To Quilt or Not to Quilt?
 

I have a small embroidered square, about 12", that I'm turning into a wall hanging. Since it's so small, does it need quilting or will it be fine without any quilting? I use Warm & White batting, which is fairly flat.

If it is only going to hang & will not be washed or handled then it sounds like quilting would not be required. However, there are so many artists on this board that use the quilting to enhance the block or fabric design, not just hold it together. If you feel quilting adds to the artistry of the piece, then I think you might do it for that reason alone but that may not be the case when the block is embroidered.

Why not show a picture of your wall hanging? Tell us how you will be hanging it - will you use a sleeve, a picture frame or another method? Is it also embellished with jewels? How heavily embroidered is it? We really need a picture to give an informed opinion.

what is the purpose of using batting in the first place if you do not want to quilt it? the batting would enhance- the wallhanging with quilting- it would not seem to even be part of it without- and i would think it would not be necessary- if you don't want to quilt it- don't waste the batting.

I wouldn't quilt it. Just have something firm on the back -

When I make wallhangings that I don't want to do I lot of quilting on (for example, if I make a wallhanging with a snowman, I don't want to quilt over the snowman), I use flannel for batting so it doesn't matter how far apart the quilting is. I buy the flannel on clearance at JoAnns and it doesn't have to be quilting flannel. Having a batting gives the wallhanging more body and it hangs nicer. I also prewash and machine dry all of the fabric and flannel. If the finished wallhanging ever needs to be washed, I use cold water and hang to dry.

I have made seven of the Radical Roosters, intending them for a quilt. My DH said he would not want a rooster quilt. So my daughter, the BFA, spoke up and claimed them immediately. She/I had them framed as textile pieces, with a double mat and frame. IMO, they came out beautifully and did not need any quilting. When my DH saw the five I made DD, he asked for some to be framed the same way. That's why I did seven.

On the other hand, when I framed a quilted piece, it needed a shadow box frame rather than a regular frame. this was a gift to my DH for a b'day. He thought it was "OK" but hung it in his office. Every one of his clients that came for a meeting oohed and aahed over it. Now, he realizes quilts can also be art.

Framing a wallhanging is a cool idea! I never thought of that. It would work too for vintage blocks you can sometimes find on ebay.