~ Hanging Amish Quilts as Tapestries in Your Home ~ (pt 2)
Where and How to Hang Your Wall Art – Part 2
Just like Amish furniture your Amish quilt is meant to be an heirloom that lasts generations if properly cared for. In order to ensure the value of your tapestry quilt will be maintained there are a few simple tips. Select a focal point in your home, perhaps above an Amish crafted couch or buffet. An Amish quilt hung on a wall makes an excellent and colorful headboard choice. Remember, select a spot that will not receive too much sunlight, in order to prevent fading.
No Amish textile should ever be hung with rings because of the weight being unevenly distributed. Much like an old shower curtain, rings can cause sags, creases and tears. Carpet tack strips should never be used because the very sharp edges cut the fibers and eventually rust. Adhesives should never be used when mounting textiles because of future conservation issues with the glue. Metal rods or any metal coming in contact with your Amish quilt should be sealed to prevent rusting. Wood bases or strips should also be painted if they are to touch the textile because of acid deterioration when touching the fabric. Everything touching the textile should be made of acid-free materials.
A very cost effective and simple display option, if you are handy with a needle and thread, is to stitch on casings. These casings made of heavy cotton, linen, or even cotton twill rug binding can be hand sewn across the top of the back and a metal rod slightly shorter than the width of the Amish quilt can then be inserted in the casing. You can hang from two slightly angled nails or two screws in the wall or alternately, the quilt can be suspended from the ceiling via its rod hanging from above with monofilaments. Favored by many museum conservators, a strip of Velcro is hand-sewn to the top back of the textile and the fabric is simply pressed into place. Stitching will not damage and in fact, by distributing the weight evenly across the width of the piece, the casing-and-rod or Velcro methods are the gentlest ways of hanging a quilt. Rigid mountings can be accomplished by mounting on stretchers and even framed. For smaller pieces fabric-covered archival quality foam core board makes an excellent base for your Amish lap quilt or baby quilt.
Now that you have it prepared for hanging it is important to know how to hang. Finding the studs is important for support, especially with heavy quilts. If you are suspending from monofilament, find the ceiling supports. Your tapestry should be a small distance from the wall to help prevent mildew from building up on your wall hanging. Summers humidity, even in air conditioning, can cause mold and weaken fibers, so use preventative measures with quilts just as you would to protect your Amish hardwood furniture.
Tags: Amish, Amish Furniture Styles, Amish Quilts, Decorating Ideas, Decorating Inspiration, Decorating Tools, Hardwood Furniture, Interior Decorating, Interior Design, Room Makeover, Tapestries, Wall Art
