Make an Instant Design Wall

For an instant and portable design wall, purchase a flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth at a discount store. Pay attention to the backside, look for one with a nice fuzzy flannel back side. Place the vinyl side against the wall with the flannel side facing you. Use generous amounts of masking tape as it will get heavier when you add your fabric pieces. To help position your squares and pieces, mark a grid on the flannel with a permanent marker (Sharpie). A design wall is a wonderful addition to any sewing room.

Audition individual fabrics side by side on your design wall to help determine how they will look in the finished quilt. Move them around, add and subtract fabrics until they are pleasing to you. Cut out one block and arrange it on the design wall to see if it is what you envisioned.

A design wall in valuable for assembling scrappy quilts. The wall gives you an overall view of the quilt as you shuffle the shapes around to create that perfect layout. It is also handy to sort fabrics into color values for watercolor quilts. Place your fabrics side by side to see if they blend together, removing those that don't.