Quilters gotta quilt. And if that’s true for you, then there’s probably quite a nice backlog of these lovely fabric treasures taking up beds, cupboards, and chests all around your home.
But what do you do when space runs low? If you’re like many enthusiastic fans of the textile arts, this is your cue to go vertical.
Hanging and Displaying Wall Quilts
Quilts make exquisite wall hangings, after all. They’re colorful and inspiring, and they help muffle acoustics to prevent noise from carrying from room to room. Mostly though, people hang quilts because they love the look and feel that these personalized pieces of art bring to a room.
If you want to add instant warmth and comfort to any space, hang a quilt. Just take care to do it safely. Draping the delicate fabrics of a quilt over a nail or using damaging curtain hooks can tear or deform your masterpiece. While nearly anything goes when it comes to where your quilt should be displayed, the same doesn’t hold true for how.
Follow these safety tips for properly displaying your textile art on a wall to prevent damage from occurring over time.
Videos:
How to Hang a Quit on a Wall
Large Quilts Need Balanced Support
Quilts, even those that use lightweight batting, are heavy – too heavy to hang from just the corners. If you try to display a quilt in this way, you’ll end up with stretched fibers and a damaged textile. When preparing your quilt for hanging, make sure the entire weight is evenly distributed the whole way across.
An easy way to do this is to simply stitch a tube-shaped sleeve across the entire back of the quilt and then run a dowel through it. Slip the dowel over cleats attached to the wall, and you have a safe, nearly invisible wall hanger that makes your textile the star of the show.
Corner Sleeves Work for Small Quilts
Lap quilts, doll quilts, and smaller wall hangings are easily displayed by stitching corner pockets into the back side at the top. Add these small, triangular pieces on top of the backing and beneath the binding of your creation for a finished look.
Corner pockets allow you to thread a small dowel, yardstick, or ruler through the back to act as a hanger. It’s an easy project that takes only minutes to accomplish.
Use Ruching for Tab-Top Quilts
Some fabric artists like to display their work by stitching sturdy tabs along the top of the quilt at even intervals to evenly distribute the weight as it hangs from a horizontal rod. If you choose this method of display, you may want to add an attractive layer of ruching to the rod before threading it through the tabs.
Hand-Crafted Frames Work for Smaller Pieces
Of course, when in doubt, you can always craft your own innovative frame for holding small quilts and wall hangings. This idea pictured below utilizes copper wire bent into pleasing shapes to house a grouping of small quilts that acts as wall art. But you can use nearly any material you have on hand to craft a frame, including wood, PVC, or industrial steel pipe. You can find all of these options at your local hardware store for a surprisingly small amount of money.
Final Thoughts
How you hang and display your quilt is every bit as important as how you design and stitch it. Heirlooms like these require special care to keep them from damage, and learning how to properly display them is vital.
What’s your best method for hanging and displaying quilts? Let us know in the comments.
Have something to add? Leave a comment or email editor@nationalquilterscircle.com.
I have 3 quilts (queen size) I would like to hang. I don’t know if I’m thinking wrong, but. My idea is in a picture frame behind glass. I want to make sure that last until I pass them on. Is that safe?
Ups to what size can these corner holders be used. Is a 36 x 36 inch wall hanging too large?
Hello Roberta,
Thank you for contacting us.
No, a 36″ x 36″ quilt should not be too large. Typically the hanging device you buy will tell you the maximum size it can accommodate.
Sincerely,
Sarah
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
I love seeing quilts displayed hanging on the wall but please be mindful of the amount of sun/bright light they will receive. The fabrics will fade over time if exposed to bright light so try to pick a spot where you can control the light source. I made a black/white/red quilt that I hung in my office that had two large windows. After five years it was grey/white/pink! :-)
Is there a way to hang quilts on slanted walls, as in a room under the roofline?
Thanks!
Hello Kathryn,
This is for members to our online community. We do have a $3.00 annual entrance offer if you are interested? This would include access to expert advice (like this), plus discounts, hours of Premium videos, etc. Below is the link to join if you are interested: https://go.nationalquilterscircle.com/C29997
Sincerely,
Sarah
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
I have a very large cotton quilt (88” x 106” ) that I hung with a 96” wood quilt clamp. How do I prevent the lower half sides from curling?
Hello Doreen,
Here’s what the experts had to say about your question:
When hanging a quilt of this size there are several options. You can put a thin rod (similar to what you hung it with) along the bottom to keep it straight, or you can sew drapery weights into the corners to keep them from curling up.
Cheers,
Ashley
Please let us know if you have any further questions
Sincerely,
Danesha
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
Hello I have a 5X5 hanging quilt that is very old. Its been framed but I need to protect the material. Can you tell me what I can do?
Hello Marsha!
That’s a great question and we’d love to help!
