Question for my readers

[baronessekat]

Is anyone aware of a safe way to hang an antique quilt on a wall to display it WITHOUT causing damage?

I have inherited several antique quilts (close to 200 years old) that I would like to display on a rod or the like behind headboards in the bedrooms. But I can't think of a way to do so without causing damage.

I went to JoAnn's yesterday and I was told that the way to hang a quilt was to sew a rod pocket onto it for the curtain rod to slide through. I pointed out that wouldn't this cause damage to the fragile fabric and got "oh."

So I bring the question to my friends here.

Anyone got a clue?

Comments

[deadised.livejournal.com]

Find a museum with a "tapestry" or quilt collection and inquire for what they recommend. In the past, the most common way that I've seen for doing this outside of framing under glass is to "tack" a backing of cotton or non-acidic fibers to the back and then hang from that. This is how the "Star Spangled Banner" is preserved and hung. Of course, over time, the quilt will be subject to deterioration due to exposure (dust, air, light). And, of course, this does slightly break the "no holes" rule because you actually have to stitch the backing to the back of the quilt.