Attaching a sleeve to your quilt…

The new AQS way…

Step 1: Cut a strip of fabric 8 ½” x the wof (width of the fabric).

Step 2:  Measure your quilt across the back, top of the quilt where the sleeve should go. Or according to the placement rules of the show that you are entering (depending on how large your quilt is).

Step 3:  Cut your strip to the measurement from step 2.

Step 4:  Press in the ends ¼” twice and then top stitch in place.

                                                      

Step 5:  Press in half (middle top of sleeve). Then bring sides into the middle and press (pressed sides).

Step 6:  With wrong sides facing sew a ¼” seam (middle seam). This will result in a tube with no need for turning.

Step 7:  Using the pressed sides from step 5, pin your sleeve (with the middle seam facing down) to the back of your quilt a ¼ down from the binding. It should end up a ½” from each side.

Step 8:  Hand stitch the sleeve to the quilt, making sure not to go all the way through the quilt. You don’t want to see stitches from adding the sleeve on the front of the quilt.

Note for larger quilts:

  • If you have a larger quilt (larger than the wof 42”) you may need to piece strips together longways, or cut from the lof (length of the fabric). If you have to piece the fabric together, make the sleeve is long enough to go across the back. Before moving on to step 6, make sure you secure that seam so that a rod/pole with slide through easily in either direction.
  • Or buy a little extra backing fabric. A ¼ of a yard would do. Just make sure that the width of the backing is at least the width of your quilt.
  • You can also break up the sleeve into smaller sections. But make sure that your sections are no more than 1” apart. You would follow the steps above for each section of the sleeve.

If you would like to view the video that AQS has for sleeves please click here.

The new way is definitely faster. But since I have not yet finished the hand work for this way of doing it, I think I will wait to say which one I prefer better until I see them hanging next to each other. That will be the true test I think.

Thank you for reading!!

Until next time….

Keep drawing and doodling!!