Building the Empire

Quilt Hangers

International Quilt Market is in late May

but with a trip to Europe & Asia for a few

weeks added to an already full calender,

it will be here in no time.

I have been trying to prepare as much as

I can before I go away so I'm not worrying

through my entire vacation.

One of the things I had to figure out was

how would I hang my quilts in a quick

and efficient manner in my booth.

I did a research trip to Market in Houston

to check out how others handled things

and really didn't come away with any great

ideas for hanging quilts.  After many years

as a Theatrical Prop Mistress, I know if you

need something and can't easily find it, get

ready to make it yourself...  Here goes.

For the rod I am using plastic plumbing

pipe, cut 2" longer than the width of the

quilt.  I used a miter saw, but if you have

a chop saw, it would cut like butter.

Place your pipe and a long metal level

on a flat surface and mark a straight

pencil line along the pipe, this will come

in handy in the next step.

Drill a hole on each end about a 1/2"

from the edge.  Be sure to drill straight

down on top of the pencil line, this

is important so your wire will allow

the rod to hang evenly.

Cut heavy duty wire (I used a 9 gauge

galvanized utility wire) in 1 foot lengths.

I needed to use a 24" bolt cutter to cut

this, it is tough stuff.  Place 1" of the wire

in a vise and bend it over forming a

right angle.

Hammer the wire near the bend to

make that angle as crisp as possible.

Tape the bent ends of the 2 wires with

your prototype, that way you will maintain

a uniform size.

Now holding the bent ends in your

left hand, place the loop of the prototype

around a pole that is similar in size to the

poles you will be hanging your quilts from.

With your right hand, bend the straight wires

around the pole, it takes some muscle.

(Note: I used the pole from an umbrella on

an old outdoor dining table to bend my wire,

it was very stable.)

These are the finished wire hangers.

Sand the edges and drilled holes on your

plastic pipe and spray paint the edges of

your pipe.  My drapery will be black, so I

used black paint, make sure to shoot the

paint into the inside of the pipe as well.

Allow paint to dry completely, then

place the shorter end of loop through

the 2 holes in the pipe,

now slide pipe over the loop and

have it come to rest like this.

Put pipe through the hanging sleeve

of your quilt, add another wire to the

other end and hang away.

This has worked perfectly, it hangs

straight, it is lightweight yet sturdy

and it looks good.

Best of all, I get to cross another

"to do" off the list.