Many quilts are not complete without a hanging sleeve.  Wall quilts, obviously, but also any quilts that will be displayed in an exhibit, show or competition must be hung.  So far, in this series on quilt finishing steps, we have considered washing and blocking, binding, and quilt labels (in parts 1, 2, and 3).  This week will focus on preparing a quilt for hanging.

Small wall quilts can easily be hung without a sleeve.  Simply attach two plastic drapery rings to the back of the quilt in the top corners.  Hang the quilt from two hooks or nails in the wall.

While this method is quick and easy, I will caution you that the loops won’t hold the quilt flat against the wall and the quilt may sag over time.

A far better option is a fabric tube that extends from edge to edge along the top back edge of the quilt.  The sleeve can be fairly narrow for small quilts, with a finished width of 1 ½” to 2″.  However, a sleeve with a finished width of 4″ is more common and is often a requirement at quilt shows.

A 4″ finished sleeve begins with an 8 ½”-wide strip of fabric.  The length of the sleeve is determined by the width of the quilt.  I do not include the binding in this measurement.  Turn under ½” on each short end, turn under again, and sew in place.  This takes care of the raw edges on each end.

For the longest time, I folded this prepared strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together, pressed it, and centered it along the top edge of the quilt before adding the binding.  I basted it in the place and attached the binding as usual.  With this method, only one long edge and the two short ends had to be slip stitched in place by hand.

While this approach works fine for hanging and saves some time on handwork, it is not preferred by major quilt shows.  The American Quilter’s Society requires “some give in the sleeve on the quilt so the rod can slip over the hanging hook properly”.  The rules for entering the International Quilt Association’s annual show state that the sleeve “should include ¼” ease”.  Sewing the sleeve into the binding does not meet these requirements.

As a result, I now construct my hanging sleeve using Libby Lehman’s method, as documented on the IQA website.  The back of the sleeve lays flat against the quilt but the front bows out a bit, allowing enough give for a thick hanging rod.

If the quilt is wider than 40″, two or more strips may be joined together.  However, if the quilt is large or heavy, a split sleeve might be preferable.  This allows access to the hanging rod for extra support.  When making a split sleeve, finish the ends of each sleeve section and attach to the quilt in the usual manner.

Wherever possible, I like to use the backing fabric for the hanging sleeve so it blends in as much as possible.

Where it isn’t possible, such as with a backing fabric where pattern matching might be required, I try to choose a well coordinated fabric for the sleeve.