Hanging Multi-Part Textile Works

The 12 works from my 2018 monthly art project  Taking Shape: Cues from Nature are off to tour in China and I have been exploring different ways of hanging the collection. At the Sydney Quilt Show and Queensland Quilters Show last year, the works were pinned to the carpet walls. For China, I needed to find an effective, low-fuss method that could be installed and taken down by others with ease in a variety of settings.

Hanging Options

I asked around for suggestions and came up with three basic approaches:

1. mounting the works onto a background panel;
2. using nylon strings; or
3. joining the works with tabs or rectangular rings.

For my purposes, option 1 was not suitable due to the extra bulk and the potentially visually obtrusive element of the background panels against the venue walls.

For option 2, I experimented with hanging batons made from light-weight foamcore board with eye hooks screwed into the end. I then made loops from beading nylon and hooked them over a button sewed 2.5cm (1inch) in from the corners of the work above. (Bonus tip – tape the nylon loop down on the eye hook so it doesn’t slip around.) Here are some close ups.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Audition time

An informal Instagram showed that both approaches appealed to viewers:

I think that the rectangular loops have potential for other project but decided not to use them in this case because:

• the only ones I could source were quite heavy and potentially distorted the works;
• the rings were difficult to sew neatly and securely in place at regular intervals. I used invisible thread but it loosened with even gentle handling and did not seem robust enough for touring;
• the eye was drawn to the metal joiners, detracting attention from the individual artworks and the overall collection; and
• although the linked panels could be folded concertina-style, the packing footprint was larger. By contrast, with the nylon loops approach, the individual works can be stacked one on top of each other, keeping the packing footprint to 50x50cm (20x20in).

I don’t have room in my studio to show all 12 works hanging together but this gives you an idea. The nylon strings ensure there is minimum visual distraction between the works and minor size variations between the works are not accentuated.

New YouTube Channel

Check out my video Hanging Multi-part Textile Works on my new YouTube channel where I show the hanging process in more detail. Let me know if you would be interested in more of these kinds of videos.