How to Hang Fabrics Properly and Gracefully in Your Home

Large, heavy hangings such as rugs, tapestries and patchwork quilts, can be displayed in several ways. If you are hanging anything you think might be valuable or which you particularly like, remember that any strong light will cause it to fade so don’t shine spot lamps on it or place it where it is in direct sunlight.

The photo wall tapestry for the home should be lined before they are hung. Send large pieces to an expert; your local antique shop should be able to advise. If you decide to do it yourself, use pre-shrunk linen or brown holland and cut it to length, allowing 5cm (2in) all round for turnings. Lay the tapestry face down on a flat surface, place the lining on top and pin the centre vertical. Use button thread to stitch parallel lines about 30cm (12in) apart. Then stitch horizontal rows across the tapestry and lining, catching a warp thread of the tapestry. Let it hang for a few weeks before hemstitching the bottom.

Hanging with Velcro

Stitch Velcro to the back of the lining, through to the hanging, along all sides. Nail the rough half of the Velcro to battens and fix them to the wall. To hang, press the Velcro on the fabric onto the Velcro on the wall.

Hang Fabrics

Hanging with loops

Sew tabs to the back of the hanging to make loops. Thread a rod or bamboo cane through the loops and hang from hooks in the waft.

Fixing fabric to battens

You can staple fabric directly onto the wall, either turning in the raw edges or covering them with braid, but you will get a more professional result if you use battens.

1.  Fix thin strips of wood along the top and bottom of the wall, just below the ceiling moulding and just above the wainscot.

2.  Nail vertical strips of wood at 2m (6ft) intervals.

3.  Attach the first fabric panel by centering it between the outside edge of the first vertical strip and the middle of the second, keeping the top of the fabric level with the top of the horizontal batten. Lightly tack it in the middle. Stretch the fabric to each side, tack it and then staple it in position

4.  Attach the rest of the panels in the same way; working from centre to centre of the upright battens until the last one, then fix the edge of the fabric to the outside edge of that.

If the fabric is thin, staple lining fabric to the battens first. Choose fabric that is the same color as the main fabric or marginally paler.