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show your stitches

While many quilters snuggle under their quilts, some quilts are either too personal or too precious to use. Smaller pieces, created as art, deserve to be seen too. Here are two methods for displaying precious quilts.

Hanging large quilts:
By stitching a sleeve onto the back of the quilt, you can hang it from a curtain rod without damaging it.

Gather:

• Cloth measuring tape
• Curtain rods
• Sturdy fabric, like sheeting or muslin
• Sewing needles
• Straight pins
• Threads

1. Measure your quilt and buy a decorative curtain rod that’s a few inches wider than the quilt. Consider rods with decorative finials that match the quilt’s style. Measure the circumference of the rod.

2. Create a sleeve for the curtain rod.

• Cut a wide piece of sturdy sheeting or muslin equal to the circumference of the rod, plus about 2” more. The width of the sheeting should be equal to the width of the quilt you’ll hang on it.
• Machine or hand-stitch the sleeve and press it flat.

3. Measure and measure again.

• Pin the quilt to the sleeve, leaving about ½ inch of space from the side and top of the quilt.
• Slip the rod through the sleeve and check that it fits correctly, without bunching or binding. Adjust as necessary.

4. Final attachment

• Hand-sew the sleeve to the quilt, making sure you don’t stitch through the face of the quilt. Use a strong or doubled thread and a strong stitch.
• Slip the rod through the sleeve and check that the quilt hangs evenly.
• Mount the rod brackets on your display wall and install the rod on the brackets.

Displaying smaller quilts in a frame:

1. Select a frame that is big enough for the quilt plus the mat it will be mounted on. Make sure the frame has a ½ inch deep rabbet, the recessed space in the back where the glass and mat are set.

2. Cut acid-free mat, foam core and glass to size.

• Select a mat color that compliments your quilt.
• Consider non-glare glass.

3. Affix the quilt to the mat

• Center the quilt on the mat and mark a line on the mat about ¼ inch in from the outside edges of the quilt.
• Use a large needle to make holes about 1 inch apart all along the line on the mat.
• Using 100% cotton thread, stitch through the mat and catch the back binding of the quilt, returning the needle through the same hole.
• Continue all around the quilt.
• Tie thread ends together or tape them to the back of the mat.

4. Finish your framing

• To keep the quilt from touching the glass of the frame, add spacers between the mat and the glass.
• Add foam core behind the mat and secure it all with small framing nails.
• Glue acid-free paper to the back to seal the frame.

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