Hang It UP!

Two ways to add a quilt sleeve to your quilt

Quilts can be beautiful heirlooms that last for generations. They can also be the comfortable snuggie that your little one can’t live without. For some quilts, the more they’re used, washed, crinkled and loved, the better they become. 

Then there are those quilts you just want to stare at and display because they are that eye catching. Whether for seasonal or permanent art, you can add a quilt sleeve to your quilt. Hang it on a bare wall, in an art show, or even to enter in the state fair. It’s fun, and who doesn’t love to marvel at their hard work? But we also love and demand easy-peasy. Here are two simple ways to add a hanging sleeve to your works of art. 

Before you add the binding:

1. Quilt your quilt top. 
2. Square your quilt. 
3. Cut a 9.5” strip of fabric the same width as your quilt. 
4. Double fold each short edge about 1 / 4” at a time to lock in raw the edges. Press your double folded edges. Sew a straight seam to hide the ugly threads forever.  
5. Fold the long strip, wrong sides together. Your raw edges will align at the top. 
6. Match those raw edges to the top of your quilt. Make sure the strip is centered on the back. Sew the sleeve with a very scant 1/4” seam. 
7. Bind the quilt, being careful to catch your quilt sleeve along the top.
8. Press or smooth down the binding with your hand. Then fold the tube toward the top, leaving about 1 / 2” from the top. Make a crease with your fingernail or a quick press. You are making an opening for the rod. You want the opening to sit below the binding so that the quilt lays flat when you hang it.  
9. Whipstitch the bottom of the tube (where you placed the crease). The sleeve will form a pocket for the rod. 
10. Finally, whipstitch the sleeve on the sides (backsides only to leave—you are leaving an opening for the rod). 

After binding:

1. Cut your 9.5” strip the same width as your finished quilt. 
2. Double fold the short edges about 1 / 4” at a time to lock in raw the edges. Press your double folded edges. Sew a straight seam to hide those raw edges. 
3. Fold the strip lengthwise, wrong sides together, aligning raw edges. Sew lengthwise with 1 /2” seam allowance. Press the seam open. 
4. Center the strip, open seam against the quilt back, about a 1 / 2” below binding. 
5. Hand stitch the top edge to the quilt backing, being careful not to go through all the way to the front of the quilt—that would be ugly. 
6. Press or smooth down the binding with your hand. Then fold the tube toward the top, about 1 / 2” from the binding. Make a crease with your fingernail or a quick press. You are making an opening for the rod. You want the opening to sit below the binding so that the quilt lays flat when you hang that beauty. 
7. Whipstitch the bottom of the tube (where you placed the crease). The sleeve will for a pocket for the rod. 
8. Finally, whipstitch the sleeve on the sides (backsides only—you want to leave an opening for the rod). 

Hang. Marvel. Brag. Enjoy!  

*Note: You can coordinate your sleeve fabric with your quilt top for a more cohesive look. You can also use up some of that scrap heap that seems to accumulate way faster than we can use. Now wasn’t that easy!