How to Create and Use a Quilt Design Wall for Your Next Project

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Everything You Need to Know About Designing Quilts On Your Wall

Whether you’re a beginner looking to get into quilting or a seasoned pro wanting to step up your craft, a quilt design wall is a must-have tool. As any quiltmaker knows, being able to easily view and manipulate fabric swatches while designing is key. In this article, I’ll cover all the basics of setting up your own design wall and getting the most out of it.

Choosing a Surface

The first decision is picking a surface for your wall. While dedicated quilt design boards exist, you have plenty of affordable DIY options. Personally, I like using a flat piece of plywood or foam core signs – they’re smooth, lightweight and affordable. You can also try using an empty frame covered with fabric or batting. Just be sure the surface is sturdy enough to hold pins without buckling or sagging.

Mounting and Accessibility

For mounting, look for a large, open wall space in your sewing room that gets good light. You’ve got to be able to easily view the whole design from a few feet back! I mounted my board on the wall with hanging brackets, but some people prefer using an easel-style folding frame that can be opened for work and collapsed for storage. Make sure your board is at a comfortable height – you’ll be spending lots of time with it, so ergonomics matter.

Organizing Fabric and Notions

Once your wall space is set up, it’s time to think storage. For fabric, some like stacking shelves nearby or using a rolling cart that can be wheeled in. When I’m in the zone designing, the last thing I want is to run all over hunting for that perfect scrap! Magnetic strips attached to the board are handy for pinning smaller notions like buttons or ribbons too. Pro tip: Add labeled dividers so everything stays organized. Confetti quilts are tricky enough without a mess!

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Pinning and Arranging

I prefer straight pins for affixing fabric to the board, since they’re easier to insert and remove than curved quilt pins. Make sure to buy glass head pins that won’t snag. When first arranging fabric, place solid colors and large prints toward the outer edges where the eye is naturally drawn. Save tiny scraps or intricate prints for filling in interior spaces. Stepping back frequently helps get a new perspective on the flow and balance of the design. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes can also help – bring in friends to get feedback before cutting!

Taking Pictures as Inspiration Strikes

Speaking from experience here – I can’t count how many quilt designs I’ve abandoned because I didn’t document my initial layout! Taking photos at each stage prevents regret later on. My phone photos have saved many a quilt baby that I may have torn apart on a whim. Snap pics before moving things around too much. You never know when a past configuration might inspire something new. Photos also let you continue developing ideas away from your sewing space. I’ve had some of my best “aha!” moments on the go thanks to design wall pics.

Laying Out Pieced Blocks

Once you’ve finalized a fabric placement, it’s time to begin piecing block components directly on the wall. This lets you visualize how blocks will come together before sewing. Mark construction lines with washable fabric markers or pin chalk if needed. I like to lay things out in a grid to keep pieces organized – it basically acts like one BIG design board! Just be sure any adhesives won’t damage your quilting surface. Quilt patterns can look super complex, but visualizing them block by block makes the process way less intimidating.

Using Your Wall as an Ongoing Resource

After piecing blocks, I often leave designs partially pinned up as works in progress or reference materials. Need a reminder of how that one tricky seam flows? Just glance at the wall. Got quilting motifs to avoid repeating? Look to past pinned-up samples for inspo. The design wall really becomes the ultimate brain for any quilter’s ideas. Continue using it throughout your project to stay inspired and work efficiently.

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Tips from Experience

Here are a few tricks I’ve learned: For very large quilt tops, try sectioning the design into quadrants and pinning/unpinning each part individually. Working in small, manageable pieces keeps things way less overwhelming. Also, I’ve totally been known to pin completed quilt sections to the wall “portfolio style” to show off or get feedback from fellow quilters. But don’t forget – thumbtacks leave holes, so only do it for special showings! Finally, design multiple quilts simultaneously. Bouncing between projects staves off boredom and always leaves options if you hit a creative block.

Customizing for Your Space

The best part of a design wall is that you can tailor it completely to your needs and space. Got limited hanging room? Try an over-the-door or rolling accordion style. Small kids or pets mean protection? Cover the wall with folding fabric panels when not in use. Creativity is all about problem solving – so use what you’ve got and let your imagination do the rest! A design wall unlocks whole new levels of quilting joy, so I hope these tips inspire you to create your perfect customized setup. Now get pinning – can’t wait to see your next masterpiece!

In the end, a quilt design wall is really what you make of it. Use it as a simple fabric organization tool or turn it into your quilting brain and artistic muse. Whenever I hit a wall, so to speak, stepping back to my design board usually provides just the spark needed. So give it a try – you might be surprised by what inspirations emerge! Let me know if you have any other design wall questions.

Quilt Design Wall Features to Consider

Feature Description
Material Cork, fabric, or magnetic – consider what pieces you will be mounting and ease of use
Size Full wall, sections, or portable – determine size needs for projects
Magnetic Strength Powerful or thin magnets – impacts what can be mounted securely
Mounting Method Frames, adhesive, or hanging rails – determines installation flexibility
Storage Options Roll up, fold up, or leave in place – considers space needs when not in use

FAQ

  1. What exactly is a quilt design wall?

    A quilt design wall is basically a large flat surface where quilters can pin several layers of fabric together to plan out and see how different patterns and pieces will look all put together as one. By letting you step back and look at the “big picture”, a design wall is very helpful for figuring out colors and pieces that work well or if you need to rearrange some parts.

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  2. How big does a design wall need to be?

    A quilt design wall can be any size, but most folks say it’s best if it’s kinda big – like at least the size of the finished quilt you’re working on, if not a little bigger. That way you’ve got plenty of room to play with laying out all the pieces without everything being crammed together. You can build your own wall or buy folding screens made just for quilting that give lots of space.

  1. Is it worth building my own design wall?

    Making your own quilt design wall can save some money compared to buying a ready-made one. At the same time, those sewing screens have wheels that let you roll the whole thing out of the way easily when you’re done. Nevertheless, lots of quilters set up walls using just painter’s canvas or muslin hung on the wall. As long as it’s nice and large like the quilt, a DIY wall works amazingly well and could be more than “worth it” in the long run.

  2. What’s the best material to cover a design wall with?

    Most experts suggest using a smooth woven fabric like muslin or canvas to cover boards or frames for a quilt design wall. Strong fabric that doesn’t ravel is important so pins don’t get hung up. Some people like the look of quilting cotton too, but it might not last as long that way without replacing. Appears the best choice is unbleached muslin – it’s inexpensive and allows the fabric colors to truly show through.

  1. How should I prepare the design wall surface?

    To get the smoothest surface possible, give your design wall material a good ironing before attaching it to the wall or frame. This helps get out any wrinkles or folds that could distort how the fabric pieces lie. Another trick is to give the whole thing a light spraying of starch spray or sizing before use – it puts a very thin coating on the fabric to help fibers lie flat without distracting shine or texture. Preparing the surface this way makes arranging and rearranging quilting pieces a whole lot easier on the eyes!

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  2. What tips do experts have for using a design wall?

    Most folks who’ve used design walls for years say to start by laying out your fabric scraps to get a feel for your color scheme. Then add some potential pattern pieces and see how they vibe together. It’s also wise to take pics of arrangements you like as working on a design wall can get ideas flowing – you may come up with amazing combos you’d never think of otherwise! And don’t forget to back up a few steps now and then to check the overall look.

Design walls are certainly helpful tools, though perhaps not entirely necessary. As the saying goes, “It’s possible to quilt without a design wall – but why would you want to?” Still, a quilt top can come together piece-by-piece on the sewing machine too. In the end, using whatever methods inspire you is mostly what matters.