Make Your Own Pin-able Quilt Design Wall.

I had been using a large piece of craft felt that I had stapled to the wall years ago.  It worked OK for light fabrics, but is was not well suited for pinning since there is hard drywall behind it.  I bent many-a-pin trying to stick that wall.  Time to get a real board that would work well for cling as well as real pinning.

My new and improved design wall.

I started with a tutorial on using an insulation board as a design wall (found here).   The issue I had was that I could not find a flannel bed sheet that it called for.  With spring time here, those warm sheets are no longer on the shelves in the stores I visited.  I didn't want to buy flannel fabric at the craft store because it would need a seam, which I did not want either.  I didn't want to wait for an online order of a flannel bedsheet to arrive, so I decided to pick up the vinyl-backed flannel Design Wall by Fons & Porter.  I found it at Joann and used my %-off coupon which made it equal or less than the cost of a flannel sheet.

Supplies:
- Foam Insulation Board of your own desired thickness.  This product is very lightweight.
- Gorilla Tape
- Drywall Screws
- Finishing Washers
- Staple Gun with staples
- Fons & Porter Design Wall (use your coupon!)

Directions:

1. Measure your available wall space and trim the insulation board to size.  Safely use a box cutter or razor to slice one side of the board, then snap it back to complete the break.  



2. Open the design wall, and lay it flannel-side down (vinyl side up) on the floor.
3. Center the insulation board (unprinted-side down) on top of the design wall.
   
   
   
4. If needed, ensure your board is trimmed enough to have at least 3" on each side.   I trimmed a little more on the short sides to make sure the grommets would be hidden on the back.
5. Use your Gorilla Tape to secure the design wall taught to the back of the insulation board.  When you are happy with the tape, go around and secure additionally with the staple gun. 

   Taped and ready for staples.

   Design wall is ready.

6. Use the drywall screws with a finishing washer to secure the board to your wall.  The Gorilla tape is very hard to puncture with just the screws, so I used a stiletto to assist. 
   
   
   

   Screws in, board is up!

   
   

   Design Wall is ready!

I'm inspired now to put that board to use and complete some unfinished projects.  😃

Happy Stitching!