I have used a plastic flannel backed tablecloth tacked to the wall or spread on my bed. You can then roll it up to be more compact if you want.

I use an old vinyl fabric backed tablecloth. I don't have any bare walls, so I hang it front of a large window. When I am done I roll it up and secure it with clothespins. I have blinds on the windows so I am not bothered with the light shining through.

I have a piece of cardboard with flannel taped on it. God bless. Penny

Like you, I have the simplest solution to a design board--the old picnic tablecloth. Since my extra bedroom is large, one end is my sewing center and when I need to lay out a quilt top, I put the tablecloth on the bed. By evening, I then put an opened large trash bag over the blocks and roll it all up to have a tidy room. (The plastic trash bag makes it so the blocks do not stick together when I open the roll.) However, when just planning colors for blocks, I fold the tablecoth in half (fannel backed side out) and throw it over the door. Each works well for me.

Here is my present work-in-progress lying upon the bed covered with picnic tablecloth. Sorry about photo being so large. Hope I have been able to make this photo smaller.

Reading this thread has really gave me some insight about the design wall I have been bugging my DH about making. He works so much..that he just is to tired to come home do it for me. I think I will get the foam board at Lowes..cover the front with flanel..and ....I have several large rolss of industrial sticky backed velcro...I could put that on the back of the board and put the receiver side on the wall? Think that would work?

I had wondered if adhesive spray would work. I'm glad you tested it for us. I used the blue insulation sheets from Lowes. I love that I can stick all the pins I want without hurting the walls.

I just use my cardboard cutting board and pin the pieces in place. So far it has worked for me, but it is getting a tremendous amount of holes in it, might have to change my method. Can 505 spray be used on the cardboard as well without putting the flannel on it?

All Thumbs, that's a great idea, and your quilts are very pretty too! :thumbdown: :thumbup:

Thank you Schnookie. The tablecloth is a great way to show off ones work in progress too. Just hold everything up and talk. This morning as we met another couple for breakfast, I rolled the tablecloth up and then folded small into a small green grocery bag before I left home. Fit perfect and when dishes were cleared from our table, I unrolled the quilt. My friend was delighted to see it and I was able to "gripe and complain" ? LOL about all those little seams on back having to be opened and pressed. So far 154 pieces just in the center of this quilt (shown on previous page).