I will soon be painting my tools and accessories pink.... When my husband can't find his, (as he never puts any away in the same place twice) he knows where mine are. I end up putting them away after he uses them.

I have my design wall up on the wall, but since you don't have that option a portable one will do.

I used a plastic table cloth for my design wall and it worked great. Got it at Bed, Bath & Beyond. (The fuzzy backed ones.)

Lots of great ideas,thank you all.

What a good idea. I wish I could remember where I put my board so I could make me one.

How about making a frame out of thin strips of wood and put the four sides together with screws and wingnuts so you are able to take it apart for storage. Then get some nice wide flannel backed vinyl. I bought some at Mardens for about $4.00 for a great big piece and it is wide!
When you assemble it, you could put thumb tacks along the top and bottom to hold it to the frame.

quote=IAmCatOwned]I have found it impossible to use directional fabric without a design board. However, I have no place where I can have a permanent one. I do have room to store one behind a double bookcase and then can just place in front of bookcase when in use. Problem is, I can't find stiff cardboard that comes larger than you would find for an appliance. Need suggestions that are roughly the same width at cardboard. Also, can I use any kind of white flannel for this board or is one kind better than another?

Thanks,
Stephanie[/quote]

I also use the foam insulation board but I didn't cover mine because I also use them to spray baste my quilts. I left one sheet 4' x 8 ' and added 1/2 of another sheet to make it 6 ft wide by 8 ft wide. I also have one that both pieces are cut down to 6' high so it is 6 ft by 6 ft. They aren't very attractive not covered but they almost always have something hanging on them. I just stand them up against the wall and can move them anywhere I want them. Oh another thing, because my boards are free standing, I have 4 sides to work with which gives me a lot of space for design.

The pink foam 4x8 sheets of insulation that fold up to 2x4 feet (comes folded this way) will allow you to stick pins in it almost forever. My daughter has a design wall made out of this stuff and it's been up on the wall four or five years - still accepts pins. You can even keep some pins stuck in the foam panel.

Have you considered putting the bookcase on very sturdy rollers and putting the design wall behind it on the wall. You could roll the bookcase out and back when you wanted to use the design wall.

That is a very good ideal,I will have to try it

WOW these are some great ideas. :-)

I was at a quilting class and they told us about using a vinyl backed table cloth put on wall with blue painters tape. and if you have a couple of projects going you can use one for each and flod the up in them and they will stay together.

Foam insulation board. My hubby bought 2 sheets and cut the ends down to fit floor to ceiling. That's what I use to layer my quilts on. It works great!

Hi there! I dont have much rrom but i use a flannel backed tablecloth and use push pins to hang it from the wall in my basment. Works very well and of course was very inexpensive.

love this idea!

I made mine out of 3/8 inch pvc pipe, elbow joints and t-joints and I glued all the joints together except for 2 so that I can take it apart and "fold" it so taht I can take it with me if I need to. I used white flannel and put it around all edges. In all, it cost me less than $20 and it's more than sturdy.

In additional to a design wall (I use the hanging one from Fons and Porter at this time) I have a small portable one that I can carry back and forth from the cutting board to the sewing table. It is made from the foam board from Hobby Lobby and covered with flannel cloth, using painter's tape to secure. I cut it from rectangular to square. It is perfect for keeping block pieces straight. I have made a few to give to friends.

You said exactly what I was going to suggest! Use duct tape to hinge it. I love duct tape, especially now when it comes in pretty colors.

Dear Stephanie,

You might want to use a light gray or beige flannel rather than white. Easier on the eye.

mountainmammo

I'm another one who uses the flannel back of a cheap plastic table cloth. I usually attach it to the wall with blue painters' tape. Have never had a problem with it pulling off the wall, pulling off paint, or the blocks falling off.

Could you post a picture of yours if you have one available?

My DH did the same for me using felt and he even made a skinny wood frame and stapled the Cardboard to it. He used 2 and in between each frame he put hinges so I can fold it in half and I put it behind the door. I just love mine!

I use the back side of a cheap plastic table cloth, push pins in the wall, and then binder clips on the edge of the cloth and hook it on the push pins, works great, and is cheap too.

I put up a cafe rod on the wall behind a door, then took some flannel and used it like a curtain for a design board

I used a flanel backed tablecloth from the Dollar Store, and it is on my closet door.....held on with pushpins....you cant do much of anything with the closet door, cuz you cant block it or anything, so making use of it for a design board works great for me.......

Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful ideas, I was going to buy one- you talked me out of it. I'm now going to make it with insulation board and flannel-backed table cloth.
CruisingStef

Here is my idea of a portable, easily stored, almost free standing, or easily hung design wall. In a previous life it was a heavy flannel blanket. I found it at Goodwill for about a buck. The corners were folded over and sewn to make a couple of slots. Old fiberglass tent poles are inserted into the slots, and tied together with a ribbon which goes through the blanket and around the poles. It will lean against a wall (The almost free standing part) or hang from ribbons. I take those easily removable adhesive hooks with me to retreats to hang on the wall, without the frame, but stand the frame most anywhere else. Here it is hanging from a single cup hook from the beam, frame in. Earlier, I had it standing in front of the fire place. The poles are on shock cord, so it makes a package of about 18" long when folded.

I use a cheap ($2) flannel back table cloth tacked to the wall but it would work tacked to a styrofoam board

If you like the idea of a large folding item, consider flat wood shutters as well...do you live near a habitat "re-store"? They are thinner than regular doors & make a nice framework. Just put center hinges on two to make the pair. Or if you wanted stout ones that fold...any hollow-core (lighter-weight) folding closet door would work. The white masonite ones are cheapest & may be discounted for scratches @ any home center. Just ask for "Flush panel" doors or shutters; flush means completely flat, no raised details anywhere.

So many good ideas here. I know I would love the foam board design wall for all the pluses:
1-lightweight & moveable by most of us without help
2-Inexpensive to start with
3-flannel or batting easily taped, glued or thumb-tacked to the backing.
4-stiff & sturdy for lots of blocks for your quilt layout- no sags.

There is only one thing I plead with any of you to keep in mind: flammabilty.
"Foam insulation is relatively hard to ignite, but when it is ignited, it burns readily and emits a dense smoke containing many toxic gases. The combustion characteristics of foam insulation products vary with the combustion temperatures, chemical formulation, and available air.
Because of these characteristics, foams used for construction require a covering of 1/2" drywall, as a fire barrier in residential applications."

Please don't have your little ones sleep in the room where your design wall is, such as the guest/sewing room. It could be heart-breaking. Thanks and sorry to be the ol' damper here.

I love your idea! Another thing to add to the yard sale/ thrift shop scavenger hunt. Thanks