? About 3/8" thick and maybe 1 1/4" wide. Have the hardware guy cut it just slightly shorter than the width of the quilt and drill a hole about an inch in from each end. Then you can run invisible fishing line through one end, up across 2 hanging screws placed (the same width apart) right up under the ceiling molding, and down through the other end, tie off firmly. Easy to adjust the position up and down with this method. Roberta in D
How I wish that I could scoop up all of our rctq precious friends over at that other place and pat them back right here. Once again, I am pleased and blessed by your answers and help, and like Bobbie - I'm glad I asked the question. The answers were wonderful. Polly
Oh good grief. ALL we wanted was some plain thin flat boards to slide in the top and bottom triangles of the WH. Went to the DIY. We could have plastic, styrofoam, carved, caved, Gothic, primitive ... but plain, thin, flat strips of wood? Got to be highly tenacious and hell-bent to find those. Failed. The strips we have are a mite curvedy on one side but will work okay. Have you all noticed how very complicated the very simplest project can become? Polly
InspirePoint website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.