Hey everyone. Today you will learn what to check when a quilted wall hanging hangs unevenly.
Here is the short answer first. A quilted wall hanging can hang unevenly for more than one reason. Check your batting for directional stretch, and follow the fabric or pattern grain when using woven interfacing. Do not assume their stretch adds together or that crossing their directions causes skew. The finished construction and hanging support matter too. Support the hanging across its full width, especially on larger or heavier pieces.
This is part of our Be the Best at Batting series, where the layer you cannot see decides how the finished piece behaves.
What to check in each layer
Start with the batting. Check whether your batting gives more in one direction. Use a gentle test on a scrap, and check the maker’s guidance. Do not assume every batting behaves the same way. Many battings do stretch more in one direction than the other, but your piece, tested gently, is the one that counts here.
Now the interfacing. Woven interfacing has lengthwise and crosswise grain. Follow the fabric or pattern grain and the interfacing maker’s directions. Knitted and nonwoven interfacings have different constructions, so do not apply this woven-grain rule to them. Matching woven interfacing to the project’s grain is the instruction here, not a universal vertical orientation.
Then look at the whole hanging. How it was quilted, how evenly it was basted, the backing, the binding, and the sleeve or other support can all affect how it hangs. One layer is rarely the whole story. Checking each layer on purpose keeps you from blaming one cause too quickly.
How to check a wall hanging, step by step
- Decide the top first. Choose which edge will hang at the top, and mark it lightly on the back. Here we go. That mark keeps your checks pointing the right way.
- Check the batting on a scrap. Tug gently in both directions. Do not yank it. Note which way gives more, and mark that direction on the scrap or on tape. Then check the maker’s guidance for that batting before you lay it out.
- Check woven interfacing grain, if you are using it. Look at the threads. Lengthwise and crosswise are not the same. Plan to follow the fabric or pattern grain for the piece it will support, as the maker directs. If you cannot tell, check the instructions instead of guessing.
- Follow the project’s grain and layout. Follow the project’s grain and layout instructions. Do not rotate woven interfacing away from the fabric’s required grain just to point an arrow upward. Lay out batting as your project and its maker direct, without stretching it.
- Fuse to the fabric piece, then layer. Fuse interfacing to the intended fabric component according to the maker’s instructions. Its adhesive goes against that fabric’s wrong side. Let it cool flat. Then layer the top, batting, and backing and baste without stretching. Do not tug the sandwich taut.
- Check it flat, then check it on proper support. Check the piece flat before finishing. Compare opposite sides, corners, and both diagonals; matching diagonals alone do not prove a four-sided piece is square. Once it is quilted and ready for a hanging test, use a suitable temporary sleeve or another support that distributes its weight across the full width. Do not suspend it from a few pins. A short test may reveal a problem, but it cannot predict long-term sag.
When it matters, and when it matters less
It matters most on larger, heavier wall hangings, and on pieces that will hang for a long time. Larger or heavier pieces may need additional support. Small, light pieces still need a suitable hanging method. Size alone does not replace support across the top.
Options, not verdicts, folks. Mark what you can identify, follow your project’s instructions, and test a scrap first. That is a calm way to check both layers without promising more than a check can prove.
One more note on the product below. Pellon SF101 Shape-Flex is a cotton woven fusible interfacing, so it is an example of the woven kind discussed here, the kind that has threads and grain to find. Treat it as a starting point for your project, following Pellon’s guidance, not proof a hanging will stay square.
It does not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic here. Take your time. Check it flat, then check it on proper support. If I can do this, y’all can do it.
Thanks for spending a little time with me. We’ll see you next time. Bye.
Shop Pellon® SF101 Shape-Flex® Cotton Woven Fusible Interfacing 20" x 1 yard Package. Color: White. at Linda's Electric Quilters.
