Like the tension rod idea!!

I saw the vanishing design wall at the mid Atlantic quilt festival. Very nice with a price though. I also thought about tring to make one myself out of roller shade. Please let us know if you try it and if it works.

I put a curtain rod over the closet doors and just changed batting out for a flannel backed table cloth. It pushes behind the door to the room when I want it out of the way.

I like this idea too. Loads cheaper and just as portable. Although if the vanishing design wall were less expensive, I'd be tempted by that.

Hi, I'm currently looking at the local thrift shops for a pull down screen (that was used to show movies on). I will then attach felt and mount this over my closet door. For me this is not something I use everyday and want it out of the way when not in use.

Like the vanishing idea. Don't have a design wall, so this might just be the answer. Thanks!

I need one too and have no room. I do have a large window where I hang quilts on the blinds. I'll look at one and get ideas while I'm quilting another.

Thinking of getting a roller shade and covering it with batting then rolling/unrolling as needed. Not sure if it will work but it would be a good solution if you do not have wall space. You could mount it over the closet doors.

Well some of you probably can. I however took the easy way out, saved up some $$ & just bought the Vanishing Design Wall. Now to get the box shelf painted and the unit hung :roll:

I did some pricing...
Home Depot has a 73.25 inch x 72 inch roller shade for less than $25

The price for the shelf would depend on if you bought plank board or ply-wood

Fabric.com has 108 inch wide flannel for about $9.

I don't know what vanishing design wall charges but I thing I can make one cheeper :D

Keep in mind that by the time you add your flannel, the roller blind may not roll up too easily ... or the old fashioned slide screen as it retracts into a tube.

When I was learning about design walls, I found a youtube video of one for travellers .... piece of fabric with rod pockets at top and bottom. Insert slats of wood. Sling over door, so the top one holds it over the door, and the bottom one just helps hold it down in place.

Put your stuff on it and then when you want it to disappear, it rolls up with all in place.

BTW ... instead of flannelette, I use polar fleece. Wider than flannelette plus everything sticks well to it.


If you have a wall large enough, you can put a piece of flannelette or flannel backed tablecloth on it with painters tape, then take down when not wanting to use. That's how I started when I first tried a design wall ... then mine grew into a permanent one! LOVE IT!!!!!