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

My dear son made me a nice board out of the foam insulation board. I then covered it with a 80/20 batting and the fabric sticks so nicely to it without pins.

I made one out of one of those folding, cardboard cutting mats. I got it at Joann's. I stapled flannel to the side with the lines on it and I fold it up for storage when I'm not using it. It's not the prettiest thing, but it does the job.

Like ur ideas!

I have to redo mine as it fell off the wall....
have used felt twice now and not happy with it....
am going to try flannel this time as I have lots....
and currently don't have extra batting...that will be my last choice due to cost
was thinking perhaps I could find a old used room screen
and cover it with flannel. You know the old ones that stood in corners....will have to check my local thrift stores

Your folding room screen is an excellent idea!

Thank you, now all I have to do if find one.....

I also made one out of foam insulation board. It was easy to cut to the size I wanted with a steak knife. The insulation board is light violet, if that helps you to go look at it. Then I covered it with the 80/20 batting, as my sister used that on hers and it has worked out well for her.

I am very happy with mine. Oh, wait, I took pictures of it for someone else on the board. Let me see if I can find them. Yup...I found them. Mine slides behind the door to this room.

Oh....I got the insulation board at Lowe's for $8.

maybe I can use the insulation stuff and make it look like a folding screen.....would like it to be about 6 feet wide. may have to involve my contractor son in this adventure....DH has already gone to heaven, so hes no help. Maybe like 2 foot wide sections had fold like a screen.

That could work, I think. It comes 4'x8'. I just duck taped my batting on. I am sure flannel would work...or at least you would think it would. I bought a spray on adhesive to use but decided that would be too messy for me. The duck tape worked fine....though it might have been duct tape. :) In fact, that tape might work for sort of a hinge thing?

I'm not quite sure what to look for. Does this insulation board have paper or foil on the sides? This sure would make an inexpensive one!

This is what I did to. Works great and cheap to make to. I used the back side of a flannel tablecloth that I got at the Goodwill store for $.99 cents!

I used 2 of the 4'x8' insulation for the base of my design wall. Then used duct tape on the front and the back to make a hinge ... I actually made the hinge starting with them together so I knew it would fold properly.

Then I put down papers in my garage. A friend came over and we cut the BATTING to the size of the whole design wall plus enough to turn under to the back side of the DW. We then folded the batting into a neat little bundle the width of the DW and used the 3M Super 77 multipurpose adhesive spray - bought an an office supply store and not a LQS - this is NOT the quilting/fabric spray! -on the DW then carefully put the batting in place. Note: it really is extremely important to have 2 people do this unless you like challenging your vocabulary and such.

Once the batting was on we folded the DW and secured the edges of the batting to the wrong side of the DW.

This DW is folded behind a tall bookcase in my living room. I did put plastic around it to keep it from getting dusty. Then I draped an afghan covered by a mola over the exposed area and it is now a design element in my living room.

I used the 2 pieces of insulation as I wanted a very large DW. There is no reason you can't use less for a smaller DW.

ali

Oops, I forgot the picture. Here it is.

ali

Wow, Alikat, yours looks good even when it is stored.

Rexene, the insulation board I bought is a light violet color, and it has that pink panther guy on it. No foil. It was just in the aisles that have plywood and such at Lowe's. I'm sure Office Depot and such have it too.

...Opps, I meant Home Depot, not Office Depot. It comes n 4 foot by 8 foot pieces.

OK....it means a trip to Home Depot....will put on my contractor hat, so I look like one of the guys....maybe my pink tool belt will help !!!!! (yes I dyed a leather tool belt pink...NO one borrows it !)

Oh, I like your pink tool belt idea!!

Yes, I get a lot of giggles, but it is MINE, and no one borrows it and I always know where it is....

Cool! DW as decoration. Watch out Martha Stewart, quilters are smart and creative. Great job!

I did the exact same thing! Great minds think alike :)

I'm really glad I asked this question. A lot of options here! Thanks ladies! If you have more ideas, keep them coming. I won't be getting to the store before Monday.

My design wall is made of tentest covered with black fleece and screwed onto the wall. You could use the same, and slide it away.

Another though ... anyone have sliding closet doors? Cover them with your design wall fabric.


For design wall covering ... at a LQS, they had design walls covered with a flannel that is made especially for design walls, with a 2" grid woven right into the fabric (white flannel, blue grid)

am not familiar with "Tentest" what is that...

Where in Minnesota are you? If your looking for corrugated I know there are at least two corrugated plants in St Paul and Minneapolis. Look for "Smurfit Stone" in your phone book and give them a call, ask for the Plant Manager. If you are really nice he'll save you a piece. Just tell him the size and what you want it for.

The plant managers get calls all the time, mostly from schools and such, wanting pieces of corruged for craft projects.

Me too. And I've never needed to pin fabric on mine either. You can't even shake the block off! Mine is called Quilters Dream Poly, thinnest loft.
Melody

Thank you, Dina!

I used some foam board and one of the vinyl tablecloths for mine...I flipped the tablecloth so the backing was exposed...works great...

Thanks Mary M, I've been trying to figure this out without hammering things to a wall. great idea!

You also can roll up the blocks in the flannel back table cloths to store and travel to your friends/retreats/families homes...to hang it there are many temp. solutions from the staples you can purchase that leave no holes.

I got one from clotide it was only $24.00 and big with grids.

I've read countless how-tos on a design board and the foam insulation board wins hands down. That's on my list to do next...and it's light enough to move from room to room....!

There's a cardboard box company in my city that will let you buy big sheets of cardboard. That can come in handy for a design wall.

I used the folding screen idea. Look at it here: http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-62823-1.htm

In my small space, having it fold up is nice. Mine has cardboard like inserts--the whole thing is light and easy to handle. I happened onto my screen at the curbside when I was visiting my daughter.

I buy a cheap vinyl flannel backed table cloth and use it on my floor as I haven't a wall big enough for hanging.... I can fold wip's and take them along with me.

I just went to the Dollar Store and purchased a plastic tablecloth that has a flannel side to it. I haven't had any trouble with that. Right now I don't have any place to put it though.

Verna2197

I made my design wall using a 72" wide roll-up shade that I mounted to the ceiling of the studio. It takes up no wall space and is up and out of the way when I don't need it. I used black flannel on it and used spray adhesive to affix the flannel to the shade. Works great!

Egads! I feel like a real cheapskate. I've used a flannel backed vinyl tablecloth stapled to my wall for several years. When the holiday clearance sales roll around, I buy a new one for $1.00.

Yes, you can make it a folded design board. My DH made mine and hinged it together with duct tape. What else would a handy DH use? :lol: