Tutorial - Embroidered hanging loops

Recently I have been addressing my quilt making tendencies and come to the realisation that I have no more cupboard space to house any additional quilts I make.  I have concocted an answer to this dilemma by deciding to hang any additional quilts I produce from now on.  The problem I have always found with hanging quilts is - what if you decide a while and a bit down the line, to change the career of your quilt and start using it as a quilt????

I have thought about this for a good while and come up with the following method of making small but sturdy (and pretty) little loops to hang up my quilts with.  Strong enough to take the weight but discreet enough to remain elegantly hidden should you decide to pull them off the wall and snuggle up in them instead.

You will need : a quilt, embroidery thread, a needle and some scissors.

After binding your quilt, decide how many hanging loops you will need - 2 for doll quilts, 3 or 4 for larger quilts.  I don't have any plans to hang bed sized quilts at the moment but if you do you will probably need a loop every 4 - 5" or so along the top.  

Thread your needle with embroidery thread in a complimentary colour, knot the end.

Insert where you would like your first loop to go and bring the needle back out about half an inch away.

Pull thread through, then, using the point of your scissors, tuck the knot out of the way under the binding.

Re-insert the needle at the same point you inserted it originally and exit at the same point you exited previously.  Pull the thread through BUT this time leave a small loop.
Repeat the above step twice more to give you 3 loops of the same size.

The next step is to encase these 3 loops in blanket stitch, so take the needle to the back of the loops and bring it out, KEEPING YOUR NEEDLE IN FRONT OF THE THREAD as above so that you make a knotted loop around the three loops.

continue making these stitches all along the loops.

To the end.

Insert and exit your needle under the binding to make a looped stitch, pull thread through to make a knot.  Cut thread to leave a small tail and then tuck this under the binding.

That's the first loop finished!  Now make the remaining loops you need.  

Then hold your quilt up where you would like it to hang, make a few pencil marks on the wall to show where each of the loops will need a nail inserted in the wall.  Feeling very modern, bang in your nails, hang your quilt and then wait for your husband to walk in and notice it and most probably grimace and sigh rather loudly.

This quilt I finished last week, hangs at the foot of my bed ( I used 3 loops for this one).  It is the first and last thing I see each day and the more I look at it the more I notice lots of nice little bits that are filling my head with future quiltin' plans.........

This hangs on another wall in the bedroom.....  

And the 'Cloudy with a chance of hexagons' quilt hangs up next to the breakfast table in the kitchen ( we are still using the geese in bliss quilt as a table cloth but I still haven't actually finished it off yet- no stains as yet!).

I've been thinking about further tutorials I could make, do you have a favourite made item of mine that you would love to see a tutorial for????

Let me know if you do and I'll see what I can do :)

Comments

[Pink Fawn]

Very pretty Aneela - a nice change from fabric loops! I think I have seen this technique for button closures, but this is genius for quilts.

[Caitlin]

I totally love this idea!!!
So decorative and multi purpose!!!

[Caroline N]

Please write tutorials for all your projects, I love everything you do :)

[angela]

I love your hanging quilts and can't wait to see what you make next. Thank you for this tute, I'll definately be using it!

[Ferne]

How perfectly timely of you...I have been looking for a solution to this exact problem and didn't want to sew a sleeve onto a small wall hanging. Love it! Thanks for sharing the little tutorial and solving my dilemma.

[katie]

I love the perfect homemady-ness of your blog.
Thank you for all your tutes, so many gems in there!

[simone]

What a great idea!

[Kristen Mary]

Those loops are so clever!! Thanks for sharing them.

[kerry]

You are so full of good idea's, love your blog!!!

[anne w]

I would love to see a tutorial on your geese in bliss quilt. Pretty please.

[jo avery]

That's a very neat idea. I have used little loop before but not thought of blanket stitching them together - looks much more finished!

[Susan being Snippy]

an excellent idea for discreet hangers and simple and quick enough that should the quilt go into 'snuggy' mode, the little loops can easily be removed. I am going to try out your suggestions as soon as I am able.

[Angela]

love this idea! I will definitely try it! Maybe even add it to that little girl quilt ;) I only have her for a few more days...

[Rachel]

That is genius. I love these hangers! I'm having a huge where-has-this-been-all-my-life moment. =) Thanks SO much! I'll be linking as well.

[Domedtaco88]

" hang your quilt and then wait for your husband to walk in and notice it and most probably grimace and sigh rather loudly."

lol you made me laugh thats exactly what my hubby would do

[Mercedes]

I love all you do!!!!!!
You are wonderful and very creative!!!
Your work is so different and your fabrics are very sweet.

[Susan]

Hanging loops- what a great idea!!!

[Suzanne]

Brilliant!

[Suzanne]

I have been racking my brain trying to remember where I had seen your quilt hangers. I traveled far and wide across the internet and finally found you again. Ah! I'm so glad and grateful for your perfect tutorial. THANK YOU! ps. I pinned it so I won't lose it again. :-)

[Heather]

I'm going to use this on my Summer Sampler Quilt to hang on my kitchen wall. http://craftingdotdotdot.blogspot.com/2011/09/summer-sampler-finished.html It's about 42" wide...I think I'll use 5 loops.

Thanks for the well-explained tutorial.