Sandynorm

I use the back side of a cheap plastic table cloth, push pins in the wall, and then binder clips on the edge of the cloth and hook it on the push pins, works great, and is cheap too.

colin' s grammy

I put up a cafe rod on the wall behind a door, then took some flannel and used it like a curtain for a design board

4dogs

I used a flanel backed tablecloth from the Dollar Store, and it is on my closet door.....held on with pushpins....you cant do much of anything with the closet door, cuz you cant block it or anything, so making use of it for a design board works great for me.......

CruisingStef

Thanks to everyone for all the wonderful ideas, I was going to buy one- you talked me out of it. I'm now going to make it with insulation board and flannel-backed table cloth.
CruisingStef

olebat

Here is my idea of a portable, easily stored, almost free standing, or easily hung design wall. In a previous life it was a heavy flannel blanket. I found it at Goodwill for about a buck. The corners were folded over and sewn to make a couple of slots. Old fiberglass tent poles are inserted into the slots, and tied together with a ribbon which goes through the blanket and around the poles. It will lean against a wall (The almost free standing part) or hang from ribbons. I take those easily removable adhesive hooks with me to retreats to hang on the wall, without the frame, but stand the frame most anywhere else. Here it is hanging from a single cup hook from the beam, frame in. Earlier, I had it standing in front of the fire place. The poles are on shock cord, so it makes a package of about 18" long when folded.

nurse Betty

I use a cheap ($2) flannel back table cloth tacked to the wall but it would work tacked to a styrofoam board

cabinfever

If you like the idea of a large folding item, consider flat wood shutters as well...do you live near a habitat "re-store"? They are thinner than regular doors & make a nice framework. Just put center hinges on two to make the pair. Or if you wanted stout ones that fold...any hollow-core (lighter-weight) folding closet door would work. The white masonite ones are cheapest & may be discounted for scratches @ any home center. Just ask for "Flush panel" doors or shutters; flush means completely flat, no raised details anywhere.

cabinfever

So many good ideas here. I know I would love the foam board design wall for all the pluses:
1-lightweight & moveable by most of us without help
2-Inexpensive to start with
3-flannel or batting easily taped, glued or thumb-tacked to the backing.
4-stiff & sturdy for lots of blocks for your quilt layout- no sags.

There is only one thing I plead with any of you to keep in mind: flammabilty.
"Foam insulation is relatively hard to ignite, but when it is ignited, it burns readily and emits a dense smoke containing many toxic gases. The combustion characteristics of foam insulation products vary with the combustion temperatures, chemical formulation, and available air.
Because of these characteristics, foams used for construction require a covering of 1/2" drywall, as a fire barrier in residential applications."

Please don't have your little ones sleep in the room where your design wall is, such as the guest/sewing room. It could be heart-breaking. Thanks and sorry to be the ol' damper here.

cabinfever

I love your idea! Another thing to add to the yard sale/ thrift shop scavenger hunt. Thanks