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Jessica
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
I was asked to help make a T-shirt quilt in memory of my friend. I’m guessing approx 30 T-shirts, 8″ squares (not exact). They want to hang it at a school when finished. Would thin cotton batting be ok? Would stitching in the ditch around the squares be enough quilting for a hanged quilt. (I didn’t think a tied quilt would be.) Lastly, I’m thinking a tube across the back top for hanging. Any advice is appreciated
Hello Jan,
Thanks for reaching out. Our expert, Nicki has some tips for you:
Hello,
A thin cotton batting would be great. Your chosen batting should tell you on the packaging how close they recommend the quilting to be. 8″ is pushing it for some, as the layers may be able to separate and the batting, or the knit T-shirt material, could become damaged from the pull of gravity within that space over the life of the quilt.
A tube along the width of the quilt for hanging sounds great. Stitch the tube to the backing at the upper edge. Depending on your preferred method, you can stitch the upper edge of the tube to the quilt back with the binding seam.
In addition to this article (https://www.nationalquilterscircle.com/article/tips-hanging-displaying-wall-quilts/) , this Premium video: https://www.nationalquilterscircle.com/video/unique-embellishments-hang-quilt-011713/ has great tips for hanging a quilt.
Best,
Nicki
Happy Quilting!
Madeline
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
Where (??) do I find the small wall display hangers for mini (about 18″ or so) quilts. I don’t know where to look on line. PLEASE HELP. Thanks.
Hello Carol,
Thank you for contracting us, I found mine on Amazon, they have a variety of them.
Sincerely,
Joan
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
Look up Ackfield Manufacturing. They have many different hangers for quilts of all sizes.
Our church has a large quilt displayed in the foyer of our church as a wall hanging. The individual squares were both sewn and drawn by individual family members of our congregation when we relocated to our current location some 30 years ago. We are now wanting to move that quilt to another location within the church, and try to preserve it by enclosing it in a glass frame case. It cannot be cleaned, and has not been hanging under glass. I am assuming such a case would have to be custom-made, or do you know any resources for such a case or ideas of how it could be hung to be preserved? Thank you, Mary Clark
Hello Mary,
Thank you for contacting us. Here is a link that I find very helpful when deciding on what case to use: pinterest.com/maxaggie/quilt-display-case-cabinets/
There are so many creative ways to display a quilt, and most of the cases are custom made.
If you have any other concerns, please contact us at 1-855-706-3538, or chat with us on our site.
We greatly appreciate your business!
Sincerely,
Joan
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
I have a beautiful quilt made of cotton which displays beautiful birdlife. I would love to preserve it and hang it on my wall. I’m wondering if there is anything else to protect it, other than framing it?
Hi Tanya,
Here is a great article on caring for and preserving art quilts:
https://www.roserushbrooke.com/artist/how-to-look-after-an-art-quilt.html
Cheers,
Ashley
National Quilters Circle Video Membership
We’d love to have you be a part of our community. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. We would like to offer you a special promotion for your first year membership.
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I have very heavy comforter/quilt about 8 foot square. They place I can put it now is on the wall. How do I make a frame the attaches to the wall without going thru the fabric?
Hello Pam,
If you do not want the fabric to be attached to the frame, you may to clamp the edges of the quilt to the frame. This will hold it securely and not require the fabric to go through frame.
Cheers,
Ashley NQC Video Membership
We’d love to have you be a part of our community. We are convinced you will enjoy the benefits of becoming a member and having access to the best instructional how to videos and professional tips. We would like to offer you a special promotion for your first year membership.
https://go.nationalquilterscircle.com/C11196
My husband and I made a Quilt Hanger out of mahogany that is so nice i posted it on its own Facebook page. A weight slides behind the quilt that’s slipped up inside the wooden slot. The quilt hangs by its own weight, reducing the need for a sleeve without causing any damage to your work of art. Go to Facebook and check out How’s It Hangin’. This thing is awesome! I love it! And its easy to change the quilts out when I want a new look
Would your husband tell us how he made it step by step? Or where we can find instructions on how to make it?
How do I find this on Facebook or please tell me how to find instructions to make it Did what you said. Can’t find.
I’d love instructions or a place to buy also. Thanks.
I’ve found that round quilts are especially difficult to hang, that is until I was inspired by my granddaughter playing. Round pieces co-operate very well when hung using a plastic hula hoop! They are light weight and have no colour or rust to transfer to your quilt, not to mention, very easy on the pocketbook to purchase!
I like that idea. Thanks Debra.
A group at RAFA 381 Branch have made a large Anniversary Quilt to hang in the Club.
We have bought Flame-Guard to spray it, do you have any advice please?
Thank you for posting this. I moved from my home of many years to a small apartment and some of my larger wall hangings are stored. You have encouraged me to take another look and find the perfect spots for them!
Thank you for sharing!