How to Hang Quilts in a Quilt Show

One of the joys of being a quilter is the creative spark you get from going to a quilt show and seeing the work of several quilters all displayed at once. There is, however, a lot of work that goes into making a quilt show happen, not the least of which is tackling the task of hanging the quilts. While the quilts can come in many different shapes and sizes, the standard method of hanging a quilt from a 4-inch sash has stayed in play. Luckily, making a basic frame to hang the quilts is affordable.

Things You'll Need

• Wooden rod or bar, 1- by 2-inches and at least 9-feet-long
• Small drill
• Heavy string or fishing line, 8- and 15-inches in length
• Three 2-inch PVC pipes, 10-feet-long
• Two 2-inch PVC 90-degree elbows
• PVC cement or glue
• Two 2-inch PVC Ts
• Four 2-inch PVC pipes, cut to 5-inches-long
• Four 2-inch PVC end caps
• S-hooks

Instructions

1. Note that any quilts presented in the show should have a 4-inch casing attached to the back of the quilt. Sewn correctly at the top, the casing allows for a rod or bar to slide through the sash and come out on the other side.

2. Drill a small hole in the wooden rod about an inch from the ends of each side. Thread the 8-inch length of string through the hole and tie the ends together to knot it. This will give something to attach the bar to the frame with.

3. Create a base for a large frame by setting an elbow joint on each end of the 10-foot-long PVC pipe and securing with PVC cement. Tie your 15-inch lengths of string into loops and set two around the top bar. The placement of the loops doesn't matter yet.

4. Connect the other 10-foot pipes to the elbow's remaining openings to form a U-shape, but do not glue. By not applying any cement to the side pipes, you will be able to disassemble the frames at the end of the show without difficulty and still be ready for the next show.

5. Create the base of the frame by adding the 5-inch pipes to the sides of the PVC T. Cement the pipes to the T. Add end caps to the 5-inch pipes on the other side and glue to complete the foot of the framing.

6. Connect a completed foot to each end of the frame, but do not glue. Slowly and carefully stand up the frame. It may be helpful to have more than one person for this task to keep the frame steady.

7. Hang an S-hook on each of the loops of string attached to the frame, with the bar through the quilt casing and the frame standing secure. Raise the quilt toward the top of the bar and connect the S-hooks to the loops threaded through the bar. Slide the loops up or down the PVC pipe to create a level look.

Tips & Warnings

• With a small handsaw, score the edge of the PVC where you want the string to rest, or in 1/2-inch increments, to give it something to stick to without being permanently attached to any one spot. For a cleaner look, add a long solid-colored curtain to the top of the frame that extends to the floor before the loops are added. This allows for quilts to be hung on the front and back sides of the frame.

• Be sure your frames are stable enough to support large quilts. As the quilt show goes on, spectators may accidentally bump the frames as they walk and it needs to be sturdy enough to not collapse or start a domino effect of quilts.