Irvin Trujillo: National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow 2007

HangingPieces

The warp is the structural foundation of the piece. Our weavings are weft-faced and are structurally stronger hung with the warp vertical and the visible weft yarns horizontal. We recommend the following sleeve mount for our weavings.

Materials needed are "curtain pleater tape" (white cotton polyester blend, 3 1/2" wide), clear nail polish, regular polyester-cotton thread, sewing needle, 1/8" x 1" aluminum bar.

1. Prepare the sleeve. Fold the pleater tape as illustrated and stitch 1/4" from the folded edge. Then match up the selvage edges and stitch in 1/4" from edges. This will leave a small bulge to slip the hanging rod through without causing a bulge on the weaving side. Cut the sleeve to the exact width of the upper edge of the weaving and apply clear nail polish to the cut ends of the sleeve. Let dry completely before sewing to the piece.
2. Attachment of the sleeve. Be careful to decide which side of the piece will be the front and what is top and bottom. Place the sleeve on the back of the weaving, about 1" from the top with the bulge of the sleeve facing out, and the folded edge towards the top. Now stitch the sleeve to the weaving. You'll use a hem stitch, always moving the needle between warp and weft yarns, never piercing the yarns. The hand stitching is between the machine stitching and the edge of the sleeve and is easily hidden.
3. The Aluminum bar. Cut the bar the same length as the sleeve and drill a hole about 1/2" from each end form mounting screws, nails or bolts. Put the rod in the sleeve and make slits on either end of the sleeve towards the holes in the rod.

Hanging Weavings