scnheckert

I now have an empty wall in my sewing room for a design wall. I would like some ideas on how to make a nice one, rather than just hanging up a vinyl tablecloth with the felted side out. I do have good DIY (Do It Yourself) skills.

elizajo

My dream design wall:

corkboard tiles (so I could thumb tack inspiration pictures, too), covered with thick flannel, surrounded by picture molding so it looks finished. Then above the design wall, near the ceiling, I would hang a decorative curtain rod with gorgeous finials. Use clips on the rings to hang a display quilt that can be moved out of the way when the design board is in use.

Prism99

If you have pets, I would recommend washable flannel or other fabric. Years ago I hung Warm n Natural batting. This was a magnet for cat fur, especially where they rubbed up against the edges!

BellaBoo

I bought two 4 x 8 x 1/2 sheets of insulform board from Lowe's. It has a silver side. I stapled felt on each one and then using a staple gun attached them to the wall with them butting up horz. I have big wall. The staples won't put noticeable holes in your wall and easy to take out. They go right through the foam board and hold it securely.

scnheckert

I like this idea. How do you put staples through foamboard into wall. Long staples?

Bobbinwinder

Great idea here about the display/cover curtain! My mind just won't shut off when I've gotten design wall in full use...it hypnotizes me and draws me like a magnet! So being able to put the WIP out of sight without taking it down would be such a benefit....and it would be a way to have a "secret" project available to me without the recipient being banned from the area. I'm definitely borrowing your dream for my next space.
Thanks for sharing!

Chay

I did something similar to BellaBoo. I got a 4 x 8 sheet of insulation board from Lowes and covered it in batting. Then I got cream colored flannel at Walmart that was really wide (maybe 90"??) and wrapped it over the batting and stapled it on the back. The whole thing is really lightweight. I hung it on the wall with 2 long screws that I put through a washer first. One thing I learned is that you can't screw through the flannel; the flannel will wrap around the screw. So poke a hole first for the screw to go through. Have fun - you (and your knees) will love the result.

BellaBoo

I used a Craftsman staple gun not a desk stapler. I found it on hubby's workbench and it's one of my favorite tools. I have recovered my sewing chair many times, just staple new fabric around the seat.

The gun is very powerful, the staples will go through the foam board right into the wall.

Bottle Blonde

My design board is similar to what Bellaboo and Chay have done. Bought 4 x 8 insulation foamboard at Lowe's. My insulation board is pink and it cost less than $10....anyway I used fleece to cover it. The fabric sticks to the fleece and I don't have to use pins very often, but when I do need to pin - they go in and out of that foamboard very easily. I use my design board horizontally instead of vertically....I have a long wall, and it just leans up against the wall instead of being attached. I used white fleece on 1 end and black fleece on the other end, so it is like having 2 design boards that are 4 x 4. Sometimes I like to audition pale or pastel fabrics against black - white seems to drain the color right out of pastels. I forgot to mention that I used straight pins to attach the fleece so I can remove it and wash it anytime I need to.

vjengels

My design wall is very much like everyone else', except I was lucky enought to 'bump' into a bunch of old wooden yard sticks form a sewing store that went out of business .... must have been in the 70's... because the phone number is something like Mayflower 7253...( I'd have to look at them to tell you what they really say..) When's the last time anyone heard a phone number like that? Last time for me was in the late 60's in Detroit Michigan. I use the yard sticks as a frame. since I make so many scrap quilts, it helps me with size. .. Before that, I made a couple too long , but not wide enough, think of a super long twiggy not quite twin.