Quilts should not be hung for an extended amount of time because of the stress placed on the fabric mainly by gravity. That said, if you intend to exhibit the quilts for a short period of time, a few months or so, then hanging them should pose no problem. First, you should carefully examine the quilt to see if the fabric is strong enough to hang. If you want to exhibit a fragile quilt you should use a flat mount placed on an incline for easier viewing or if that is not possible place it on a bed. If the quilts are sturdy, most cotton ones are, then carefully sew a muslin sleeve  large enough to easily fit a rod or other hanging device. You want the sleeve to extend the whole way across the quilt to evenly distribute the weight of the fabric. Placing the quilt bewteen glass can be problematic since the glass could trap condensation and create a mold problem.
 
 
Heidi Campbell-Shoaf
Curator
Historical Society of Frederick County
24 E. Church St.
Frederick, MD 21718
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----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Rickie Good
To: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: exhibiting quilts

Our museum would like to bring our quilt collection out of storage and display them on the walls in a new facility.  We're having a problem deciding the best way to  mount them.  We're hesitant to physically attach them to a backing and have thought about "framing" them between glass.   What type of mounting would you recommend? 
 
Thanks in advance,
Rickie Good
Education Outreach Coordinator
Sumter County Museum
PO Box 1456
122 North Washington Street
Sumter, SC  29151
803-775-0908
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