A hanging sleeve is the recommended way to display a quilt on the wall. By running a wooden slat through a fabric sleeve stitched to the back of the quilt, the quilt's weight is distributed evenly across its full width — protecting the fabric and stitching from the stress that nails, pins, or clips would cause.

The sleeve is attached to the top edge of the quilt. You can also attach a sleeve to the bottom to hold a weighted slat, which helps the quilt hang straighter, but this usually isn't necessary.

Making the Sleeve

Use washed unbleached muslin. Wash and press it before cutting and sewing.
Cut the muslin into a strip 9" wide and about as long as the quilt is wide. We recommend making the sleeve a little shorter than the quilt, about 4" shorter. Sew a ½" seam along the length, so you end up with a 4" finished-width sleeve.
Press the long seam open and flat.
Turn and hem both ends of the sleeve to ¼". The diagrams below show the sleeve before hemming (left) and after (right), with the seam pressed open and the ends finished.
Position the long seam on the outside of the sleeve — facing away from the quilt — with the seam edges visible. This keeps the inside of the tunnel smooth so the slat slides in easily rather than catching on the seam.

Attaching the Sleeve

Position the sleeve near the top of the quilt, about 2" down from the top. Center it so there is about 2" of quilt remaining on either side of the sleeve (you made need to trim your sleeve). If the sleeve goes right to the edge of the quilt, the slat, eye screws, and nails all show when mounted.
Pin the sleeve to the quilt before sewing and double-check that it is straight. Quilts are often not as straight as they appear, so this step matters more than it might seem.
Sew the top edge of the sleeve by hand using a herringbone stitch, which is both strong and flexible. Catch the sleeve and the quilt in each stitch without going all the way through to the front of the quilt. Choose a thread color that would not show on the front, just in case.
Before sewing the bottom edge, make a small fold or tuck along the entire length of the sleeve. This allows a little room for the slat, which can sometimes be quite thick.
Attach the bottom edge using the same herringbone stitch, catching both the sleeve and the quilt in each stitch.

Hanging Your Quilt

Insert a wooden slat through the sleeve and fix eye screws at each end. Hang the eye screws on nails in the wall.
For best viewing, hang the quilt so the center is at eye level — roughly 5' to 5'6" from the floor.
Choose a wall that does not receive direct sunlight. Avoid kitchens and areas near heating or air conditioning vents, where cooking fumes and air movement can damage the fabric over time.