tkhooper

But stock in a lint brush company and clean the dryer lint trap often? I love my cat. I had to teach her the difference between an electrical cord and a play toy. She is a very smart and obedient cat.

RugosaB

I have basenjis, often called the dog for people who like cats, and to keep the puppies away from cords I would spread a little Vicks Vaporub on the cord. They left them alone and since just the wee tiniest bit leaves a smell they can detect, we didn't smell it.

tkhooper

That's a very good idea. Thanks for sharing it.

rryder

I finally got my art studio organized. I was able to set up the closet with two of my 3 drawer storage units--that gave me more floor space for walking around. I also raised up my drawing table so it is the same height as the table that I use for cutting when I'm squaring off quilts.

For my birthday last Saturday DH and I went to Lowes and bought 2 of those 4' x 8' insulation boards and a roll of duct tape. I already had a 20 yard roll of black poly felt (I thought I was ordering 2 yards when I bought it last fall) so I used that to cover the insulation. I now have a design wall that measures 8' x 8' and is covered in black poly felt. It is rigid enough to lean against the wardrobe, desk and chest of drawers that line one wall of the guest bedroom, and it folds in half in case I need to move it when we have guests.

What a difference it makes. My old design wall was made using batting over top of one of those 3 piece folding screens. It worked okay, but you couldn't pin into it and it wasn't nearly big enough.

My new design wall currently has a completed queen sized quilt top pinned to it while I contemplate backing choices and a number of other blocks from a couple of other things I'm working on!

Rob

oksewglad

Great size for design wall, Rob..I tack vinyl table cloths to my one spare bedroom wall just outside my sewing space...I do have to get up and move when piecing the sections together, but works for me as I don't have the space in the sewing area...

rryder

My house is one of those old ones where every single wall has at least two windows and a door or chimney so for anything bigger than a couple of feet across it had to be free standing (or leaning in this case). The wardrobe that my new design wall is leaning against blocks one of the three doors that lead into the guest room. Luckily, one of the doors was converted into an archway years ago, so my sewing area actually goes from 4 feet inside the guest bedroom through the doorway and into my home office by another 3 feet or so. So I have a sewing space that's roughly 8 and 1/2 feet square. The design wall is located on the opposite side of the guest room, so I also have to get up and move when piecing, but that's probably a good thing otherwise I'd never leave my sewing machine.

Rob

tkhooper

I've noticed the window and door thing. Really messes up the design wall. I may have to take your idea and try for something free leaning.

rryder

I can highly recommend the 3/4" insulation boards that lowes sells. They're 4' x 8' and if you needed to cut them you could probably do it pretty easily. Mine are just duct taped together and the felt is duct taped to them. I leaned them up against the various furniture and then used some heavy books on the floor in front of the two corners to keep it from sliding.

I just used to spray baste a top to the backing/batting. Much easier than my usual drape over a table and pin. All I had to do was pin the backing (to which I'd fused the batting) to the design wall and then spray the batting with 505 and put the top over that. I'll put up a picture on the pictures section.

Rob

tkhooper

look forward to the pictures.

rryder

I put a picture up on the pictures forum under the thread "look what's on my new design wall today"

You can see the size of the design wall there. Last week I had that same pieced top on it along with several other parts of another top I'm currently piecing. Those other parts had to come down in order for the backing (75" x 75") to fit (and because I was spray basting the top to the batting and didn't want overspray to get on them). It's only been a week since I made this design wall, but it has already made a huge difference for me. I can now put up all the bits and pieces of a quilt top at the same time, so it's easier to visualize than on my older and smaller wall. And I could never have spray basted the current quilt that's on it. If you have the space to make yourself one, even if it has to lean like mine does, it is worth it.

Rob