nhweaver

Today we went to our local Goodwill as it was $5 off $20 for the VIP members, and I found a huge piece of green felt, about 10 feet by 5 feet for $2. My DH is going to make a new design wall for my new sewing studio, it will be about 8 x 8, foam board attached to the wall behind my sewing tables. And will piece it to fit using spray adhesive. My question is can I use this felt for the design wall? I have used batting on my portable small wall, but this was such a bargain, and it does not bother me that it pool table top green. But will it work?

Next question is, he will be using foam board, and will spray adhesive the felt to each 4 x 8 sheet, and then attach individually to the wall in the sewing studio. If I use felt (if anyone has used felt for the wall), or batting (my second more expensive solution), will the spray adhesive leach through to the front of the fabric, and ruin it.

Any help, suggestions, or what happened to you will help.

QuiltingVagabond

I don't think the spray adhesive will be a problem, but be aware that some felts are not very colorfast, so it would be important not to get it wet while using it as a design board.
Maybe you could test it in a spot for color bleeding when wet?

nhweaver

Great advice, I will try a water test, as well as a white fabric wipe test.

PaperPrincess

I'm guessing (due to the size) that the felt may have been destined for a pool table top??? There are all kinds of felt made out of all kinds of fibers (poly, wool etc.). Before you do something permanent with the felt, lay it over a door and make sure that your fabric will adhere OK. That's really the only way you are going to know. The adhesive should not leach on either the felt or batting.

yel

check the spray to see if it is for foam ,,,,as some sprays EAT foam

Jan in VA

PaperPrincess has a major point......a design wall works MUCH better for you if the fabric on the wall is a 100% cotton -- either as a batting, flannel, or other "sticky" cotton. Cottons have an affinity for each other, that's why we use them like this. Felt is more often a synthetic than a cotton.

I, personally, would never use a felt, much less a green felt, on my design wall. (Green just conflicts with everything I'd want to audition my blocks for!!)

Jan in VA

petthefabric

Lets see, where to start. I have 4x8' insulation foam boards covered with Warm and White. Do use a spray adhesive, a friend didn't and the batting is sagging. Some spray adhesives disolve the foam so check labels.

I think a dark color would be fine, a dark neutral color that wouldn't compete with the fabric auditioning. My favorite color is green-all shades, tints and hues. But all that green around the project pieces would influence my color choices.

So, no, I wouldn't use it.

Before permanent design boards, I used panels of synthetic felt and it works just about as good as far as pieces sticking to it. I just don't like the feel of synthetics, so now I have cotton.

nhweaver

The green is a deep forest green, and I like it. It may help me be more bold in my fabric, but I will try it for a design board. The felt holds fabric pieces, and doesn't bleed. I think it is some kind of polyester blend with cotton. I think we will use spray basting, and then staple it to the back of the foam board. It will not be done until the fall, as my DH is going to paint the room when it is cooler!!! Thank you for all your suggestions - my dear quilting friends.

Yarn or Fabric

I used felt for my design wall. I did not use any spray adhesive though. I have a tutorial on my personal webpage on how I did it - http://yarn-or-fabric.weebly.com/1/p...sign-wall.html
The felt holds great.
I the felt I used was from Walmart. Everything I have ever tried to stick to it, sticks - although blocks/strips that are too heavy need a pin or two to keep them in place. I have had a kaleidoscope quilt on the design wall for months.. literally months.. and it hasn't started falling off yet.