There are several ways to hang antique weavings, rugs and tapestries, and limitless ways to mount fragile or fragmentary textile art.
Casings
Velcro
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeIn a method currently favored by many museum conservators, a strip of Velcro is hand-sewn to the top back of the textile or rug. The soft, fuzzy Velcro part goes on the weaving; then the stiffer, matching Velcro strip is stapled or glued to a wooden board. The wood is then mounted on the wall wherever studs are located. The textile is simply pressed into place. Some individuals prefer to machine stitch Velcro first to a buckram or hair-canvas strip, then hand-stitch that canvas to the rug. If the textile is soft and flexible, this stiffens and supports it a bit. I occasionally secure a slit-tapestry kilim by stitching at staggered intervals straight through the center of the Velcro, as well as along its edges.
Mounting on Stretchers
Really heavy fabric may be stretched and stapled or tacked over a wooden frame, canvas stretchers, or painted plywood for a rigid mounting. If a lightweight silk is the desired mounting surface, such a fabric can be stretched over a sturdy canvas, with an intermediate layer of soft cotton flannel. The weaving is then hand sewn to the stretched fabric(s), leaving the desired border. Heavy, unbleached Utrecht linen canvas was used in the example shown.
Most textiles need to be sewn not only along their edges and also in other areas, so that the weight is evenly supported. Usually large staggered stitches that go completely through the fabric and cross several warp or weft yarns (or both) are best. Stitching is not obvious on the front if thread colors are carefully matched to the textile.
If more protection is desired for delicate pieces, a frame can be attached to the stretchers. Either glass and plexiglas should be held away from any textile, however. A standard museum-type presentation consists of plain, natural-colored linen mounting, with an austere shadow box frame or plexiglas box. The construction should not be tightly sealed, but rather should allow for some air circulation, to discourage mildew. This elegant presentation should be for both residential and commercial interiors.
Hanging Egyptian Tapestries
The miniature Egyptian cotton tapestries from Harrania are best mounted on stretched linen, as described earlier. I have usually tucked fringes underneath the tapestries, leaving only the overhand warp knots on the surface.
Larger, heavier wool tapestries can easily be hung with Velcro, with casings and rods, or with Vincent's casing-and-board method described above. In Egypt, mural-sized pieces have traditionally been mounted on painted, fabric-covered plywood with the edges folded over the sides and covered with simple strip molding frames. Selvage irregularities are thus obscured. Sometimes simply hemming a piece instead by attaching fabric facing or twill tape to enclose the fringe works fine. A rod can then be slipped through the facing. The photo here shows a facing attached along the lower back of a small tapestry. A thin metal rod was inserted in this hem for a little extra weight and stiffness. Sometimes irregularities in a shape of a shape can be modified slightly with this kind of method.
Casings
On some sturdy weavings, rugs and tapestries, casings of heavy cotton, linen, or even cotton twill rug binding can be hand sewn across the top of the back, stopping just short of each side. Heavy cotton button-hole thread is good for this. One should catch at least two warp threads in each stitch for the best support. A metal rod slightly shorter than the width of the weaving can then be inserted in the casing. This rod can be supported on two slightly angled nails or two screws in the wall; alternately, the rod can be suspended from above with monofilaments. None of the hanging apparatus should be visible on the textile's front.
With this method, the casing must bulge on the back if the front of the textile is to be flat. Although the top edge of a handwoven rug or textile may be uneven, it is essential that the casing be perfectly straight. If it conforms to the irregular textile shape, the piece will hang unevenly.
With this method, the casing must bulge on the back if the front of the textile is to be flat. Although the top edge of a handwoven rug or textile may be uneven, it is essential that the casing be perfectly straight. If it conforms to the irregular textile shape, the piece will hang unevenly.
Image by Getty Images via @daylifeIn a method currently favored by many museum conservators, a strip of Velcro is hand-sewn to the top back of the textile or rug. The soft, fuzzy Velcro part goes on the weaving; then the stiffer, matching Velcro strip is stapled or glued to a wooden board. The wood is then mounted on the wall wherever studs are located. The textile is simply pressed into place. Some individuals prefer to machine stitch Velcro first to a buckram or hair-canvas strip, then hand-stitch that canvas to the rug. If the textile is soft and flexible, this stiffens and supports it a bit. I occasionally secure a slit-tapestry kilim by stitching at staggered intervals straight through the center of the Velcro, as well as along its edges.Really heavy fabric may be stretched and stapled or tacked over a wooden frame, canvas stretchers, or painted plywood for a rigid mounting. If a lightweight silk is the desired mounting surface, such a fabric can be stretched over a sturdy canvas, with an intermediate layer of soft cotton flannel. The weaving is then hand sewn to the stretched fabric(s), leaving the desired border. Heavy, unbleached Utrecht linen canvas was used in the example shown.
Most textiles need to be sewn not only along their edges and also in other areas, so that the weight is evenly supported. Usually large staggered stitches that go completely through the fabric and cross several warp or weft yarns (or both) are best. Stitching is not obvious on the front if thread colors are carefully matched to the textile.
If more protection is desired for delicate pieces, a frame can be attached to the stretchers. Either glass and plexiglas should be held away from any textile, however. A standard museum-type presentation consists of plain, natural-colored linen mounting, with an austere shadow box frame or plexiglas box. The construction should not be tightly sealed, but rather should allow for some air circulation, to discourage mildew. This elegant presentation should be for both residential and commercial interiors.
Hanging Egyptian Tapestries
The miniature Egyptian cotton tapestries from Harrania are best mounted on stretched linen, as described earlier. I have usually tucked fringes underneath the tapestries, leaving only the overhand warp knots on the surface.
Larger, heavier wool tapestries can easily be hung with Velcro, with casings and rods, or with Vincent's casing-and-board method described above. In Egypt, mural-sized pieces have traditionally been mounted on painted, fabric-covered plywood with the edges folded over the sides and covered with simple strip molding frames. Selvage irregularities are thus obscured. Sometimes simply hemming a piece instead by attaching fabric facing or twill tape to enclose the fringe works fine. A rod can then be slipped through the facing. The photo here shows a facing attached along the lower back of a small tapestry. A thin metal rod was inserted in this hem for a little extra weight and stiffness. Sometimes irregularities in a shape of a shape can be modified slightly with this kind of method.
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