hanging sleeve problem
I have just completed a wall quilt about 37" wide and 27" high. I sewed a hanging sleeve into the top binding following instructions I've seen several places--the sleeve has an ironed-in pleat at the bottom, and the back edge of the pleat is slip-stitched to the quilt back, leaving the pleat able to open when the dowel is inserted. BUT--when I tried it out with a half-inch dowel, the sleeve just expanded so that it, with the dowel inside, shows above the top of the quilt. Maybe a piece of screen bead (which is flat) work?
Another model of sleeve is simply a flat tube sewed into the binding and slip-stitched to the quilt back--no pleat. This may work better, but I'm perplexed as to why the usual one isn't working.
Any help is much appreciated!
Nancy