Hi everyone!
I was thinking about what to talk about in my weekly blog post when I thought about how I display quilts around my house. I decided it would be fun to show you what I do with mine. Maybe it will give you some ideas. Some are folded over chairs, some displayed with antiques while others are folded across the end of a bed. However you choose to display quilts, they make a beautiful addition to your decor.
First, there’s the general across the bed display that we all do:
Pretty …. but everyone does this! So you can kick it up a notch by draping a quilt over a chair or banister like the two below.
If you are a regular reader of my blog posts, you know I love to combine my quilts and antiques. These old family quilts below are displayed on a ladder (wood sealed so they will not be damaged). I put brackets on the wall, hung the ladder from the brackets and then hung the quilts. Easy!
Next up are three other displays in my house.
I found and old box that legs were added to. I love to collect old boxes so this one jumped out at me when I went “junking”. I rolled the quilts and set them inside the box for a fun display.
To display a mini wall hanging, I took an old drawer, drilled holes in the sides to feed a dowel through and hung the small quilt on the dowel. It makes a really cute decoration.
Finally, I found an old drying rack and a wood towel bar when I was hunting through an antique shop. The drying rack leaning against a wall makes a perfect place to drape a few quilts.
And the towel rack on the wall is another fun way to display a quilt!
I also like hanging the quilts on the wall. I use quilt hangers made for wall hangings. But if I do not have a hanger that fits a quilt, I also like to use curtain rods. All you need is a sleeve stitched to the back of the quilt and you’re all set!
Some tips to keep these quilts in good shape.
- Display them out of direct sunlight to prevent fading
- If the quilt is folded or rolled for the display, unfold or unroll them periodically and refold them another way. This will prevent creasing the quilts in one place.
- Use a soft brush attachment on your vacuum to carefully brush off dust, etc from the surface of a quilt hung on a wall. Be sure to use the lowest suction setting to keep from damaging fibers and seams.
- Rotate quilts you have displayed so quilts that are precious to you are not exposed to the everyday household elements all the time.
I’d love to hear how you display your quilts. Also, if you have any tips for the care of your quilts on display feel free to share that too! Comment below and be entered to win a copy of the latest Primitive Quilts & Projects magazine that has one of my patterns in it!
I will choose a winner and announce it in next week’s blog post! **Winner chosen! Congrats, Dawna!**
Happy Quilting
Deanne
I make mostly small quilts. They hang on walls, over tables and cabinets, and are rolled in baskets. I really like your use of a drawer for displaying a small quilt and might have to try that!
Thanks!
On my railing and change seasonally. Always have quilts drapped over chairs/ couches. Old farmhouse makes it hard to do much upstairs with our steep sloping walls. A few blocks from latest quilt project might become a table runner to show it off while a work in progress
Great ideas, I have some of the same ways at my home. You have some beautiful quilts
Thanks!
I use curtain rods too. I have a display ladder as well. And one over my chair, yes even in Florida I use it at night to cover my legs while watching tv.
Never a bad time to cozy up with a quilt! 🙂
I love using found and repurposed objects to display quilts. Really like the drawer you made. I use a old window for displaying small quilts.
I have lots of old windows in a shed. I’ll have to try something with one of those.
I display my quilts on a ladder made of oak for my quilts. I also use an old goat cart for displaying them.
Love looking at all your quilts.
Thanks!
We have oak quilt racks throughout the house displaying quilts on our walls. We have a stack folded on top of a book case. And it’s always nice to have an unused bed with some quilts laying flat. Your article had a lot of good ideas we will keep in mind.
Thanks! Glad I was able to give you some more display ideas.
I display the ones we use on beds or draped on the couch, the antique ones are on a guilt rack, a hanging shelf and folded on a larger shelf. Plus I also have some hanging to doors and walls in several rooms. They are in my view no matter where I sit, as it brings me such joy remembering who made it….
Quilts do add colorful beauty to the house for sure!
Live your ideas, especially the little drawer. I also hang on walls with Quilt hangers. My most original one was made from an antique side bed rail.
An antique side bed rail must make a cool display.
I also use a ladder but mine is leaned against the wall…..easily moved! I also used Lisa Bonjeon’s idea of displaying small quilts using old yardsticks with metal clips across the wall. In addition I display them on walls, chairs, benches and folded in a wood laundry basket. Love the drawer idea and the box on legs……now where to put them. Lol
With some of my wall hangings, I so slide a yardstick into the sleeve and hang it that way. A nice yardstick adds to the beauty of the wall hanging.
I need a ladder to display my quilts. I have a rickety quilt rack that is in pieces right now, being given a face lift. But I would really like a ladder.
The ladders are really fun ways to display. I find those at any antique store and they’re not very expensive. I bring them home, sand them and sometimes refinish them. Once they are sealed, they sky’s the limit with display options!
Over a chair on the back of the sofa, on my quilt rack. Now I’m thinking out of the box using an antique suit case.
Oh, I like the suitcase idea!
Love the drawer with the dowel, adorable idea. I currently refinished an old 6 pane window frame that I am putting miniature quilts in.
That will be really pretty when done. I love the look of miniature quilts.