This is how I do it and I'm sure there are other ways. As I watched my husband hammer a nail into the wall I thought "I'll bet 3M Command strips would work." Maybe I'll try those when I hang up something else in the future.
For small wallhangings, I like to use hangers made especially for that purpose. Once the hanger is mounted on the wall, usually with a small picture hanger-type nail, it is easy to change out these small pieces seasonally--the rods slip out of the holder. They are usually made from wood or wire and are often sold at large quilt shows:
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| Heavily Beaded Dragonfly quilt from my 'artsy" period 2003, 1/4" dowel for hanging |
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| A gift from Ellen, tiny little pieces, 2013, she included the hanger too |
For larger wallhangings, there are substantial shelves with wooden hanging rods attached:
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| Friendship Triangles, 2011--I swapped more than 700 half square triangles with quilters all over the world, thanks to The Quilt Show |
I change this one a few times a year--it is in the hallway outside my studio so I see it every day. Another quilt on it:
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| Almost Amish, 2004. handquilted, made in honor of Pennsylvania quilters before me |
Small quilts weigh very little. If they don't have a sleeve, I use old sewing machine needles, they have a tiny point that is sharp, and makes a tiny hole in the wall:
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| A Calendar quilt gift from Sharon, 2002 |
I bought this beautiful piece from a long-time friend, Eileen Williams--like from Kindergarten days. She makes wonderful sea and beach landscape quilts, for sale on her website Eileen Fiber Arts Quilts. She finds amazing items to create hanging rods for her work, like this driftwood and I love the shell fringe, more beach finds:
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| "Reach for the Stars" June 2013 |
For larger wallhangings, I often use 1/4" dowels, easy to find at Lowe's or Home Depot. If you know what size you want, they will usually cut them for you right in the store. This is a long piece and the photo was taken looking up toward the ceiling. I don't worry about the correct length in my studio, since I change them from time to time. If it's in the living room, I would cut the dowel so it doesn't show:
This hangs in the guest bathroom, Salsa Red paint on the walls, the dowel is the correct size, it does not show:
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| "Kimonos" 1994, back in my hand-quilting days |
Now for the larger quilts, throw to bed-size. I get wooden lathe boards from Lowe's, 1.5" wide by 1/4" thick. There are a few heavier quilts hung up, and I should have used heavier lathe board--they tend to bow out at the top a bit. This quilt is about twin size so the 1/4" board is fine. Invisible:
An eye bolt is simply screwed in to the side, here is the right side:
Here is the left side--be sure to get them at the same height on both sides:
Picture hangers are used here, this is where maybe Command strips might be better--it is hard to get them in the exact right spot, way up at the top of the 9' ceiling. Husband only wanted to do that once:
The quilt in place. Notice the lathe board sticks out. That is because during December a Christmas quilt hangs here and it is longer so the lathe board was cut and hung for it. What I intended to do but didn't, was to paint the lathe board that luscious soft gold wall color when hubby painted the room--then it would hardly be noticeable:
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| A-Round with My Friends, 2011, hand appliqe'd and quilted |
The same location in December:
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| "Cross and Crown" original design, 1997, Featured on the cover of McCall's Quilting, December 1997 issue |
Exposure to light and dust will take a toll on textiles. This crib-size former class sample has been in this north-facing wall for 18 years, in my bathroom. The border fabric has faded--I used a fabric from the same line as the border fabric for the binding and you can see the difference on the side not directly exposed to light:
The back side of the binding, not exposed to light:
So, don't hang antique, fragile or valuable quilts for long periods of time. Refold them periodically to prevent permanent creases. I store my antique quilts and tops in cotton pillowcases in a closet, they rarely see the light of day.
How do you display your quilts? I'd love to know.
Let's quilt!
Barbara
