My Quilt doesn't hang straight, HELP!!

ilove2dye wrote

on 15 Jun 2010 11:40 AM

I have entered my quilt in a show, but when it is hanging, it doesn't hand straight and smooth.  It's crooked and lumpy looking, like it's got big puckers.  Hard to describe.  I just want it  flat and smooth!!

How do I make it hang flat and smooth???  I have until July 20th.  What should I do???

Nova4 wrote

on 16 Jun 2010 11:04 AM

Try making a tunnel on the bottom of the back of the quilt and putting a dowel in it to weigh it down.  Sometimes this works for me.

Muppin wrote

on 17 Jun 2010 11:23 AM

What you could do is "block" your quilt.  I think there may be better instructions online elesewhere, but I have a 48 inch art quilt that I misted with some water.  I cleared off some room on my carpeted floor and pinned the quilt into the carpet, making sure the quilt was flat and the corners were exactly square using a T ruler.  I let it dry flat and then I rolled it to ship it to a show. ( A lint brush picked up carpet fuzz off the quilt)  It laid flat along the wall and did not warp along the bottom while hanging in the show.

Cheryl / Muppin

eradock wrote

on 24 Jun 2010 6:10 PM

Sorry about the double post.

When you put a dowel with a sleeve at the bottom, do you close the ends or leave them open?

Do you know if this is OK in a competition even if the rules didn't say anything one way or another about it?

Thanks,

Erik (helping Elena with some of her quilts and fumbling with the internet)

Nova4 wrote

on 25 Jun 2010 1:27 PM

I don't sew the dowel into the bottom sleeve so I can take it out to roll it differently or fold it if need be.  Don't really know about the competition's acceptance as I haven't had to send one this way, but I can't imagine it would be a problem.

eradock wrote

on 26 Jun 2010 10:00 AM

@Nova4

Thanks for the advice. I think we might try a sewn tube of shot or sand that slides into the sleeve to try to keep a more "fabricy" feel of the piece. Elena wants some of hers to drape but not curl and a dowel is too straight for what she's looking to do. Even a length of chain in the sleeve could work for this.

@Muppin

What a great idea! We have hardwood floors so I may need to make Elena a HUGE blocking board like knitters use. If you cover a blocking board with Gingham you get a 1"x1" grid that helps with alignment to keep things square.

Happy Saturday!

Erik 

charsarg428 wrote

on 27 Jun 2010 11:00 AM

Did you block your quilt?  Art quilts need to be blocked before beading and applique work is done on quilts. 

To block:

1. After piecing,quilting and triming your quilt place it on foam board.
2. Score the foam board with a sharp object about 1/4 to 1/2 inch off the streight edge, intersecting at the vertical and horizontal point.
3. Use short applique pins to secure to foam board.
4. Mist your quilt thouroughly with water
5. Gently begin to push unpinned side toward scored line
6. Continue spraying and pushing the unfinished quilt toward both lines. (all edges need to be streight.)
7. Pin as you stretch the fabric about 1 to 2 inches apart.
8. Allow the quilt to dry overnight
9. Remove pins and either bind or complete hand work.

Your quilt should hang perfectly streight!  Good luck! 

bregley wrote

on 24 Apr 2012 10:33 AM

Cheryl,

   Once you have blocked the quilt like you mentioned.  Would it still lay flat once it has been folded for shipping?  I am asking because I have some quilts that may need to be shipped to a show?

Thank You

Lonnie

Muppin wrote

on 24 Apr 2012 10:50 AM

My quilts for show rarely exceed 48 inches, so I ship my quilts rolled in a tube, so they remain flat.  Folding a quilt will produce creases depending on how you pack it.  I have been to shows where bed sized quilts were hung without creasing, but I am sure they took extra steps (like stuffing it with paper in the folds) to prevent the creases.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
Cheryl