Block Butler-help!

[Susan B.]

Has anyone tried the block butler? I got one and tried it but my blocks fell off overnight. Has anyone any tips please as I really want a design wall but have not found anything to be sucessful yet.

Thanks

[Barbara C.]

I bought one when they first came out. Had the same problem. It ended up in the garbage. It not only will not hold a block but will never hold a whole quilt top.

I bought the styrofoam housing insulation panels at Lowes and covered it with flannel. I stuck it to my wall with two long corsage pins. Works great!

[Barbara C.]

If you go to search and put in design walls; you will be able to find lots of info on what others found worked and what didn' t work with making a design wall that is pretty affordable.

[Diane O.]

I tried the Block Butler once, and had the same problem. Their "solution" was to spray it with water, because it needed humidity. Well, even that didn't help, and I got tired of arranging all my blocks only to have them on the floor with in minutes of walking away from it. Even after calling them to complain that their product didn't work as advertized, they did nothing to fix the problem.

I have one wall that has nothing on it, so I put some flannel on that wall, and it is now my design wall. It isn't close to my machine, but it was the only place in the house that would work. When I'm not working on a quilt top, I usually have an extra top that hasn't been quilted yet, hanging up there, just so I don't have the plain flannel with all the threads on it to look at.

Diane in Colorado Springs

[Diana U.]

I haven't tried the Block Butler. I have used 2 methods before. My temporary one -- flannel sewn with a rod pocket at each end. I put an old spring loaded shower curtain rod in each end (or white irrigation pipe). I then hang the top rod on a couple of brackets. The weight at the bottom helps hold it steady. But it can blow in the breeze.
My permanent solution is similar to that already posted. I use insulation boards permanently attached to the wall. I cover it with flannel and it works the best. I purchase the pre-printed grid flannel from EQuilt.com.
Diana

[Judy M.]

I seem to always have to use pins on my design wall (I have the large one that Keepsake Quilting sells)--I have a small condo presently, so I also turned the top down for a rod pocket and use a shower curtain rod that I lay on top of bookcases in our living room. It stays up until I get the top assembled, then I remove the rod and fold up the heavy flannel for storage. Libby Lehman said she uses acoustic ceiling tiles painted white and mounted on her wall. She doesn't use flannel but just sticks pins into the tiles. I'm going to use this method when I get my own sewing room again!

[Judy M.]

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me. Your comments have been very useful,

[Eileen K.]

I also had the BB a few years ago. Blocks didn't stick to it but it sure stuck to my wall !!! I had it up for a few months in one spot and when I took it down, it left a sticky residue on the wall.
eileenkny

[Eileen K.]

All of the comments about the Block Butler make me wonder how they can continue to sell them.

I like Libby Lehman's idea of using acoustic tiles, that's what I'm going to do. I like to be able to stick things up with pins. After blocks are stitched together they get a little heavy and fall off of flannel.

JoAnne

[Barbara C.]

Get the cheap flannel.... Fuzzy on both sides. The brushed flannel does not work as well. I only have to put pins along the quilt top when it is all together. Only because I can't hold one side while I stick the rest of the quilt on the flannel. It's too heavy at that point! I use a masking tape lint roller to remove the threads from the flannel wall.

[Barbara C.]

My husband has just bought me a large insulation board from B & Q . It was so big he had to break the corners off to fit it in the car, which isn't small!

Its great. I have put a piece of interlining over it then can use pins if needed as well.

Many thanks for your help on the subject I have returned my Block Butler but as yet awaiting a refund.

[Barbara C.]

Thanks for updating us! I put my foam board in the back of my husbands pickup and when I slammed the tail gate shut it made it fit! I just duck taped the break and it was whole again. LOL

[Georgianne M.]

I had the same problem; blocks would fall off. Then I just covered the blockbutler with flannel. Now, no problems. My blocks stay put on the flannel for as long as I want them there and the flannel stays attached to the blockbutler. It seems the only thing that the blockbutler will hold is flannel.
Marie

[Jill B.]

Hi

I bought this also and nothing stayed in and I was most annoyed as it was not cheap to buy.

I since went out and bought some cheap flannel (white) and used those small pins with little balls on the end (white ones) in six inche spaces all around it.....works brilliantly

Brilliant idea about putting the flannel on top of the Block Butler.

Jill Aust