How to Make Hanging Sleeve for a Quilt
When making a hanging sleeve for a quilt, it is important to incorporate some give to accommodate the hanging device, which at quilt shows is generally some sort of pole. If the sleeve is sewn onto the quilt without any give, the hanging device can cause the quilt to buckle and not hang as it should. While there are many methods of creating a sleeve, the following method works for me. I also must credit quilt artist Libby Lehman on the instructions she shares on the IQA website. While I discovered sewing wrong sides together for a hanging sleeve by accident (there’s a story), her folding method resulting in the “D” shape for give is more exact than my older method of ironing in a pleat.
Cut a piece of fabric that is about 10+ to 11 inches wide by at least the width of your quilt.
I place the cut fabric on the back of the quilt, and I fold over the edges to the approximate width that I want the finished sleeve. I finger press it (no photo – sorry about that!). Generally I place the sleeve about 1/2 – 1″ from each side.
Fold the edge over twice and sew a seam away from the folded edge. If precision is more important, then you may want to trim, double fold, and then stitch closer to the edge. Or, you may prefer two seams — one by each edge.
When finished, lightly press the fabric in half, right sides OUT.
Open the fabric and then fold each edge to the center. Again, right sides of fabric out.
Press this with a hot iron and some steam to create a good crease on each side. Both crease lines will serve as the hand stitching line.
Grab the two edges of the fabric to seam together. The fabric remains right sides out.
Sew the entire length of the sleeve with a 1/4″ seam allowance. I start about 1/2 inch from the edge, back stitch to the edge, and then stitch the seam.
When coming to the end of the seam, I sew just about off the edge. I then swing around the fabric around . . .
and sew about an inch or so in. This way the end of the seam is in rather than right at the edge.
Iron open the seam, but take care not to create a new seam. I use a mini iron. If you use a regular iron, tilt the iron so that you’re only using the tip. Again, avoid making new creases (you only want the two to serve as your hand stitching line.
The seam is pressed open, but the original crease line is still there.
Pin the sleeve into position.
The important thing is maintaining the “D” shape. In other words, do not pull the sleeve taunt. If you’re more comfortable, baste rather than pin it into place.
Another view. Also, per Alison’s helpful comment, watch the top placement of the sleeve to confirm that it is not too close to the edge. Otherwise, you risk the sleeve peaking out from the top when the quilt is hanging.
Stitch the sleeve into place using whatever stitch you prefer — blind, whip, etc.
Here is the side stitched down (and if you’re more careful, you’ll line up the edges of the seam better than I did). Once the sleeve is stitched into place, the quilt is ready for hanging.
Again, Libby gets all of the credit for her folding method resulting in the “D” shape for give. If you’d like a copy of her instructions, visit the International Quilt Association website here. Scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the download PDF link. And, while there, if you’re not a member of IQA, consider joining.
February 25th, 2009 at 7:27 am
Gloria-
I agree with leaving some “give” in the sleeve to avoid “pole bulge”.
I use a similar but simpler method (which probably won’t work as well as your method with a fat pole, but then I don’t enter shows). I cut the sleeve and seam the ends as you do, then I put the raw edges (right sides out) along the top edge and stitch with the binding seam – one stitching line for both binding and sleeve, raw edges into the top seam. Then I add binding.
To finish the sleeve, I fold the top edge of the sleeve so that it just comes to the top of the binding, not over it, and then pin the sleeve flat in place this way. Then I hand sew the three remaining edges and remove the pins or clips (hair clips work well here) at the top. Only three sides to hand sew and a small pleat to hold a small rod.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:44 am
For anyone using this excellent tutorial for the first time, a reminder that when you are positioning the sleeve to stitch into place, take into account that when the quilt is actually hanging you don’t want to see the any of the sleeve peeping over the top edge of the quilt as seen from the front. So, in the third from last photo, imho, that crease has been pinned a bit close to the top edge of the quilt. Of course that’s only a sample for the sake of a tutorial, and it takes but seconds to just check that by smoothing the whole sleeve towards the quilt’s edge before pinning and sewing along that top crease.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:06 am
OMGosh….I almost didn’t read this, because I thought I already used the easiest way possible to make a sleeve. But this is even easier! Thanks!
February 25th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Joyce, good idea for when using a binding. Thanks for sharing!
February 25th, 2009 at 9:45 am
Alison,
For this particular quilt, I did put a narrow pole through the sleeve to check how the quilt would hang, and I don’t remember the sleeve peaking out. However, as soon as that quilt returns home, I’m going to double-check it! Thanks.
