Sewing a Quilt Hanging Sleeve
Free Lesson
Learn to sew a hanging sleeve for the back of your quilt.There are two different methods to attach a hanging sleeve to the back of your quilt. The first method I use while the second way is for a quilt that already has the binding attached.

Your first consideration is the size of the quilt and where you are going to exhibit the piece. If it is a large quilt most shows require a 5 or 6 inch sleeve so check the rules. Usually I attach a six inch sleeve. For miniature quilts you can make a small sleeve usually 2 inches wide. You need to attach a sleeve that is appropriate for the size quilt.
Sewing supplies
Sewing Machine - regular sewing foot, walking foot.
Rotary mat, cutter and ruler
sewing supplies.
Fabric- matches backing Threads- to match back fabric
INSTRUCTIONS - Read through the instructions first before you start.
Method 1 - Use before binding is attached.

1. Sew a small zigzag stitch around the outside of quilt being careful not to stretch the corners.

2. Cut sleeve fabric the width of quilt and 10 to 12 inches wide for a 5-6 inch sleeve. For smaller quilts cut the width twice the size for the size sleeve you want. For example if you want a 2 inch sleeve cut the fabric 4 inches wide.
zigzag around quilt
3. Iron both short ends turning 1/2 inch twice towards the back of the fabric. Straight stitch close to fold using a thread matching the fabric.
sleeve ends sewn
4. With wrong sides together, iron fabric length-wise in half and pin the raw edges along the top of the quilt about an inch in on each end. Notice that I pin the sleeve with pins going first perpendicular and then parallel to the top of the quilt. This keeps the fabric from moving as you stitch on the sleeve.
top of sleeve pinned to quilt
5. Stitch along the top of the sleeve close to the edge of quilt removing the pins as you sew. sleeve showing tube
6. Pin down the inside edges as shown in the picture and along the bottom of the sleeve. Hand sew the inside edges and the bottom of the sleeve along the fold. Make sure your stitches do not go to the front of the quilt. When you are finished you will have a tube attached to the back of the quilt which will be easy for a rod to be inserted for hanging. By creating the tube you protect the quilt from the rod and also when hung the weight will be distributed evenly along the top of the quilt. bottom sleeve pinned
7. Attach the binding to the front of the quilt and hand sew it to the back of the quilt. This will cover the raw edges of the sleeve.

finished quilt sleeve
Method 2 - If the binding is already attached.

1. Follow steps 1 thru 3 above.

2. With wrong sides together, stitch along raw edges to create a tube. Iron open the seam.

3. Iron the tube so that the seam is in the center. Pin the tube to top of quilt below the binding with the long seam against the back of the quilt. Attach the tube by hand sewing the top, sides (leaving tube open on both ends) and along the bottom. You will notice that the seam you sewed to create the tube is hidden against the back of the quilt and the inside of the tube where the rod goes is smooth with no raw edges.

4. Putting the sleeve on after the binding is more work so I encourage you to use method one. If you are not sure if you will hang the quilt do the sleeve anyway because you will want to photograph your work even if the quilt is not exhibited.

Sometimes a show also require that the sleeve be a specific number of inches from the bottom of the quilt. For example you might have a 100 inch quilt but the show requires the sleeve to be 90 inches from the bottom. That means you you have to attach it 10 inches down from the top. The quilt will not look correct when hung and I do not show at shows with that requirement. I think it is disrespectful to the quilter to ask them to do that. Taller quilt frames can be rented by the show organizers so this is not necessary. So if you run into this problem you need to ask yourself why is the show making this request when the MAIN purpose is to show quilts. Some shows do not always have the best intentions for the quilters and you need to ask yourself if this is the kind of show you want to support. Some shows are only interested in the money.