Thoughts are like butterflies. They appear out of nowhere and most of them should probably be left to pass by. But when I thought about having a piano (which I don’t really want) in my sewing room and not having a design wall (which I would like) and about having some random pieces of curtain lining and fabric book samples (which I should probably have thrown away) in my big sewing room organisation…For a moment it seemed that a design wall piano was the obvious solution.
If you subscribe to the William Morris maxim: “If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – think useful!
The overhang at the top, which is hinged half way across was the main reason…
Thant Joanna ended up being decidedly on the baggy side…
…and since pianos are very slippery, the front would not keep a proper shape! I like to think the ribbon helped her waistline a little…
…but on the plus size (no pun intended) a sixty inch square quilt can be hung on her with bags of room to spare so I could drape/pin a piece of wadding to arrange blocks for at least a single bed-sized quilt…
…smaller objects that couldn’t be hung on a real design wall can sit on her shelf (although I think these ones have got a bit bored with being photographed)…
…and WIP blocks can cling to her or I could pin them on. She can also double up as a place to put things for photo shoots so all in all I think she’s been a passable solution to the ‘have piano but would prefer a design wall’ problem – and she was virtually free!
I doubt I’ll call her Joanna after this post, btw, because I’m not really that anthropomorphic! But she’s a Friday Finish so I’m linking up TGIFF LAFF and crazy mom quilts too :)
I’m also linking up with:
Because the piano was being a design wall for the cover until the cover became a design wall and the bottom photo shows what is on my design wall this week!
Janine @ Rainbow Hare
RAINBOW HARE 
Annabella
Genius Janine – I love it!
LikeLike
A Quilter's Mission - Vicki
Oh, I like Joanna! She appears to be quite the useful friend. Her arms are outstretched to hold all of your needs. Isn't that what friends are for?
LikeLike
Jess
Brilliant Janine! I am so in love with you fairy, she is beautiful.
LikeLike
Jess
Your fairy…
LikeLike
LynCC
Way to go! Most excellent quilter's MacGuyver move!! :D
LikeLike
Teje Karjalainen
Hi Janine! I would love to have piano, but I guess mine would also be covered by quilts. Lovely idea! x Teje
LikeLike
Nat at Made in Home
Brilliant!
LikeLike
Benta AtSLIKstitches
What a transformation! What happens if someone want to play? Lol
LikeLike
Celtic Thistle
Sounds like you have worked out the perfect solution all round!
LikeLike
pennydog
So unusual!
LikeLike
Soma Acharya
Well done! Such an innovative solution! “Thoughts are like butterflies” reminded me of the beginning of The Last Unicorn, the book I am currently reading :)
LikeLike
Christina Fairley Erickson
How fun! There's a great tutorial on making a portable design wall on Quilts by Jen's blog at: http://quiltsbyjen.ca/how-to-make-a-design-wall/ or http://quiltsbyjen.ca/how-to-make-an-inexpensive-portable-design-wall/ You could make one inexpensively and then store it behind the piano when not in use. Thanks for coming to Design Wall Weekends at Fiber Artist Journey!
LikeLike