February 25th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Thanks, Gloria, for a great tutorial. It’s the way I do it for Quilt Festival, but I always have to go back and look at the instructions again each time. Otherwise, since most of my quilts hang on a slat rather than a pole, this method isn’t needed so much. From now on, however, I think I’ll use your method as my standard.
February 25th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
Linda,
I sometimes wonder if it’s too much give, as not all shows use a pole, but for now it seems flexible enough for different venues and different hanging devices. There is that hanging device that requires the center open (I don’t remember the name). At some point I may amend the direction so that it accommodates that device, too.
July 15th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Thank you for being here with this excellent tutorial. I just finished my first quilt and searched for hours at the library and online before I found you, and “how to add a sleeve”. Thank heaven quilter’s are a sharing bunch. ;)
July 15th, 2009 at 8:57 am
My pleasure. Glad it helped!
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:06 pm
A couple of items I could not determine from the instructions and photos. Obviously these are “newbie” questions.
1) Do you stitch along both the top and bottom along the two outer creases (noted as hand stitching lines)?
2) When you refer to “Here is the side stitched down” do you stitch the “open” ends of the sleeve to the back?
Thank you,
John
January 29th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
John,
1. Yes.
2. Yes, but the bottom portion. The goal is keeping the center area a pocket, allowing the hanging mechanism to slide through the sleeve.
March 8th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Hi
I’m a newbie too, I am almost finished with my wall hanging and I have some questions about hanging sleeves. Your tutorial is really cool and I have understood it … well most of it. I guess only practice will make perfect!! My questions:
If the sleeve is stitched to the quilt by hand, is it strong enough to hold a wooden rod? Is it possible to machine stitch the top of the sleeve to the quilt?
Is the sleeve added to the back of the quilt before quilting or after?
Thanks
Regards
Maria Shaikh
March 8th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Yes, it’s very strong because you’re stitching to the top and bottom which will help distribute the weight. Stitch the sleeve on after the quilt is quilted, and when sewing on the sleeve, go through some of the batting but not the quilt face. :)
March 8th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Aha! I put a sleeve on a wall hanging last night and then wondered why it looked funny with the dowel put in. Now I know that I should have left some give in it! Thanks for a great explanation.
March 8th, 2010 at 4:14 pm
My pleasure, Sabrina!
March 9th, 2010 at 2:47 pm
Thanks Gloria. I feel better about tackling my wall hanging sleeve now!!!!
February 14th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Is there any reason that the top of the hanging sleeve could not or should not be stitched underneath the binding?
February 24th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Maria, no reason! “_
April 25th, 2011 at 12:00 am
I love this Gloria! I have been doing the same way forever and never thought there were there ways.
I also put the raw edges of the long seam against the quilt sewing it wrong sides together which saves turning the tube, prevents a hanging slat from getting caught in the seam or loose threads and protects the seam allowances from wear.
I get there a bit differently. I make the long seam, hem the end, compare to the width of the quilt to mark the other end, and it is important at this point to plan enough space beyond the sleeve to expose the slat holes or eye screws to prevent pulling it out of the way which pulls the quilt when hanging. then I mark the second end and hem it.
I press it flat with the seam at the top edge, then I roll the seam towards the center and pinch the crease on the fold and with the iron flat make a 1/2″ pleat down the center. I eyeball it but you can slide a clear ruler inside the pleat.
Before I stitch the sleeve to the quilt I use a chalk pencil and ruler to mark a long guide for the top edge of the sleeve about 1/2″to 3/4″ below the binding edge.
this corrects a problem I was having. previously I would pin the top edge of the sleeve and eyeball or measure a distance from the binding but if the top of the quilt is a bit curved then the sleeve will be curved and the slat is straight so the quilt would hang with a vertical ripple. Now I never assume that the top is straight.
April 25th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Oooh .. good info, Kevan. We’ll have to discuss more!
May 26th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
Gloria, have you ever made an internal quilt sleeve? The hanging pole will go between the front and back of the quilt as they are two sided quilts which will be hung and viewed from all angles. Any advice on how to do this.
June 9th, 2011 at 10:00 am
Linda – no, but it sounds like a good idea. :)
December 14th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
What a fun adventure! Great pics as always!
January 6th, 2012 at 8:17 am
I’m making a wall hanging without a binding. I see no way to do the sleave without a fair amount of hand stitching as the final step. I love your concept. Would you agree with my assessment that I need to sew on by hand?
Thanks
Alexa
January 6th, 2012 at 8:57 am
There might be a way to do a sleeve at least partially by machine. However, I always sew mine on by hand. Good luck! :)