Design Walls

[ANNE E.]

I am redoing my sewing room and want to make a new design wall. I currently have some flannel pushpinned directly into the wall but it's not the best solution.

I know to use Insulation Board which comes in large sheets and is pinnable. I will cover my boards with new flannel.

Here's my question: What is the best way to attach this new design wall to the wall?

A friend has a very nice wall and she used track on to top and bottom, but I might not be able to slide my new wall in due to space limitations on the adjacent side. So I am looking for an easy, inexpensive way to hang my boards.

Pictures and ideas welcome for all design wall ideas!! Thanks!

[Lois B.]

Michele, I cut my insulations sheets to size - exactly - and wedged them between the ceiling and the base board. That worked because the top of the baseboard was flat and not rounded. My nephew then made it more secure with strips of lathe both top and bottom. I actually used the wall before he did that because the fit was snug and it just held. The wall behind is in perfect condition - no nails, no glue. I wrapped the sheets in dividually with heavy white cotton flannel. A light spray of water shrunk at the few ripples that were there. I've used it for more than a year and love it.

[Margo C.]

I'm looking for these ideas too Michelle! My old design wall was insulation board just nailed straight into the wall and covered with flannel held in place with pins. It left large holes when removed, and I really don't want to mess up the new walls like that.

[Betty J.]

I'm interested in the answer too. My design wall is not attached (and is too small), and I'm planning on redoing it to fit the space.

[Rita C.]

Not wanting to get into having to re-plaster walls if I ever decide to move my sewing room I have gone for a simple solution which worked well for me on my small design wall for two years now. I literally got fleece lined curtain-lining fabric and stapled it to the wall with a staple gun. I put the staples about every 6 inches. I had to sew two pieces of the fabric together because it was only 56" wide so I now have a 112" X 80" approx design wall. When the staples come out they leave very small holes that can be filled with polyfilla (or whatever the eqivalent is in your country) to fill small holes in the walls before painting. If I need to pin I just put them in at a downward angle and that works perfectly. I know it's not very high tech or designer but it works for me.

[ANNE E.]

I use 2ft x 4ft insulation boards that slot together like tongue and groove they are 2 inches thick.
Covered with a thick flannelette sheet from John Lewis stuck on at the back with duck tape.
My husband made a platform about 2ft high to raise it off the floor(you don't use the bottom part) do you? and it just leans against the wall, it hasn't fallen over yet.
It has made me a design wall about 6ft x 6ft and you can stick pins in it.
You can see a picture of it on my profile.
Anne
PS, I think the idea of using scraps of batting is great and I shall try it on my Swiffer type mop

[ANNE E.]

I think that Ricky said he covered acoustic tiles with fabric. I think this might work better than the insulation (which I have, I also have smaller ones that are{I think it is called homosote}they are very difficult to pin into) which I found dented. I think the acoustic tiles would hold pins better. Just a thought. As to how to put it up, you could trim it out and just put screws in a few places to hold in place.

[Margo C.]

Several years ago, when I purchased my insulation boards, I went to the home improvement center with a pin in my wallet so that I could stab all of the candidates!
Some were just too soft to hold the pin, some were too hard to stick with the pin, and the one I chose was just right!
Searching for Goldilocks! :wink:

I'm just looking for a better way to attach them to the wall this time.

[Kathryn S.]

My design wall is 2 sheets of insulation board (Homosote??) . Each one is glued and screwed to a frame made of 1 x 2 lumber, then covered with batting and then flannel. I think I remember seeing something on Eleanor Burns about doing it that way. They are leaned up against the wall, kind of wedged in between the carpet and the ceiling. So far, they are perfect! Getting them put together was a real project, my then-boyfriend did most of the work. It definitely needed two people to do it.
Kathy

[Marti O.]

Ricky discusses his design wall in his new studio tour on his website. I'm also trying to figure out how to attach the design wall to the wall. I did the lean-to and I'm not happy with it. Ricky's tour is at: http://www.rickytims.com/ - it has an October date on it.

[ANNE E.]

I have just Googled "design wall for quilters" and lots of sites came up, this one is really interesting.

http://www.thequiltingedge.com Duct tape ....Who knew.......Design wall tutorial.

I have used the Command picture hanging strips and lots of other Command products, they are great and come off the wall without leaving any residue....
no holes in the wall and no sticky stuff left.
I hope you find this interesting.
Anne

[Marti O.]

Thanks, Anne. I'm headed out to locate some Command picture hanging strips today.

[Marti O.]

Anne, thank you so much for that link! I really like how she shows using the Command Strips to hang the boards. I think that is the way I will do my new wall.

Now, here's another question/poll for the gang:

Do you prefer Batting or Flannel as the outer surface of your design wall?

[Margo C.]

I have just Googled "design wall for quilters" and lots of sites came up, this one is really interesting.

http://www.thequiltingedge.com Duct tape ....Who knew.......Design wall tutorial.

I have used the Command picture hanging strips and lots of other Command products, they are great and come off the wall without leaving any residue....
no holes in the wall and no sticky stuff left.
I hope you find this interesting.
Anne

Brilliant!! I'm off to the hardware store!!

[Margo C.]

Do you prefer Batting or Flannel as the outer surface of your design wall?

Michelle, I used white flannel to cover my insulation board the last time and the pink and blue color that shadowed through always bothered me.
I think I will try batting this time. I really like the way these were done: http://www.thequiltingedge.com/2012/...-tutorial.html