~How to make a Hanging Sleeve~
Measure across the top of your quilt, minus two inches. Now cut a strip of fabric that width by 14″ long. This is for a sleeve that will finish 6″(required length for this Fair). You can adjust the length to accommodate your own needs. For example, a smaller wall hanging may only have a thin rod to hang on so a 3″ sleeve would be fine. Take your finished size and double it, then add 2″ and you got it.
On the short ends of the strip (14″ends), Press approximately a 1/4″ fold toward the wrong side of fabric.
Do it one more time to get a finished edge on the inside. This also makes sewing a straight line easier.
Sew along the inner edge.
With the wrong side up, fold the strip in half and press.
See the crease running along the center here.
With the crease as your guide, fold the lower and upper halves to meet in the middle along the crease. Now, press/steam these outer edges firmly to leave another set of creases.
Fold the sleeve right sides together and sew your 1/4″ seam along the raw edges. With your sleeve still inside out at this point, finger press open the seam. Finger press here so that you do not disturb the creases we already made. They are our guides for mounting the sleeve to the quilt.
Turn the sleeve right sides out and you should have a D-shaped sleeve. The two strong creases are the top and bottom edge of the sleeve. One side of the sleeve is shorter and will lie flat against the back of the quilt. The other side forms the rounded D-shape and is a little longer to allow room for the rod that the quilt will hang on. You need this extra space so the quilt is not distorted when it hangs.
Now center and pin the top edge of the sleeve across the top of your quilt, about 1/2″ below the binding.
Next, pin the bottom edge of the sleeve along the crease, keeping the bottom of the sleeve flat. There should be a tent/teepee area in the center. Do not stretch it out flat, remember we need this extra space.**After pinning, I like to do a test hang on a broom handle or rod to make sure everything hangs straight, so nothing has to be ripped later.**
Last, but not least….whip stitch along the creases and the sides to attach the sleeve to the quilt. The stitches should be about 1/4″ apart, making sure to take a bite into the batting, but not through to the other side of your quilt! The above pic is a demo with white thread just so you can see it, using a matching thread is always best.
That’s it! Pretty simple actually. P.S. If you don’t plan on hanging the quilt permanently…don’t stitch as tightly and you can remove/save it and use it on another quilt later.
Keep it Sassy♥
You can find and follow TheSassyQuilter on Facebook, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, Instagram, Twitter or by email updates(form on right sidebar)!
clg7fe