How to Put a Sleeve on a Quilt
Attaching a quilt sleeve to the back of a quilt makes it easy to hang the quilt from the wall, fully displaying the entire quilt top. While quilt sleeves are not difficult to make, they do require carefully measuring, cutting and stitching to properly function as a hanger for your quilt. If the sleeve is not measured, cut and stitched carefully, your quilt may not hang evenly from the wall. Take your time with this step of your quilting project to ensure sturdy sleeve for showcasing your quilt.
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Things You'll Need
- Cotton fabric
- Measuring tape
- Scissors
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Iron
- Pins
- Hand sewing needle
Instructions
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Cut the cotton fabric into a rectangle that is 9 inches tall by the width of your finished quilt.
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2
Fold each short edge of the quilt over from the right side of the fabric to the wrong side ¼-inch from the edge. Press these folds in place with the iron.
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3
Fold each short edge of the quilt over ¼-inch once more, concealing the raw edges. Press the folds once more.
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4
Place one of the folded edges under the needle of a threaded sewing machine. Stitch along the folded edge. Repeat for the other folded edge.
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5
Fold the piece in half so that it is now 4 ½ inches tall and the right sides of the fabric are facing one another. Place the raw edges under the sewing machine's needle, and stitch ¼-inch in from the edges. Secure the stitching at the beginning and end of the seam by making three backwards stitches followed by three forward stitches at either end of the seam.
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Turn the piece right-side out, and press the sleeve so that that the fold is at the bottom and the stitches seam is at the top.
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7
Pin the piece to the quilt back, 1 inch from the top of the quilt and approximately 1/2-inch from the right and left quilt edges. The sewn seam should be centered on the back of the quilt.
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Hand-stitch the sleeve to the quilt back along the seam of the sleeve. Use blind stitch or another inconspicuous hand stitch. To blind stitch, start at the right edge of the quilt sleeve. Make a small stitch into the quilt back, followed by a small stitch ¼-inch to the left through the quilt sleeve. Move ¼ to the left, and make another small stitch in the quilt back. Continue in this manner until you've stitched the entire sleeve to the quilt back.
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Tips & Warnings
Use high-quality quilting thread to ensure sturdy seams.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
