How to hang a quilt

Select your wall carefully. Quilts are fragile pieces, so the usual storage factors are important when choosing the right location. It is best to choose a wall that does not receive direct sunlight - the effect of the sun on your quilt will make the fabrics fade and eventually perish. Fluorescent lighting also contains ultraviolet light and can damage textiles, so is not recommended for lighting quilts. The softer illumination of incandescent lighting will have a less damaging effect. Excessive indirect sunlight can also have a detrimental effect on fabrics - so what is good for your indoor plants is not necessarily good for your quilts.

Temperature and humidity are other factors that need to be considered when selecting the best location to display your quilts. A situation with the least variation in temperature and humidity is ideal. Avoid a location close to heating vents or open fireplaces and avoid hanging a quilt on a wall that may heat up in the strong summer sun.

High humidity can potentially damage quilts, as the moisture can allow mould and fungal spores to grow and the moisture will eventually rot fabrics. Bathroom conditions are not recommended for this reason. Moisture-laden air from evaporative coolers can also be a source of high humidity and should be avoided when hanging quilts. Cooking vapours and oily fumes from the kitchen area should be avoided as they can discolour the fabric in quilts, and often the humidity levels in kitchens are high. Extremely low humidity can be just as damaging to fabric because it can cause individual fibres to dry out and sometimes become fragile and break.

Of course, most of us live in homes, not galleries where the environment can be strictly controlled. Many parts of Australia have extreme temperatures and humidity, so the best you can probably do is to change your quilt display every four to six months so that no single quilt is exposed to unfavourable conditions for a lengthy time.

The surface of the wall is important to keeping your quilt in good condition. Make sure the surface is smooth and that dust or flakes of paint will not attach themselves to the back of the quilt. If your wall is made from timber, it is best that your quilt does not touch it, because there is acid in the wood that can damage the fabric. Hang the quilt suspended a couple of centimetres or so from the wall to avoid this. Take care to avoid hanging your quilt near a window in case of water leakage.

Insects and dust in the air can also be attracted to fabric, so try to keep everything clean. If any part of your quilt is made from wool, check regularly for insect infestations and regularly vacuum the front and back of the quit. Vacuum gently by placing a piece of pantyhose over the vacuum cleaner nozzle so it does not suck the fabric into the nozzle. Shaking your quilt is not recommended because it causes stress to fabric fibres.

Once you select the perfect location for hanging your quilt, what method should you use? There are many ways of hanging quilts but regardless of the method you choose, the weight of the quilt needs to be distributed evenly to limit the stress on the seams and the fabrics. Consider whether the quilt is too big for hanging, or if it would be better displayed on a bed. The long-term effect of the display method on the quilt should be carefully considered.

How to hang your quilt

Wire quilt hanger

Wire quilt hangers are available in a range of sizes and designs and can be bought from many quilt stores. They often have decorative wire designs at the top, and use either a dowel method or wire hook method of hanging the quilt. Some wire quilt hangers are powder coated with various colours. A similar style of hanger, but made of iron, is also available.

Hook and loop tape
Hook and loop tapes can be used to hang a quilt. Use wide tape, and machine stitch the loop piece to a strip of strong cotton fabric such as canvas. Hand stitch the strip to the top of the back of the quilt, as shown here.

Attach the hook piece of the tape to a flat piece of wood with staples, and nail or screw this to the wall. Press the pieces of tape together to hold the quilt firmly.

Curtain rod
Many decorative curtain rod brackets are available in curtain shops. To make an attractive feature, secure the curtain rod brackets to the wall in the recommended way, and use a decorative curtain rod, as shown here.

You can either drape a large quilt over the curtain rod, or thread the rod through a hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt. Quilts can be easily changed with this method.

Wooden quilt hangers
A range of crafted wooden quilt hangers is available from quilt shops. These hangers come in different types of timbers, and should be securely attached to the wall by nailing or screwing. They use a dowel method for hanging the quilt.

Dowel rod
Cut a length of dowel rod shorter than the width of the quilt. Insert screw eyes at either end of the dowel. Thread the dowel through a hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt. Hang the screw eyes on the heads of nails or screws that have been placed in the wall, as shown here. A strip of flat wood can be used instead of the dowel rod if a flatter effect is desired.

Picture hanger
Picture hangers are only suitable for small quilts. Insert a flat strip of wood through the hanging sleeve on the back of the quilt. Find the centre of the top of the quilt and, about four inches apart, press in two drawing pins or thumb tacks. You can loop strong thread or fine wire around the two pins to make a hanger, as shown here. This can then be used to hang your small quilt from an existing picture hook. A lightweight aluminium strip can be used instead of the wood strip if required.

Whatever the size of your quilt, there is a method of hanging it. Whatever furnishing style you want in your home, hanging quilts on your walls will help you achieve it. If you want a cosy, comfortable style of décor in your home, hang large quilts in country colours or floral designs. For more of a clean gallery style look, hang contemporary art quilts. Either way, where there's an empty wall, why waste it?