Do you need a design wall? They are amazing quilting tool
that fuels your creativity keeps your blocks organized
and tracks your progress but who has the wall space for one?
If you're short on space like me here are 7 fast easy and inexpensive
ways to create your own temporary design wall so stick with me and i'll show you how to do it
hi i'm karen brown of jessica to done quilts i give you tips tricks and strategies to help you
make the quilt that you want to make and if you like what you see please click that subscribe
button when you start quilting you quickly realize that your blocks look a lot different from across
the room than they do up close so you need space to lay out your blocks and get that perspective
and a design wall is perfect for this they give you a place to play and test out new ideas a
safe place to put your finished blocks and by keeping them in sight it can help build momentum
to get you to the finish line but who has the luxury for an empty wall for a permanent design
wall here are seven inexpensive design wall ideas that can be put away when you're done
now you may think that this first one is a cheat but there's absolutely nothing wrong with using
your bed or the floor if that's all the space you have personally i use my bed as a design wall for
years as it was the biggest flat space in my home and i still use it on occasion you just
need to make the bed first now if you're doing some midnight quilting and your partner is using
your bed your floor might be the better option it's harder on your knees so let your seat pad do
double duty and of course it's best if it's clean and your pets are not about with this method and
all the others be sure to take photographs of your layouts as you go a gust of wind or a wagging
tail can easily take out a couple of blocks and having a photo record can get you back on track
use a flannel back tablecloth this was hack number four from my first sewing hacks from the dollar
store video toss it in the dryer for a few minutes to get the creases out then hang it on the wall
with painters tape and four years later i still use mine every day recently i put eyelets along
the top and it's now hung on small nails but you can use command hooks if you prefer i receive so
many inquiries every single week asking how the blocks are attached it's just friction sometimes
you need to spread it out to be sure that all the back is in full contact but look at how well
it works there may be times as you sew all the blocks and rows together that you might want to
use a pin or a clip to help with the weight but i find this is the exception and not the rule
take a flat flannel sheet a wooden dowel and a pack of command hooks now take two
command strip hooks place them on the wall at the width of your sheet
from the top of your sheet where it's folded over open it on both sides you might choose to
unpick the stitches but i'm just using my scissors and cutting it right off
and slip a wooden dowel through
and hang your sheet between them mine is a full or double sheet
if you find your bottom corners a little floppy you can always secure them with painters tape
and when you're done you simply fold it up and put it away
alternatively ikea has these riptig clips that the sheet can attach to and
instead of putting it away you can push it to the side when you're not using it
if you have no available walls but you do have a curtain rod try this design wall i purchased
this curtain from a local discount department store called giant tiger they are a sueded
polyester and they have these big eyelets but you can also make your own out of flannel then
take your cheapest fabric and sew pockets on the back to fit two foam boards from the dollar store
then slip the foam board in you can make as many pockets as you need yes it is a little
bit wobbly but it still works and you can use a pin in the foam board if required
and if you ever do have the wall space it can be used over there too
and it's easily disassembled and put away when you don't need it
this is a great place to use up your batting scraps you can use a large piece or make it from
pieces i showed you how to splice batting together in my video about batting scraps
and i'll leave a link to that video in the notes below for these boards i am going to use foam
board but you can also use upcycled styrofoam or insulation foam board with some spray adhesive the
exact same adhesive that we use for making a quilt sandwich spray both the batting and the board
and just wait for a moment so the glue can get tacky then spread the batting out flat
and with the tacky sides together press the foam board onto the batting smoothing as you go
then trim your batting to the edge of the board
then attach a couple of command strips to the back of each board
and then attach them to the wall this method can be modular for your needs you can use one two four
or more depending on your project and when you're done you can hang something else up on the wall
and when you store them keep the batting sides together
when you have no wall space at all and you do not have a curtain rod and someone is using your
bed and there are pets on the floor grab a flannel pillowcase and a piece of foam board as luck would
have it a standard pillowcase and foam board are almost the same dimensions this one was loose out
of the bag but after a wash it shrunk for almost a perfect fit you can line them up along a counter a
sofa or even a chair and when you're done your pillowcase can still be used as a pillowcase
today i am graduating from my flannel back tablecloth i feel fairly secure
that my sewing room will be totally mine for a while with no kids moving back home
however my number three lives out of province and his visits home will last a week so when my sewing
room turns into a bedroom again i want a design wall that i can move out with my sewing machine
first i measure my wall i have two concerns i have this high vent to avoid plus i'll need them to fit
vertically through my doorway so this is the plan i am purchasing some half inch
foam insulation boards for this project you can purchase it in two foot or four foot widths
but i want it to fit in my car so i'm going with the two foot and they come in 96 inch lengths
which will not fit in my car so i am trimming them here before i head home i am using a flat flannel
sheet as it was less expensive than purchasing yardage you could wrap each panel individually
which could then stack and store in the back of a closet or under a bed which would be a good idea
if you have to move it often but for me this will be an occasional move so i am taping them together
and wrapping them as one you can use duct tape or strapping tape with the insulation board standing
up i tossed the flat sheet over the top of the board and secured it with some alligator clips
then with the board on the floor i secured the sheet to the back of the board with thumbtacks
then i repeat it with the other sides
in the corners i cut out the excess fabric because i'm never going to use this as a sheet again
and i secured that with thumbtacks and then i marked the wall and my board where i intend
to put my command strips then attach command strips to the back and attach it to your wall
now i just need to decide on my next project remember no matter which method you use be
sure to take pictures often you'll never know when a gust or a puppy will take out
your work i hope you can use one of these ideas in your sewing space or inspire you to design
one of your own if you'd like to take a look at some of my other sewing hacks i'll leave
a link here to that playlist and if you'd like to look further on how to organize your sewing space
i will leave a link to that playlist too take care and i'll see you next time