If you are like me, you have the most fun making blocks and assembling the quilt top. I like to do that and add creative borders as well. But once I am done with that, it’s on to the things that a lot of quilters don’t always put a lot of thought into. This includes hanging sleeves and labels. These are some things I’ve learned over the years not to forget. Let’s talk about those this week.
Hanging Sleeves
These are not required on wall hangings or larger quilts since there are many ways to hang a quilt. But if you want to hang a quilt and hide the item you are hanging it with, a hanging sleeve will come in handy. A hanging sleeves also helps to distribute the weight of the quilt evenly along the top and prevents stretching or distortion that can happen if you were to just fasten a quilt to a wall or a hanger in a few places.
Once the sleeve is there, you can use about any item to hang your quilt like curtain rods, wire quilt hangers and even yardsticks! Here’s some I have hanging:
Here are my steps to add a hanging sleeve to any quilt. I generally use a strip that is at least 2 1/2″ wide. The best tip I can share is to attach the hanging sleeve at the same time you attach the binding to the quilt top. You can see from the photo below that the top of the hanging sleeve is under the binding.
Step 1: Cut a strip of fabric 2 1/2″ wide and 2″ shorter than the top width of the wall hanging or larger quilt. The wall hanging in the photo above is 16″ wide, so I cut that strip 2 1/2 x 14″.
Step 2: Hem the short ends of the strip by folding in about 1/4″ on each side (towards the wrong side of the fabric) and stitching to secure. This keeps the ends of the hanging sleeve from fraying from use.
Step 3: Lay the strip on the back of the quilted item, right side up, aligning it with the top edge and pin in place. By doing this the top of the sleeve will be stitched to the back when you attach the binding to the front of the quilt (second photo below).
Step 4: Finally, turn under the bottom edge of the strip and pin in place so you can hand stitch this down at the same time you are hand stitching the binding to the back.
Now you have a hanging sleeve to help you display this quilt!
Quilt Labels
This is something many quilters in the past treated as an afterthought, including me. Over the years, I have recognized the importance of labeling a quilt. There have been too many quilts in books that say “quilt maker unknown”! I even have some older quilts inherited from family that have no label.
Labels of course tell us who made the quilt and when, but they can also tell us the “why”. People make quilts for all sorts of occasions from weddings to new babies or perhaps a graduation. You can use the label for historical purposes if you intend to keep a quilt in the family. You can also record the date the quilt was made, the fabrics you used and the quilting techniques. I’ve even printed poems on fabric and attached that to the back for the recipient.
How to attach the label? It can be attached partly when stitching on the binding, just like the hanging sleeve. I like doing this because it’s easier than stitching down all four sides and it adds a little extra security to the label. Here is an example of a fabric label attached on two sides while binding is attached:
Above left photo shows how the label, pinned in place on the lower corner of the quilt, is secured on the back as you machine stitch the binding on the front. The next photo shows as you hand stitch the binding on the back, the label is completely secured on those two sides. Finally, all you have to do is hand stitch the other two side. Once the label is attached, you can then write the information on it with a fine, permanent fabric pen. You can also use this method to attach pre-printed labels.
Another way to add labeling to your quilt is to write directly on the back, if you have a lighter backing fabric. I’ve done this (carefully!!) with some of my quilts. Use a fine, permanent fabric marker and make sure not to press down hard and cause any bleed through to the front of the quilt.
Journaling
This is not required, but it’s a fun thing I have started to do. You can keep a journal of your quilts, especially ones you give away, to add even more information about it that didn’t fit on the label. Use any type of notebook you like:
In this journal, you can put a photo of the finished quilt and also note fabrics used, size of the quilt and even your inspiration! You can even affix scraps of the fabric you used for the quilt.
So now you are ready to display or give away that quilt! It’s labeled, journaled and ready to hang. What are some things you do with the quilts you keep or give away for finishing touches?
Happy Quilting!
Deanne
Wished I had started a journal when I began making quilts. Guess it’s never too late to start.
Another way to hang items I’ve used is using command strips. If you’re changing out items for each season, it’s quick.
Good idea using command strips.As long as you use enough of them for the size of the quilt to distribute the weight as it hangs it will work!
Like the journal idea, never really thought about that!
Because I love wool applique, I like to affix some sort of wool pattern from the front (a flower for example) and write the information on the flower center, stem and leaves with stitches.
That sounds like it makes a really pretty label!
Also a big proponent of labeling! With regards to writing on the back, if your backing is dark (or a busy print) you can also piece a light square or strip into the back to write in the label after the quilting is done. Related to your (later) scrap posts: a label is another great place to use your scraps or orphan blocks. I too keep quilt journals and make scrappy quilted covers for them as another way to challenge myself to make creative use of scraps.
Great tips!