Sunday, August 7, 2011

My Design Wall...

A few weeks ago I mentioned that we (and I mean Greg) were going to put a design wall up in my sewing room. After a brief delay due to illness, it's up! We did it on the cheap.

We bought sheet insulation from the big box home improvement store. They'll cut it to size for you there. We bought 3 sheets because I wanted it a bit bigger than the size of one sheet and since we mounted it slightly off the wall I wanted two thicknesses for stability. I think they cost about $10 each.
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Greg first laid the sheets out in our living room to get an idea how they'd stack together.
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After using a bit of white duck tape, Greg glued the sheet insulation together with construction glue. He thinks it was $5-$6 a tube. It dried pretty quickly.
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Then we wrapped the flannel around the sheet insulation. I ordered 108" flannel online becauseI didn't want to have to piece it. I think it was $25. The flannel was then taped to the back with duck tape. We could have pulled it a bit more taut.
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Since I didn't want it glued directly to the wall, Greg screwed in a very thin piece of wood to the studs ($5) top and bottom and then screwed the design wall into the wood. We covered the screw heads with little pieces of flannel.
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Design Wall Complete!
You can see a slight line where the two pieces come together in the bottom half but I didn't want to use duck tape on the top side as I might need to use pins.
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I was really glad I went with the flannel (thanks Karen Dianne) as it's held everything I put up there very well, including a small quilt top (one of my Jo's projects that is less than 24" square) without pinning. It measures about 6'x6' so I should be able to keep a lot on it. Maybe I'll finish up some of these projects if they're not out of sight! Right?!

I do have the some sheet insulation left over from having some of the length cut off. It'll be enough for me to make a mini portable design board like Lori uses. Living in Florida, I always have the ceiling fan on and it blows my smaller pieces of fabric around when I have them laid out in block formation.

In stitching news, there isn't any. I haven't stitched in over 3 weeks. Not sure why but I never picked it back up after being sick. I am knitting more and hope to have a picture of a finished project soon. I'm even feeling like casting on for another shawl....see, I'm still a knitter!

Thank you for all your well wishes after being sick. I'm fully recovered now, thankfully, and back in the groove of every day life. I hope all your stitches are happy!

23 comments:

Tammy said...

What a great idea and it will be so handy. Glad everyone is feeling better!! Hugs

Pat said...

I'm glad you're feeling better...NICE design wall. The two of you did a great job with that!

Margaret said...

Glad to hear you're feeling better. Love your design wall! Great tips for making it too! Of course, my DH isn't very handy, so I might be out of luck if I ever want to make one. I'll probably have to resort to just tacking some flannel to the wall. lol!

paulette said...

Love your new design board and your tutorial on how to make one!! So glad you are all better and knitting up a storm!! Take care!
P

mdgtjulie said...

I hope you get your stitchy mojo back, and I'm glad you're feeling better!! Can't wait to see what you've knitted. Grats on getting the design wall up. And thanks for showing step by step pics. I love to know how things are done!

Carol said...

Love your new design wall, Jackie--we'll be expecting many brilliant creations in the future :)

Gabi said...

What a great way to create a design wall. Glad you're feeling better.

Linda said...

I love your design wall. Great way to do it and reasonable too. How sweet of your hubby to do this for you too...

I'm glad you're feeling better.

Shay said...

What a creative solution! Enjoy your new design wall...I think I might be directing my husband to this post!

QuiltSue said...

I'm glad you're feeling better now. I have a serious case of design wall envy now!

Brigitte said...

Good to read that you have fully recovered. Feeling sick and not being able to eat something makes the body so weak and it takes some time to regain one's energy after all.
What a great idea this was to create your own designing wall. A great job!

Simone de Klerk said...

What a fantastic design board! Could you send Greg over, to make me one too (o: And what a great idea to use one wall for that!
Hope you get your stitching mojo back soon, but then, you are making stitches on needles. Look forward to see the finish!

Annie said...

Great idea for a design wall. Where do you buy one of those 'Gregs'?

Nice to hear you are feeling better. You just have to let the crafty muse take you where it wants to. Stitching mojo will return in good time.

Brenda said...

Glad to hear you're feeling good again...and that you're knitting! Woohoo!! I'm having severe craft room envy tho...you're new design wall is awesome. Enjoy!

Barb said...

When you get in the grove you are in the grove.....love love the design wall...glad you are doing better!

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

♥ un petit bisou en passant de France,

Thelma said...

So glad to hear you're feeling better. Your design wall is wonderful, you'll be amazed how much you use it and how it makes your sewing life so much easier! I can't believe I sewed 2 years before getting mine. Your idea about creating small portable designs walls with the left overs is brilliant, I need some of those!

Cindy said...

awesome idea on the design wall...thank you for sharing ;D

Ariane said...

Oh I love, love your design wall. I need to make something like that. It looks really professional. Love it!!!

Abby and Stephanie said...

I love the wood strip hanger idea. Mr. Creations screwed my boards directly into the wall. A bit tricky screwing threw the flannel/batting though.

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

Wonderful design wall! It is going to make such a big difference for you when you are working on a quilt or two.

I know exactly what you mean about the fan blowing your block pieces around. It gets so frustrating but it is better than being all hot and sweaty.

Anonymous said...

I wish I had a large enough wall space for one of these! Maybe in my next home. I love how it is neat and tidy!! Well done to her hubby and wishing you well!!!

Melanie said...

What a great project! It came out great. You're going to have a lot of fun filling it up with color.