Ideas for a design wall
05-13-2020, 05:59 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Boston MA
Posts: 22
Ideas for a design wall
I've always gotten along without a design wall. But now I'm feeling the need. But how? Made out of what? Where? I need help!
My sewing room is the master bedroom to give you an idea. But there's equipment and stuff against all the walls so I'm really at a loss on what's the best setup. I would love ideas from you creative types. TIA
My sewing room is the master bedroom to give you an idea. But there's equipment and stuff against all the walls so I'm really at a loss on what's the best setup. I would love ideas from you creative types. TIA
05-13-2020, 06:25 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Waterford Michigan
Posts: 7,241
I don't have a design wall any longer 
. I had to sacrifice it for lack of space. The only thing keeping me from one like I had before is a ceiling fan. I had a pull down one made of flannel with pulleys so I could roll it up when not in use. It was weighted at the bottom so it didn't sway. I would pin the pieces to the felt before rolling it up. I have no open space in my sewing space now. I keep thinking someday I will not need to have a freezer in my sewing room and I could put one up again. Ode to another day and time.
. I had to sacrifice it for lack of space. The only thing keeping me from one like I had before is a ceiling fan. I had a pull down one made of flannel with pulleys so I could roll it up when not in use. It was weighted at the bottom so it didn't sway. I would pin the pieces to the felt before rolling it up. I have no open space in my sewing space now. I keep thinking someday I will not need to have a freezer in my sewing room and I could put one up again. Ode to another day and time.
05-13-2020, 06:37 AM
#3
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,201
I recently got the portable one from CherylAnn I think. I got it from amazon. Because Of a mixup I got both the 54” square and 72” square. It was my mixup. I kept both. Portable and collapsible. I’m happy with them.
05-13-2020, 06:55 AM
#4
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,462
I had my husband mount a length of pipe at ceiling height in my sewing room. I put the curtain rings with the little teeth on the pipe so I can attach a flannel sheet. I draw it to one side when not in use. Sometimes I use the little clips to clip up a work in progress also so I can see it from a distance. Some people just pin their work to full length curtains as a design wall.
Last edited by patricej; 05-16-2020 at 11:23 AM.
05-13-2020, 07:02 AM
#5
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,713
A simple and easy one that might work for you is covered corroplast.
Mine are covered with fleece, but flannelette or batting could be used.
The corroplast gives some rigidity, so you can lean it against a wall or furniture.
Lightweight, it's easy to move around.
You can slide it behind a piece of furniture when not in use, or under a bed, or???
Once you start with one design wall, you will soon have many more!
Then you will soon wonder how you ever quilted without one ..... or many!
Some put their design wall on the back of a door, or even sliding doors.
Also, do you have space on a hall wall?
Mine are covered with fleece, but flannelette or batting could be used.
The corroplast gives some rigidity, so you can lean it against a wall or furniture.
Lightweight, it's easy to move around.
You can slide it behind a piece of furniture when not in use, or under a bed, or???
Once you start with one design wall, you will soon have many more!
Then you will soon wonder how you ever quilted without one ..... or many!
Some put their design wall on the back of a door, or even sliding doors.
Also, do you have space on a hall wall?
05-13-2020, 07:07 AM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,066
I have a small house LSM52, and most of the walls have openings of some sort, the only possible wall I have is the hallway and since I can't stand back from it, sort of takes that out of the equation.
The only place I could figure out is the back of my sewing room door, not ideal, but enough to put up sections and get some perspective. Easy enough to attach some flannel or something.
Other than that, my layout space is the queen sized bed -- and the hubby does object to me draping fabric over him so I have to wait until he goes to work... I take pictures and number blocks with alpha/numeric paper labels held on with safety pins. It's amazing the things you can pick out in a photograph that you don't see live and in person. I have a roll of heavy kraft (brown paper, like the old school paper bags were made of), I cut off 3 sections that I overlap to cover the bed and I use them until they get gross with spray baste or just get too soft to use. Then I cut new ones, the currently used ones I just coil around the outside of the roll for storage, but it's in the bedroom because I use it almost every day.
The only place I could figure out is the back of my sewing room door, not ideal, but enough to put up sections and get some perspective. Easy enough to attach some flannel or something.
Other than that, my layout space is the queen sized bed -- and the hubby does object to me draping fabric over him so I have to wait until he goes to work... I take pictures and number blocks with alpha/numeric paper labels held on with safety pins. It's amazing the things you can pick out in a photograph that you don't see live and in person. I have a roll of heavy kraft (brown paper, like the old school paper bags were made of), I cut off 3 sections that I overlap to cover the bed and I use them until they get gross with spray baste or just get too soft to use. Then I cut new ones, the currently used ones I just coil around the outside of the roll for storage, but it's in the bedroom because I use it almost every day.
05-13-2020, 07:21 AM
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SoCal
Posts: 11,903
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/244320348505248696/
I have one just like this with the double design walls that roll up. I have it in front of a set of windows in my studio as there are no walls to speak of as they are all in an angle.
I have one just like this with the double design walls that roll up. I have it in front of a set of windows in my studio as there are no walls to speak of as they are all in an angle.
05-13-2020, 10:10 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,079
I got a 4 foot by 8 foot sheet of foam insulation board for less than $10, and covered it with a white flannel sheet. It's light and easy to move around. Also easy to pin things on. I have a much smaller one too. Table top size. The foam sheets come in lots of sizes, and are also easy to cut to any size I want. I can duct tape a couple together for a super big design wall too.
I also tried a flannel-backed table cloth tacked to the wall. That works, and is easy to store, but the blocks had to be pinned on. I liked that I could roll it up and store it with the blocks still attached.
I also tried a flannel-backed table cloth tacked to the wall. That works, and is easy to store, but the blocks had to be pinned on. I liked that I could roll it up and store it with the blocks still attached.
05-13-2020, 10:23 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 331
I use large corrugated sheets of cardboard that computers had been packed in. I have 6 that are approximately 18" x 36"and about 3/4" thick. Each is covered in white flannel. I store them side by side. When I have a large quilt, it mostly works, when I have a small quilt, it always works! I have a counter top in my sewing area so I stack two on the counter and then lean two on the bottom of the counter top. I kind of add the remainder as I go along. It's a choppy way to get things done, but for now that is all I have to work with. Storing them is easy and doesn't take up a lot of room. It is also nice to just a take a board or two over to sewing machine and work off the board (small quilt). Anyway, that is how I have been dealing with a homemade design wall.
05-13-2020, 12:02 PM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Boothbay Maine
Posts: 9,518
I took two sheets of board insulation (I think they are 1 1/2" thick) used Gorilla tape to join them and then covered them with cheap batting. I get frustrated that I can't easily post photos like before. : /
